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The short answer

A customs broker prepares and files the customs declaration for the importer or exporter: on the Mexican side the pedimento, filed through a licensed Mexican customs broker (agente aduanal) or other authorized representative; on northbound freight the U.S. entry, filed by a licensed U.S. customs broker. The freight broker and the carrier do not do this work. Name each customs broker in the load file before the truck is dispatched.

This page is part of the U.S.–Mexico Freight Shipping Guide. FCC is not a customs broker; brokerage services are through UCW Logistics, which arranges transportation only.

How the roles fit together

The freight side arranges and tracks the transportation. The customs side handles classification, valuation, origin, product regulations and the declaration itself. Mixing those roles up is one of the easiest ways to create a border delay.

A clean sequence

  1. The commercial parties confirm the transactionSeller, buyer, importer of record and terms of sale.
  2. The customs brokers receive the final documentsInvoice, packing list, origin data and permits.
  3. Customs questions are resolvedClassification, value, origin claim and product requirements.
  4. The crossing and operating plan are confirmedPort, handoff point and who moves the trailer across.
  5. The carrier is dispatched with the right instructionsBroker contacts, references and cutoffs.
  6. Release status is monitoredNobody moves the freight onward until release is confirmed.

What the customs broker needs to do

Depending on the direction and the parties, customs work can include reviewing the documents, confirming the importer's setup, classifying the goods, supporting the valuation and any origin claim, identifying permits and NOMs, filing the declaration, coordinating release and answering customs questions.

Why there is often a broker on each side

A load leaves one country and enters another. Southbound, the U.S. side has export requirements (often an EEI filing by a forwarder or export filer) and the Mexican side has the import pedimento. Northbound, there is a Mexican export pedimento and a U.S. entry. Many companies keep broker relationships on both sides of the border, and Mexican brokers commonly work at specific ports, which is why the broker can decide the crossing.

What the shipper needs

Ask early:

  • Who is the importer of record?
  • Who is the exporter or seller?
  • Which Mexican customs broker handles the Mexico side?
  • Which U.S. customs broker files the U.S. entry on northbound loads?
  • Which crossing do they work?
  • Which documents do they need, by when?

What changes the plan

  • Regulated goods that need permits, NOMs or U.S. agency data
  • An importer that is not yet in the Padrón de Importadores or a required sector registry
  • A claimed USMCA preference that needs origin support
  • After-hours or weekend crossings, which depend on the broker's hours

Common failure points

  • "Broker assigned" with no name, contact or reference behind it.
  • The driver arrives at the bridge and nobody knows which broker has the file.
  • The invoice changes after the broker has filed.
  • The freight broker is assumed to handle customs because it booked the truck.

Broker details to put in the load file

  • Broker company name, on each side
  • Office or port location
  • Contact person, phone and email
  • Broker reference number
  • Customs entry status
  • Document cutoff
  • Planned crossing
  • Special instructions
  • After-hours process

Common questions

Can a freight broker file the customs entry?

Only if the same company is separately licensed and acting as a customs broker. Transportation brokerage does not include customs brokerage, and ours does not.

Does the customs broker choose the truck?

Usually not. The customs broker and the freight provider coordinate, but equipment and capacity belong to the freight plan.

Who pays duties and taxes?

That depends on the terms of sale and the importer's setup. It is agreed commercially and paid through the customs process, not by the carrier.

What if the shipper does not have a customs broker yet?

You can still get transportation pricing. Mark customs setup as unresolved, and do not promise a border date until the brokers are in place.

Keep the truck tied to the customs status

Send the freight and whatever you know about the brokers; we will price the move and track who holds the file, which crossing is planned and what is still missing.

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Official sources

Last verified: 27 September 2026 against the official sources listed.