To make a long story short, I couldn't find a windshield for my AE86 project here in the US, but I ended up finding one in England, so I ordered it. The windshield (excuse me....windscreen...) place in England quoted me expensive shipping to my door, or less-expensive to the airport, so I opted for the airport. I am currently travelling in Canada, so my phone doesn't work for voice or data, but I can connect to wifi when available. After connecting to wifi yesterday with my phone, I got several calls/voicemails from the freight forwarding company about the shipment that arrived, needing to know who my customs broker is.
Every other time I've order car parts from overseas, I've had them shipped to my door and haven't needed a broker. Sometimes I have paid duty, sure, but the shipping company figured out the customs details.
Do I need a customs broker to get my windshield? If so, how do I find/hire one? Given that they usually deal with containers full, if not ships full, will they help one little hobbyist with one little windshield? Will it cost an arm and a leg?
Help...anyone dealt with this before?
And yes, I will call the freight forwarding company once I get back to decent phone coverage...just trying to get some info so I have a jump start.
it's been a long time, but IIRC i just went to the freight forwarding company at the airport and picked it up. i think i had to open the box so they could see what was in it so they could sign it off as being *not* a box of heroin.
hangup is that widshields are regulated equipment, so you need to fill out a HS-7 (box 2A) and hope that is has the appropriate markings to meet the regulations of FMVSS 205
Relevant Form https://help.cbp.gov/ci/fattach/get/46595/0/filename/DOT+Form+HS-7.pdf
information regarding FMVSS 205, so you can suss out what the markings need to be (if it meets or not. If not, you might not be able to bring it in) https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=793580059cdab6ba2564fb6788becfcc&mc=true&node=se49.6.571_1205&rgn=div8
-stayed at a holiday inn
I deal with a lot of international shipping, and the short story is yes. Companies like UPS have this already set up so you never see the process, but other shipping methods require you to have one. The party shipping it should have dealt with this on their end. You will also need to pay whatever tarriffs are involved, and that can vary greatly depending on which harmonized code they chose to use.
Thanks for all the input so far. I called the local CBP office and after explaining the back story (one-time-deal for one item, personal use, just a few hundred bucks value) the officer said that it should qualify for an informal entry, and that I should contact the air freight company, get the physical location of the warehouse, go to the warehouse and pick up the paperwork, bring it to the CBP office, get the rubber stamp, and then head back to the warehouse for pickup...easy, right? 
Keeping my fingers crossed...
In case it goes sideways, Percy H. Davis, customs broker. I have used them to come into Canada, and I think they have offices pretty much everywhere in North America.
Streetwiseguy said:
In case it goes sideways, Percy H. Davis, customs broker. I have used them to come into Canada, and I think they have offices pretty much everywhere in North America.
I have used Percy as well, usually going into Canada, always a smooth transaction.
Success! It took a little patience, but between the helpful folks at the air freight company and the agents at CBP, I cleared customs and picked it up.
