Licensed U.S. Customs House Brokerage855-888-0666 · www.jfschb.com
JFSCHB

Trade Documentation

Inspection Certificate

Also known as: Certificate of Inspection, Pre-shipment Inspection

An inspection certificate is a document issued by an independent third party attesting that goods were examined before shipment and found to conform to the contract in quantity, quality, specification, or condition. Buyers require inspection certificates to gain assurance that they will receive what they paid for, particularly when sourcing from distant or unfamiliar suppliers, and some importing countries mandate pre-shipment inspection for customs valuation or safety purposes. Presented alongside the other shipping documents, an inspection certificate can be a condition of payment under a letter of credit, giving the buyer recourse if the goods fall short.

The JFS takeLicensed customs broker · Filer 82G

Usually a commercial requirement rather than a customs one — a buyer's protection, or a bank's condition under a letter of credit. Be clear which it is: a certificate demanded by a bank has no bearing on admissibility, one demanded by an agency decides it.

Related terms

Commercial InvoiceThe commercial invoice is the seller's formal bill for the goods and the single most important document in the customs entry, since it establishes the transaction value on which duty is usually assessed.Letter of CreditA letter of credit is a written undertaking by a bank, issued at the request of a buyer, to pay a seller a defined amount provided the seller presents documents that strictly comply with the terms stated in the credit.

Reviewed by a licensed customs broker. Definitions are general information, not legal or customs advice for a particular shipment. Duty rates, tariff programs and agency requirements change frequently.