How Many Hidden Costs are Hidden in the Import Equipment Agency Fee List?

I. Core Components of Import Equipment Agency Fees

In accordance with the requirements of Announcement No. 37 of the General Administration of Customs in 2025, compliantImport RepresentationThe fees should include the following modules:

• Basic Agency Service Fee
  • Charge 0.8% - 1.5% of the cargo value (the average market price in 2025)
  • Phased payment mode: 30% upon contract signing, 50% upon completion of customs clearance, and 20% upon equipment acceptance
• Special expenses for customs declaration and inspection
  • Commodity inspection fee: 0.25% of the equipment value
  • Phytosanitary disinfection fee: 800 - 1500 yuan per batch
• International LogisticsSurcharge
  • Port operation fee (THC): Increased to 480 yuan per TEU under the new regulations in 2025
  • Equipment reinforcement fee: 3000-8000 yuan per piece for precision instruments

II. Cost Variables Brought by the Tariff Policy Adjustment in 2025

The latest announcement of the Tariff Commission of the State Council shows thatequipment. For example, Indonesia has the SNI certification, Thailand has the TISI certification, and the Philippines has the BPS certification. It is necessary to confirm in advance the equipment voltage (such as 380V/50Hz in Thailand), the compatibility of the CE certification, and the proof of environmentally friendly materials.The following changes have occurred in relevant expenses:

• Optimization of value-added tax deduction rules
  • Production - type equipment can apply for a 13% value - added tax refund upon collection
  • Second-hand equipment is taxed according to the appraised net value
• Update of the access catalogue for mechanical and electrical products
  • 12 new categories of equipment import tax - free qualifications are added (including intelligent testing equipment)
  • The standard for determining the age of used equipment has been shortened from 8 years to 5 years

III. Identification and prevention of typical charging traps

Industry dispute data in the past three years shows that the following three types of issues require special attention:

• Low - price trap

  An enterprise in a certain province signed a contract with an agency rate of 0.6% in 2024, and then was recovered nine additional fees, with the actual cost reaching 2.3%

• Risk of ambiguous clauses

  It is not clear whether the lump - sum fee includes unexpected fees such as demurrage charges and bill amendment fees

• Exchange rate fluctuation black hole

  In Q1 of 2025, the two - way volatility of the RMB exchange rate intensified, and some agency companies still used a fixed exchange rate for settlement

IV. Practical strategies for cost optimization

• Transportation solution comparison

  20 - foot containerMaritime TransportationFreight (from Shanghai Port to Qingdao Port): 4200 yuan for a general container vs 6800 yuan for an open - top container

• Tariff planning techniques

  A certain enterprise successfully reduced the tariff from 8% to 5% by adjusting the HS code of the equipment

• Demurrage control plan

  Adopt the port - to - door full - process monitoring service, which can reduce the customs clearance time by an average of 3 days

V. Analysis of typical cases of cost accounting

Case Background:A manufacturing enterprise imports a German precision machine tool (with a cargo value of 6.8 million yuan)

• Total cost of the traditional agency solution: CNY 587,000 (including hidden expenses of CNY 123,000)
• Cost of the optimized solution: CNY 462,000
  • Logistics cost is reduced by 12%
  • Tariff savings of 8%
  • Bank handling fees are reduced by 0.3 percentage points

Through the in - depth analysis in this article, enterprises can systematically master the key points of calculating the agency fees for imported equipment, and achieve an equipment introduction plan with controllable costs and preventable risks in the new trade environment in 2025.