Customs Coordination
Mexico to USA Customs Coordination
No Holds at the Bridge.
Documentation filed before your truck reaches the crossing.
Every cross-border load requires customs clearance on both sides. Most delays happen not because the freight is wrong, but because the paperwork wasn't ready when the truck arrived. At PC Global Logistics, we initiate the pedimento and the US CBP entry before the truck departs the origin facility. By the time it reaches Laredo, the clearance is already in process.
The truck doesn't create the delay. The paperwork does.
A cross-border shipment between Mexico and the United States requires two separate customs events: a Mexican export filing on the south side and a US Customs and Border Protection import entry on the north side. Both must be complete and approved before the freight can legally cross. When those two events aren't coordinated in advance, the truck arrives at the bridge and waits while someone scrambles to file what should have been submitted hours earlier.
The standard model in the industry is for the shipper to manage the freight and the customs broker to manage the documentation as two separate conversations. The freight broker dispatches the carrier. The customs broker files the pedimento. Neither team is operating on the same timeline, and neither team is fully responsible for what happens when they fall out of sync at the crossing. The shipper finds out there's a hold when the driver calls to say the truck hasn't moved in three hours.
At PC Global Logistics, freight coordination and customs documentation are managed by the same team. When a shipment is booked, documentation preparation begins immediately. The pedimento is initiated with our Mexico-side customs broker while the carrier is being dispatched. The US CBP entry is filed simultaneously. The Previo inspection at the Mexican customs facility is scheduled to align with the truck's departure time so the inspection is completed before the truck reaches the bridge. By the time your freight arrives at the port of entry, the clearance is already in process or approved. That's the difference between a truck that crosses in 45 minutes and one that sits for half a day.
Documentation runs parallel to the truck, not behind it.
Our customs coordination process starts the moment a shipment is booked, not when the truck reaches the border. Every step below runs in parallel with the carrier dispatch so the crossing is ready before the freight arrives.
Commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, and any commodity-specific permits collected from the shipper as soon as the load is booked. Missing or incorrect documents identified and resolved before dispatch, not at the crossing.
Mexico export pedimento initiated with our customs broker while the carrier is being dispatched to the origin. Correct tariff classification, declared value, and export permit requirements confirmed before the truck is loaded. Any discrepancies corrected before the truck departs.
Previo inspection at the Mexican customs facility scheduled to align with the truck's estimated arrival. Inspection completed and clearance issued while the truck is still in transit toward Laredo. No waiting at the inspection yard for an appointment that wasn't booked in advance.
US Customs and Border Protection import entry filed simultaneously with the Mexico-side pedimento. HTS classification, importer of record details, and any required bonds or permits confirmed before the truck reaches the port of entry. CBP release requested in advance of arrival.
Freight crosses with documentation approved or in final review. Any CBP exam coordinated on-site by our team. Documents archived and available to the importer on request. Entry number and pedimento number delivered to the shipper upon clearance confirmation.
"A truck that sits at the bridge isn't a customs problem. It's a planning problem. We solve it before the truck moves."
PC Global Logistics. Laredo, Texas. Since 2016.Every document. Both sides of the border.
A standard cross-border shipment between Mexico and the United States requires a specific set of documents on each side of the crossing. Missing or incorrect versions of any of these creates a hold at the port of entry. The table below shows what is required, who is responsible for it, and when it must be ready relative to the truck's movement.
| Document | Side | What It Is | Who Files It | When It Must Be Ready |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pedimento Mexico export | Mexico | Official Mexican customs export declaration required on all commercial shipments leaving Mexico | Mexico-side customs broker | Before truck reaches the Previo inspection facility |
| Previo Inspection | Mexico | Physical or documentary inspection of freight at the Mexican customs facility before the truck reaches the bridge | Mexican customs authority, coordinated by broker | Before truck departs for the international bridge |
| Commercial Invoice | Both | Seller's itemized invoice stating commodity, quantity, unit value, and total value in USD | Exporter / shipper | Required at booking, before pedimento can be filed |
| Packing List | Both | Detailed list of contents, piece count, weights, and dimensions for each package or pallet in the shipment | Exporter / shipper | Required at booking, verified against piece count at transload |
| Bill of Lading (BOL) | Both | Carrier's contract of carriage confirming freight acceptance, origin, destination, and shipper details | Carrier, countersigned by shipper | Issued at origin pickup before departure |
| US CBP Entry | USA | US Customs and Border Protection import entry filing declaring commodity, HTS classification, declared value, and importer of record | US-side customs broker | Filed before truck arrives at the US port of entry; release requested in advance |
| CAAT (if applicable) | Mexico | Certificate of origin or transport authorization required for certain commodity types moving through Mexico | Mexico-side customs broker | Before truck departs origin facility |
| Commodity Permits | Both | Additional permits required for specific commodities: food and ag products (FDA/USDA), hazmat (DOT/SCT), textiles, steel, and others depending on HTS classification | Importer, with broker coordination | Must be confirmed before booking; cannot be obtained after the truck is in transit |
Document requirements vary by commodity, declared value, country of origin, and applicable trade agreements. Contact us with your commodity and HTS code to confirm the complete documentation checklist for your specific shipment before dispatch.
Customs coordination that runs on the carrier's clock.
Most customs brokers work on their own schedule. We work on the truck's schedule. Documentation is initiated when the load is booked, not when the driver calls to say the truck is at the bridge.
Filed Before the Truck Departs
The single most effective way to reduce border hold time is to have the documentation submitted and in review before the truck reaches the crossing. This sounds obvious, but the standard industry model doesn't do it. Freight brokers dispatch carriers. Customs brokers file paperwork. Neither is explicitly responsible for making sure both happen on the same timeline. At PC Global Logistics, both are managed by the same team from the moment a shipment is booked. The pedimento is initiated when the carrier is dispatched. The US CBP entry is filed at the same time. The Previo inspection is scheduled against the truck's estimated transit time, not against the broker's availability. When the truck arrives at Laredo, the clearance is already in process. See how this connects to the rest of the freight move in our Cross-Border Freight service.
One Broker Contact for Both Sides
A cross-border shipment involves two separate customs jurisdictions. Most companies manage these separately: one customs broker handles the Mexico pedimento, a different broker handles the US CBP entry, and the shipper coordinates between them when something doesn't align. When a discrepancy appears at the crossing, the US broker waits for the Mexico broker to respond, and the truck sits in the meantime. At PC Global Logistics, you have one contact who manages the documentation on both sides. We work with established customs brokers on both sides of the crossing, and we are the single point of coordination between them. If there is a documentation discrepancy at the port of entry, we identify it and resolve it internally. You are not the intermediary between two brokers who are both waiting for the other to act. Your contact at PC Global Logistics handles it and gives you a status update, not a chain of phone calls to make.
Commodity Classification Done Right the First Time
The most common source of customs holds that aren't caused by missing documents is incorrect tariff classification. HTS codes on the US side and tariff fractions on the Mexico side must match the actual commodity being shipped, and they must be consistent across the commercial invoice, the pedimento, and the CBP entry. A mismatch triggers a review. A review holds the truck. For shippers moving complex manufactured goods, automotive components, or food-grade products, classification errors are more common than most importers realize, and the cost of fixing them in transit is significantly higher than getting them right at booking. We review HTS classification on every new commodity before the first shipment moves. If the classification on your documentation doesn't match what's in the box, we flag it before the truck departs, not after it's been held at the bridge for six hours waiting for an amended entry. See how classification connects to our full customs process in the document table above.
Customs Coordination FAQ.
Stop managing two brokers for one shipment.
Tell us your commodity, origin, destination, and HTS code if you have it. We will confirm the documentation checklist for your specific shipment and give you a clear picture of what customs coordination looks like under one team, before your first load moves.