Importing from China to Mexico has four stages: choosing and checking the supplier, moving the cargo by sea or air, clearing the goods through Mexican customs and delivering them to your warehouse. Most delays and unexpected charges appear between the second and third stage, when the ship has arrived and the goods are not yet ready for clearance. This guide explains each stage and what to check at each one.
Before you buy: check your supplier
Many problems with an import from China start with the supplier, before the cargo is loaded. Before paying a deposit, confirm three things:
- That the company exists and makes what it sells. Many sellers on platforms like Alibaba are trading companies rather than factories, which changes lead times and prices.
- That the product meets Mexico’s requirements. Some goods need an NOM (Mexican official standard) or a permit before they can enter the country, and if they arrive without it they are held at customs.
- That the goods are marked as required. For machinery, the serial number, model and brand are checked at origin.
Our team coordinates supplier verification and factory inspections before you commit to the purchase.
Freight: FCL or LCL to Manzanillo
Most sea cargo from China enters Mexico through the port of Manzanillo, on the Pacific. There are two ways to ship it:
| FCL (full container) | LCL (consolidated cargo) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it suits | Enough volume to fill a container | Smaller loads that share a container |
| What our quote includes | Guarantee deposit and local charges with the shipping line, release documents with copy (TELEX) | Destination port charges, release documents with copy (TELEX) |
On a direct sailing, the vessel takes 20 to 22 days from China to Manzanillo. With transshipment, 34 to 38 days. These are estimates that can move with weather, port congestion or route changes, and customs release comes on top.
Route details are in China to Manzanillo by sea.
Customs: pedimento, tariff classification and permits
When the ship arrives, the goods must clear customs before they leave the port. Three pieces come into play:
- The pedimento (import declaration) is the customs filing with the description of the goods, their value and the taxes they pay. A customs broker files it.
- The tariff classification (fracción arancelaria) is the code that classifies your goods. It sets the duty, the import VAT and the permits that apply, so a wrong code can mean overpaying or a fine. Under the 2026 rules it can escalate to the importer losing its Padrón registration and the customs broker losing its licence (patente).
- The importers’ register (Padrón de Importadores) is the SAT registration your company needs to import in its own name.
Storage charges appear when the cargo reaches the port and nobody has the documents ready, because every day of waiting is billed. We hand the cargo to the customs broker 24 to 48 hours before arrival, even if another agency clears the import. Clearance starts as soon as the shipment lands and no storage charges build up.
Our customs agency invoices the import directly to your company. More in customs clearance.
What an ALL IN quote includes
The cost of importing from China is more than the freight. A complete quote covers:
- Sea or air freight.
- Local charges at the destination port or airport.
- The guarantee deposit with the shipping line, for FCL cargo.
- Delivery of the documents to release the goods.
- Customs clearance and import taxes.
When a quote leaves out destination charges, they appear later, with the goods already in port. Our quotes are ALL IN, so no destination or extraordinary charges appear that were not in the quote.
A common question is whether shipping USD 5,000 of goods costs the same as shipping USD 15,000. Freight depends on volume and type of cargo, not on value. Import taxes do change, because they are calculated on the customs value of the goods.
What we need to quote
To prepare a quote for an import from China we need:
- Your supplier’s city and details in China.
- A description of the goods.
- Weight and volume, or the number of containers.
- The date the cargo will be ready.
With that we send an ALL IN quote for the direct route and the transshipment route, with what each option includes.
Get a quote for your import from China
Frequently asked questions
How long does a container take from China to Mexico? 20 to 22 days in transit on a direct sailing to Manzanillo, or 34 to 38 days with transshipment. Customs release comes on top.
Is the customs broker included? Our customs agency invoices the import directly to your company. If you prefer to clear with another agency, we still hand them the cargo 24 to 48 hours before arrival.
What happens if my product needs a permit? We check it before shipping. A product that arrives without the permit it needs is held at customs, and the wait creates costs.