Custom Clearance Agent in Mumbai

Licensed CHA and AEO-LO Certified Customs Broker

S. K. Agency is a licensed custom clearance agent in Mumbai, operating as a Custom House Agent (CHA) since 1990. From our head office at Satra Plaza in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, we clear import and export consignments through JNPT and Nhava Sheva, Mumbai Port and the Sahar Air Cargo Complex, with additional offices at Andheri East, Fort, Ahmedabad and Bhuj-Kutch covering Mundra and Kandla.

We hold Authorised Economic Operator (AEO-LO) status from the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs. For an importer that is not a badge on a wall. Consignments filed by an AEO certified broker are risk-scored more favourably by Customs, which in practice means fewer physical examinations, faster release and reduced bank guarantee requirements. Over four decades of handling Mumbai customs, the difference between a consignment that moves and one that sits in a warehouse is almost always documentation and classification done right the first time.

What Our Custom Clearance Service Covers

We act as your CHA end to end, so you deal with one team from the moment documents are raised to the moment the cargo reaches your door.

• Classification and HS code determination, including advance rulings where the tariff position is contested.
• Bill of Entry and Shipping Bill filing on ICEGATE, with duty computation and payment.
• AD Code and IEC registration at the port of clearance.
• Examination and assessment handling, including queries, valuation defence and provisional assessment.
• Regulatory approvals covering FSSAI registration, Plant Quarantine (PQ) import permits, Animal Quarantine (AQ) sanitary import permits, BIS registration, RBI approvals and compulsory registration for electronics and IT goods.
• Duty drawback, refunds and licence utilisation under Advance Authorisation, EPCG and RoDTEP.
• Bonded and general warehousing, inland transportation and last mile delivery.

Air and Sea Customs Clearance in Mumbai

Air cargo and sea cargo fail in different ways. Air shipments are usually time-critical and the cost of a delay is commercial rather than statutory, so our air desk at the Sahar Air Cargo Complex is staffed to file on arrival and chase examination the same day. Sea consignments at JNPT carry demurrage and detention exposure that grows daily, so the priority there is filing ahead of vessel arrival and pre-empting the queries that hold a container on the yard.

We handle full container load and part container shipments, break bulk and RORO cargo, over-dimensional and project consignments, and temperature-controlled cargo requiring reefer handling and quarantine clearance.

Why Importers Work With Us

• Over 40 years in Mumbai customs. The firm has cleared cargo through every major regulatory change since 1990, from manual filing to ICEGATE and faceless assessment.
• AEO-LO certified. A small number of customs brokers in India hold this status.
• Five offices. Vashi, Andheri East, Fort, Ahmedabad and Bhuj-Kutch, so Maharashtra and Gujarat ports are covered by one accountable team.
• Compliance in-house. FSSAI, PQ, AQ, BIS and RBI work is handled by us rather than farmed out to a third consultant, which is where most timelines slip.
• One point of contact. You get a named person who knows your consignment, not a ticket number.

Ports and Locations We Clear

JNPT and Nhava Sheva, Mumbai Port, Sahar Air Cargo Complex (Mumbai airport), regional ICDs and CFSs, plus Mundra and Kandla in Gujarat through our Bhuj-Kutch office. If your cargo lands anywhere on the west coast, we can clear it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a custom clearance agent do?

A custom clearance agent, formally a Customs Broker or Custom House Agent (CHA), is licensed by Indian Customs to file documents and clear cargo on an importer or exporter's behalf. The work covers classifying goods under the correct HS code, filing the Bill of Entry or Shipping Bill on ICEGATE, calculating and paying duty, arranging examination, obtaining any regulatory NOC, and releasing the cargo for delivery.

How much does a custom clearance agent charge in Mumbai?

Agency charges depend on the cargo type, the port, the number of items on the Bill of Entry and whether additional regulatory registrations are required. Charges are quoted per consignment and are separate from statutory costs such as customs duty, IGST, port and terminal handling, transport and warehousing. Call 022-4341 1999 for a written quotation for your shipment.

How long does customs clearance take in Mumbai?

A straightforward air shipment with complete documentation is often cleared within 24 to 48 hours of arrival. Sea cargo at JNPT typically takes two to four working days. Delays usually come from incomplete documents, HS code disputes, valuation queries, physical examination or pending regulatory approvals. Cargo handled by an AEO certified broker is treated as lower risk and is generally selected for examination less often.

What documents are required for customs clearance in India?

For imports the core set is the commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading or airway bill, IEC certificate, GSTIN, AD Code registration at the port, insurance certificate and a country of origin certificate where a trade agreement is claimed. Product specific licences or NOCs may also apply, such as FSSAI for food, Plant Quarantine for plant products, Animal Quarantine for animal origin goods, and BIS for notified products.

What is an AEO certified customs broker and why does it matter?

AEO stands for Authorised Economic Operator, a CBIC programme under the World Customs Organization SAFE framework. AEO-LO is the tier awarded to logistics operators and customs brokers meeting security, compliance and record keeping standards. Working with an AEO certified broker means your consignments are treated as lower risk, which generally results in fewer physical examinations, faster clearance and simplified procedures.

Speak To a Licensed Customs Broker

Tell us the cargo, the port and the timeline, and we will tell you what clearance will take and what it will cost. Call +91-22-4341 1999, email sanjay@sk-agency.com, or send us your shipment details.

Related services: Freight Forwarding (Air & Sea), Contract Warehousing (3PL & 4PL), Inland Transportation, Break Bulk / RORO. Useful tools: container tracking, Incoterms guide, container dimensions, customs forms and declarations.