A freight forwarder moves your goods from the supplier to Mexico. A customs broker declares them to Mexican customs and releases them. They are two different jobs and almost every import needs both. The real question is who coordinates them, because delays and storage charges usually appear in the gap between one and the other.
What a freight forwarder does
The freight forwarder books space with the shipping line or airline, picks up the cargo, tracks the route and delivers the release documents at destination. It does not own the ship: it compares routes and carriers and puts the whole shipment together, as a full container (FCL) or as consolidated cargo (LCL).
What a customs broker does
The customs broker or customs agency classifies the goods, calculates the taxes, prepares the import pedimento and files it with customs on behalf of your company. Only someone authorised by the customs authority can do it.
The options, compared
| Option | What it covers | What it does not cover | When it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Express courier | Samples and small door-to-door shipments | Containers, machinery, cargo that needs permits or a NOM | Samples and small parts |
| Shipping line direct | Port-to-port freight | Customs, inland transport and coordination | Companies with their own trade team |
| Freight forwarder alone | International transport and release documents | Customs clearance | If you already have a customs broker you trust |
| Customs agency alone | The pedimento, taxes and release | Bringing the cargo to Mexico | If you already have someone moving the cargo |
| Forwarder and customs agency coordinated | Transport and clearance as one operation | Nothing is left loose between the two | Recurring imports, machinery, cargo with permits |
Where the time gets lost
When transport and customs run separately, the customs broker often gets the documents only after the cargo has arrived. First they check what it is, then they classify it, then they operate. Meanwhile the cargo waits at the port and storage charges run by the day.
How we do it at Import Planners
We do both parts. On transport, the quote is ALL IN: no destination or extra charges left out. We document the cargo condition at pickup and at delivery, with close tracking along the way.
We hand the cargo and its documents to the customs broker 24 to 48 hours before the shipment arrives, even if another agency clears the import. If we clear it, we are ready when it lands, with no storage charges, and our customs agency invoices the import directly to your company.
If you already work with a customs broker, we can handle the transport only and hand everything over on time. More in customs clearance.
Frequently asked questions
Is a freight forwarder the same as a customs broker? No. The freight forwarder moves the goods to Mexico and the customs broker declares and releases them at customs.
Is the customs broker included in the freight quote? It depends on who quotes. With us you can quote transport only, or transport together with customs clearance.
Can I use my own customs broker? Yes. We hand them the cargo and the documents 24 to 48 hours before the shipment arrives.