Congress regulates and taxed international imports and exports. The U.S. also uses a highly effective tariff system along with very concise regulations of imported goods. The revenue raised is then used for the Treasury. If you are interested in obtaining an import business license, then you’ll want to familiarize yourself with the regulations delegated by Congress for the regulation of imports and exports conducted by the Department of Commerce.
Here are a few steps needed to get a license for an import business:
Obtain a CIN
You’ll want to obtain a company identification number (CIN). The identifier is issued by the Department of Commerce and is used to keep track of all international liabilities and trade activities. To obtain a CIN, fill out a company registration request at the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security’s website.
Learn About Export Controls
Learn about the Department of Commerce’s export controls. The federal government has the authority to restrict the export of items that could be used for military purposes in other controls. Other federal agencies oversee other restriction exports. The Department of Energy restricts any items that could potentially be used when creating a nuclear weapon.
Export License
Some items can be exported without a license. You’ll want to familiarize yourself with the Department of Commerce’s guidelines to find out if you need a license for some goods. Apply for the license via the Department of Commerce’s SNAP-R site.
Import License
Obtain an import license from every country you are planning to do business with export to. Remember, procedures do vary, and you might need legal counsel in the country or more information from the country’s embassy.
Contact Appropriate Agencies
You’ll want to contact the appropriate U.S. import license agencies for the goods you plan on importing. You cannot get one license to import everything. You’ll need to get licenses from extremely specific federal agencies which hold the regulatory jurisdiction over the goods you wish to import. An example is the importation of food products — you’ll need a license from the Food and Drug Administration.
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