Frequently Asked Questions
How do I Sign up for the Service?
It is very easy to sign up. Go to your preferred search engine or browser and enter “ltnexpress.com”. From there you will be able to enter the required information to create your personal, Free! LTN Express Account.
What is a Brokerage Fee?
A brokerage fee is a fee or commission a broker charges to execute transactions or provide specialized services on behalf of clients. As Licensed customs broker, we have to prepare and administrate special documents to clear detain shipments. Therefore this fee covers special handling and processing.
What will happen if my item is over $50?
Packages with a value less than US$50 will not attract Customs charges. However, if the value is greater, Customs charges will be calculated on the Full value (including shipping and taxes). It is therefore important that the invoice be included in the package, or presented to Customs to assist with the assessment of the items.
Why should I send my invoice?
Sending in your invoice will help to eliminate various delays and enables increase accuracy when
collecting packages. Some of these ways are:
- Reducing the possibility of being detained (if it is below $50usd)
- if detained; it fastens the process to get the documents prepared for clearance
- It helps you (the customer) and the company to account for all the packages you should receive
and assist, if there are any hindrances.
What does F.O.B means?
FOB Shipping Point means that the seller transfers ownership of the goods sold at the point of origin, when the items leave the seller’s warehouse. Under FOB Shipping Point, the seller would record the sale as soon as the goods leave the seller’s premises. The buyer then owns the products as soon as they leave the warehouse and therefore must pay any delivery and customs fees. The buyer would also be responsible for any damage, loss or theft.
Why should I pay a Processing and Handling Fee?
The base fee which is paid only covers the shipping and travelling to the island. There are other services which contribute to the complete preparation for courier goods, which are administrative and processing.
How long does it take before storage is applied?
Once packages are in office for more than four (4) weeks, storage fee will be applied.
How often do you guys ship from Florida to Jamaica?
We have flights twice per week; Sundays and Thursdays.
What if I want to cancel or return my shipment?
The base fee which is paid only covers the shipping to the island. You may cancel or return your item, but that is solely between the buyer and supplier. Though, if the item gets to the country before the request is made, you will have to clear the item and return with another cost, depending on the size and weight of the item.
When will my detained packages be cleared?
Detained packages are cleared twice per week (Tuesdays and Thursdays). This may be limited to one day per week, depending on the operations by the Jamaica Customs Agency, beyond our control.
Why am I charged for items weighing less than a pound?
Each item is accounted for, all weighing ‘0lb and more’ in shipping and due to the fact that they
board on a flight it will be charged by the carrier therefore the courier company will have to pay for
them as well.
Which I items am I not allowed to ship to Jamaica?
Food (unprocessed Fruits, Vegetables, Plants & Plant Products, Meat, legumes, etc.) Guns (accessories, toys or any associated) and Many More which will require a Licence, Permit or Certificate by the listened organizations below. But to see many more restricted items, we advise you to visit the Jamaica Customs website.
MOA – Ministry of Agriculture
MOH – Ministry of Health
MNS – Ministry of National Security
PRAD – Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs Division
KSHA – Kingston & St. Andrew Health Department
How long does it take before I can become a Loyal Customer?
Once you have used our service at least 12 times per 12 months consistently.
Why is my ‘Box Number’ important?
The box number is unique to each customer; it allows us to identify and differentiate each shipment
and customer, especially in cases where customers have exact names.
Can I ship items over $5, 000 usd? If so, what will I need?
You will need: invoice of the item, proof of payment, TRN and TCC, fill out a C84 form and be prepared for any other requirement from the Jamaica Customs Agency, depending on the product.
What will happen if I do not have an invoice for my detained Packages?
According to the JCA, if the value cannot be determined they must use the Fallback Method (Paragraph 2(5) of the schedule to the Customs Act). The Customs value will be based, for example, on the price the buyer would have paid if he had bought the goods.
How long will I have to retrieve my package? And will it be auctioned after a period?
The auction period is done after four (4) months after packages have arrived. Please note that within that period since arrival, the package will have storage fees applied.
Why are delays so frequent?
Natural Causes
Nature can be an unpredictable and powerful force that may hinder the fast delivery of goods to customers.
Inclement weather such as heavy rain or snowfall, hurricanes, and foggy conditions are factors in causing
delivery delays. These natural events may be beyond your or the courier’s control, but they should not be an
excuse for late delivery.
A Surge in Delivery Volume
Holidays and special occasions are peak seasons for online retail stores. High volumes of orders are expected to be shipped to consumers, and intensive work will be involved. During these times, warehouses are swamped and flights may be extremely full.
Mechanical and technical Hindrances
There are instances where aircrafts are down and due to the peak in couriers it impacts the regular operations.
Also, there are many systems used to track, validate and operate the shipments which may be down at times.
*Please note that causes are not limited to what was stated, as other issues may occur based on the situation.
Why is it that my duty free item is still being charged a customs fee?
Even if your item is duty free, there are other taxes that you should be aware of; an environmental protection levy (EPL) and a standard compliance fee (SCF) are imposed at the rate of 0.5% and 0.3%, respectively, of the customs value of goods imported. The EPL is also imposed on 75% of the sales value of locally manufactured goods with an input tax credit available for any EPL paid in respect of imported productive inputs. Customs administration fees (CAF) are charged based on the service(s) provided by Jamaica Customs. Other import levies apply in certain instances, such as additional stamp duty (ASD) on certain goods. (N.B: These taxes are additional fees to duty-rates and impact high prices for items over $50)