Starting prices, volume discounts and a fair price-match promise

No. The prices shown are starting prices for planning purposes only. They help clients estimate the likely professional service fee for common trade-support work, but they are not automatic final prices. The confirmed quotation depends on the actual scope, urgency, document quality, service level, transaction volume, third-party charges and any special handling required. For example, a standard customs permit declaration may start from S$28, but the final amount may differ if the shipment involves controlled goods, urgent handling, complex HS classification, amendments, missing documents or authority follow-up. IMPORT.SG confirms the exact scope, inclusions, exclusions, assumptions, taxes and third-party costs in writing before the quotation becomes binding.

The starting price for customs permit declaration begins from S$28 per standard declaration. This generally covers document intake, basic data consistency review, declaration preparation and status update. It is intended for straightforward declarations where the shipment documents are complete, the goods are not unusually complex, and no special licensing or urgent escalation is required. The fee does not normally include government charges, controlled-goods licensing, complex HS classification, valuation disputes, amendments, cancellation work, after-hours handling or extensive clarification with multiple parties. If the permit involves special cargo, unclear documents, missing values, controlled items or tight operational deadlines, IMPORT.SG will assess the case and confirm the applicable fee in writing before proceeding.

Third-party charges are billed separately because they are not IMPORT.SG’s professional service fees. These may include government fees, chamber charges, certification fees, courier fees, airline costs, accommodation, visas, duties, taxes, carrier charges, storage fees, inspection fees, security requirements or other external costs. IMPORT.SG may coordinate the work, but these charges are imposed by outside parties and can vary depending on the shipment, route, authority, service level or urgency. Where practical, third-party charges are itemised separately in the quotation so clients can see what belongs to IMPORT.SG’s service fee and what is being paid to another party. This makes price comparison clearer and prevents confusion between professional coordination fees and external operating costs.

Certificate of Origin application support starts from S$45 per application. The starting price normally covers application preparation, supporting-document review and submission coordination. Final pricing depends on whether the CO is preferential or non-preferential, how many product lines are involved, whether origin evidence is complete, whether the shipment requires urgent handling, and whether corrections or additional supporting documents are needed. Chamber fees, certification charges, legalisation, courier charges and document correction costs are usually excluded unless specifically included in writing. Preferential COs may require more review because eligibility depends on rules of origin under the relevant Free Trade Agreement. IMPORT.SG confirms the scope, assumptions and external charges before the application proceeds.

ATA Carnet application support starts from S$180 per application. This typically includes an application checklist, goods-list review and coordination support with the relevant chamber or issuing process. The final fee depends on the number of items, number of countries, urgency, quality of the item list, values, serial numbers, supporting documents, amendment needs and dispatch arrangements. Chamber charges, security or guarantee requirements, insurance, courier fees, amendment fees and other third-party charges are normally excluded unless specifically stated. Carnet work can become more complex when the goods are high-value, moving through several countries, difficult to identify, or subject to temporary import conditions. IMPORT.SG will confirm the complete pricing basis in writing.

On-board courier or hand-carry service starts from S$1,200 per mission because it involves dedicated human travel, urgent coordination and end-to-end custody planning. Unlike normal courier delivery, a person may need to collect the item, travel to the airport, board a flight, carry the shipment as baggage where accepted, coordinate customs documentation and hand over the item at destination. The starting price covers mission planning, courier coordination, status reporting and handover confirmation. It does not normally include airfare, accommodation, visas, duties, taxes, permits, local transport or destination third-party charges. Final pricing depends heavily on route, urgency, flight availability, item profile, temperature requirements, airline acceptance and destination clearance requirements.

Local courier pricing starts from S$7 per standard trip for islandwide point-to-point document or small-parcel delivery with status updates. The final price depends on pick-up location, delivery location, service level, item size, weight, access requirements, waiting time, return trips, after-hours work and whether the item needs special handling. A simple document delivery between accessible office locations will usually cost less than a delivery involving restricted access, warehouse waiting time, condominium procedures, urgent dispatch, oversized parcels or multiple stops. If the courier needs to collect signatures, return stamped documents, wait for release, or access secure facilities, additional fees may apply. IMPORT.SG confirms the service level and any extra charges before dispatch.

Operational manpower deployment starts from S$28 per person-hour. This price applies to pre-agreed support for documentation, coordination or logistics administration. Final pricing depends on the role scope, work location, schedule, required competency, system access, supervision model, duration, urgency and whether the work involves overtime, night shifts, weekends or public holidays. Minimum booking periods may apply because personnel must be reserved, briefed and deployed for a meaningful work block. Specialist credentials, equipment, travel, restricted-site access and urgent replacement arrangements may cost extra. A simple office-hour documentation role will price differently from urgent airfreight support, AWB execution, permit administration or after-hours customer service recovery. The written quotation confirms the staffing scope and chargeable time basis.

HS classification review starts from S$80 per product line because it requires product-specific analysis rather than routine form processing. IMPORT.SG reviews product information and prepares a reasoned classification recommendation based on the available description, composition, function, technical details and supporting documents. This fee does not usually include laboratory testing, legal opinions, authority rulings, large catalogue classification, translation or complex technical investigation. Classification can affect customs permits, duty rates, controlled-goods checks, origin documentation and destination-country requirements, so unclear products require careful review. Clients should provide datasheets, product photos, material composition, use case, supplier information and previous classifications where available. If the product line is complex, IMPORT.SG may quote a higher fee or recommend specialist input.

Customs valuation review starts from S$120 per transaction. It involves reviewing commercial documents and identifying valuation questions or missing support that may affect customs declaration or duty/GST treatment. This may include checking invoice values, freight and insurance components, assists, discounts, related-party transactions, royalties, tooling, samples, replacements or unclear commercial terms. The service is not a tax opinion, legal opinion, transfer-pricing study, authority submission or audit representation unless separately agreed. It is intended to help clients identify whether the available documents are complete and whether there are obvious valuation questions before declaration or clearance. If the transaction involves complex pricing arrangements, related-party sales, rebates or post-import adjustments, additional specialist review may be needed.

Controlled-goods coordination starts from S$150 per case. This typically covers initial authority and document mapping, stakeholder coordination and requirement tracking. It helps clients understand what information may be needed when goods appear to fall under a Competent Authority, licence regime, safety requirement or product-specific control. The fee does not include licence fees, testing, inspections, specialist reports, storage, transport, authority charges or technical certification unless specifically agreed. Controlled-goods cases may involve food, health products, chemicals, hazardous substances, telecommunications equipment, plants, animals, biological items, flammable materials or other regulated goods. Pricing depends on how many authorities, products, documents and parties are involved. IMPORT.SG coordinates the process but does not guarantee licence approval or authority acceptance.

Yes. Amendment or cancellation support starts from S$18 per request. This fee covers review of the requested change and coordination of the applicable amendment or cancellation workflow. It may apply when values, quantities, party names, transport details, permit types, shipment dates or supporting documents change after work has begun. Government penalties, replacement applications, third-party charges and complex corrective work are normally excluded. The final fee may be higher if the error affects multiple documents, requires urgent resubmission, involves authority clarification, or creates operational consequences for cargo release. Clients should notify IMPORT.SG as soon as a change is known. Early correction is usually cheaper and safer than waiting until the goods are already at the checkpoint or destination.

Bulk-volume discounts are available for recurring clients when transactions share a consistent scope, data standard and operating workflow. As a planning guide, 20-49 qualifying transactions per month may receive discounts from 5% on eligible professional service fees. 50-99 qualifying transactions per month may receive discounts from 10%, subject to complete data, consistent scope and agreed service levels. For 100 or more transactions per month, IMPORT.SG may prepare a custom account rate card with volume tiers, reporting and account-management terms. Discounts usually apply to professional service fees, not third-party charges. Urgent, complex, after-hours, amended or heavily exceptional cases may fall outside the volume tier. The exact discount structure is confirmed in writing.

IMPORT.SG will review a genuine written competitor quotation and consider matching the comparable professional service fee where the scope is truly like-for-like. The competitor quotation should be current, issued within the last 30 days, and come from a legitimate Singapore-based competitor. The quote must cover the same service scope, turnaround, document review, communication level and close-out deliverables. Price matching does not apply to government, chamber, carrier, courier, airfare, duty, tax, accommodation, visa, storage or other third-party charges. Promotional, bundled, loss-leading, marketplace, employee-only or relationship-specific prices may be excluded. IMPORT.SG will compare the scope and respond in writing. Matching remains subject to capacity, compliance requirements, credit approval and written acceptance.

To get an accurate quotation, send the service required, shipment route, ready date, deadline, item description, number of documents, monthly volume if recurring, and any special requirements such as controlled goods, temperature control, urgency, after-hours work or restricted access. For permit work, include invoices, packing lists, transport documents and licences where available. For COO or Carnet work, include origin evidence, item lists, values, serial numbers and destination details. For courier or hand-carry, provide pick-up point, final destination, weight, size and recipient availability. For manpower deployment, provide role scope, work location, schedule and system requirements. If requesting price matching, include the written competitor quotation. IMPORT.SG will confirm the applicable starting price, volume tier and price-match eligibility in writing.