Legal · Customs Matrix
Customs Responsibility Matrix
Customs is where urgent shipments die when nobody owns the next step. This matrix removes the ambiguity: for every stage, one owner. It applies unless your quote states a different split.
Transparency note: this document is published so clients and couriers can see exactly how we work. It is a working framework, not legal advice; where figures are stated they are our standard defaults and can be varied in a signed agreement. A review by qualified UAE counsel is part of our compliance roadmap and the current version is marked below.
| Stage | Shipper / Client | OnBoard Courier | Broker (nominated) | Consignee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate goods description & value | Owns | Verifies plausibility | , | , |
| Commercial invoice & packing list | Owns (we template) | Reviews before wheels-up | , | , |
| Export permits / licences (origin) | Owns | Flags requirement at quote | Files where engaged | , |
| Export clearance at departure | Provides documents | Coordinates, courier presents | Executes where formal entry needed | , |
| Transit-point formalities | , | Owns (routing designed to avoid formal transit entries) | , | , |
| Import clearance at destination | , | Coordinates, pre-alerts | Executes formal entries | Provides importer registration / POA |
| Duties, taxes, fees | Per quote terms | Advances only if quoted | Collects/settles per entry | Owns unless quote says DDP |
| Restricted-goods import permits | Origin-side documents | Flags requirement at quote | Files where engaged | Owns destination licences |
| Post-clearance record keeping | Keeps commercial records | Owns custody & transport records | Keeps entry records | Keeps import records |
The three honest rules behind the table
One: we tell you at quote time which documents the lane needs, if we did not ask for it, chasing it is on us. Two: a delay caused by a document we asked for and did not receive is not a service failure. Three: nothing is “slipped through”: a shipment that cannot clear honestly does not fly with us.
Version 1.0 · August 2026 · drafted for review by UAE counsel before reliance