Storing stock overseas first: when does customs clearance happen? US foreign-trade zones and Amazon EU storage fees
An ordinary overseas warehouse is not bonded. Goods usually go through import clearance before they go into one; whether any duty is actually due depends on classification and relief. The US has an exception, the foreign-trade zone (FTZ): per US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), foreign goods in a zone need no usual formal entry and pay no duty until they enter the US for domestic consumption (this does not mean no zone admission or supervision); goods may stay in a zone indefinitely; but no retail trade of foreign goods is allowed in a zone. Amazon FBA storage fees in Europe (rate card from 17 April 2026, per cubic metre per month): for standard-size non-dangerous goods in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Poland, Belgium and Ireland, apparel and accessories, eyewear, footwear, backpacks and handbags pay *€19.99* in January–September and *€29.23* in October–December; all other categories pay *€27.54* and *€52.20*. Stock held too long also pays an aged inventory surcharge on top of regular storage, and this page does not list every fee.
- Applies to
- Chinese sellers who send stock to an overseas warehouse, FBA or a US zone before selling.
US foreign-trade zones (FTZ)
| Point | What CBP says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| When duty is paid | Foreign goods in a zone need no formal entry or duty payment unless and until they enter the US for domestic consumption | CBP: About foreign-trade zones (updated 5 December 2024) |
| How long goods can stay | Indefinitely, whether or not subject to duty | Same |
| Retail | No retail trade of foreign merchandise in a zone | Same |
| Legal basis | Foreign-Trade Zones Act 1934 (19 U.S.C. 81a–81u); 15 CFR 400; 19 CFR 146 | Same |
| Admission is still required | Goods are admitted to a zone on application and permit | 19 CFR Part 146 (§146.32) |
Zones are run by approved operators. Small sellers usually use a zone through a warehouse company already operating inside one; not every "US warehouse" is in a zone.
Amazon FBA storage fees in Europe (from 17 April 2026)
Monthly storage (standard size, non-dangerous, per cubic metre per month; stores: Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Poland, Belgium, Ireland):
| Category | Jan–Sep | Oct–Dec | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apparel and accessories, eyewear, footwear, backpacks and handbags | *€19.99* | *€29.23* | Amazon Europe FBA rate card (p. 17) |
| All other categories | *€27.54* | *€52.20* | Same |
Aged inventory surcharge (on top of regular storage; euro rows listed for Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Ireland):
| Age | Charge (per month) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 241–270 days | *€47.99* per cubic metre | Footnote: does not apply to apparel and accessories, footwear, backpacks and handbags, luggage, jewellery and watches |
| 365–455 days | *€227.63* per cubic metre or *€0.20* per unit, whichever is greater | Adjacent bands overlap at the boundary in the table; use the age your dashboard calculates |
| Over 455 days | *€261.97* per cubic metre or *€0.25* per unit, whichever is greater | Same |
The rate card may also include other fees such as a storage utilisation surcharge; this page is not the full fee list. The rate card is the authority.
What you can do yourself
- Ask whether an overseas warehouse is an ordinary warehouse or a bonded warehouse/FTZ; in an ordinary one, goods go through import clearance first, so include any duty due in your costs.
- If you want to use a US FTZ, check the provider's zone approval and operating credentials.
- For FBA, stock to your sales rate and don't hold stock too long; October–December storage costs more, and the aged surcharge rises with age.
- Reconcile monthly: look at storage, aged surcharge and removal fees separately.
When to use a licensed professional
- For an FTZ, or to act as US importer, talk to a US licensed customs broker.
- For VAT registration and filing in Europe, talk to a local tax agent.
Check before you pay, and warning signs
- If a provider says "we're bonded, no duty", ask for the official FTZ or bonded warehouse approval.
- For "overseas warehouse with customs and duty included", ask who the importer of record is and what value is declared.
Unknowns
- An official CBP page on US bonded warehouses (19 CFR 144): not found this time.
- Amazon US FBA storage fees: the official fee page did not open this time; third-party blogs are not used, so no US figures here.
- Other aged-inventory bands between 271 and 365 days, oversize and dangerous-goods rates, and the storage utilisation surcharge: not listed here; see the rate card.
- The CBP foreign-trade zone page could not be opened during re-review; the core points rely on the earlier check.
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