RECEIPTS & INVENTORIES

RECEIPTS

For any new items Costa Rica requires that a "valid receipt" be submitted electronically at the time of declaration. They will accept them in PDF format.

WHAT IS A "VALID" RECEIPT?

In CR a valid receipt will almost always show either a method of payment or a balance owing of zero. Customs just wants to know that the receipt you are presenting is actually for the item you are importing.

Most on-line vendors will send you the receipt by email. In such cases the particular email you need to submit will likely be, as noted above, the one that shows the method of payment or a balance of zero. In other cases, most notably Amazon, the vendor will make the receipt easily available in your account on their website. Rarely you may need to contact the vendors customer service department for a receipt marked paid.

INVENTORIES

We must submit electronically a "detailed inventory" for every package we declare. When shipped directly from the vendor, e.g. Amazon, the receipt serves as an inventory also. If the package is a repack, i.e. packed by anybody but the vendor, then you must provide a detailed inventory with line item values. The inventory, like the receipts, must be submitted electronically. We now require that inventories of a dozen or more items be in a spreadsheet, using the exact format shown in the example below. Please understand that there is nothing more important to a smooth customs declaration than an accurate and organized inventory.

WHAT IS A "DETAILED" INVENTORY?

• • CR Customs expects a list of literally everything in a package. "Inventory" is just a 4 syllable word for a list.

    • In the case of a single package with few items, an inventory can be as simple as a photo of a handwritten list.

    • Once the list is more than a dozen items long it should be in a spreadsheet using the format below. See the example

    • In the case of a multiple discreet items/boxes the inventory must include the box number,

    • Similarly, if multiple pallets are involved then the pallet number needs to be included also.

  • Sets (e.g. silverware, set of sheets) can be declared as one item. Items with accessories can be declared as a single value (e.g. PlayStation with 4 controllers and 17 games). Collections can likewise be declared as a single value (e.g. collection of 23 tea cups).

  • Some things can be declared in bulk (e.g. "big box of Legos", or "5 cans of assorted bolts and screws")

  • Groups of similar items can be declared on a single line (e.g. 6 pots and pans @ $5 each, 10 books @ $1 each, or 12 circular saw blades @ $2.50 each).

VALUES

Each line item must be accompanied by a declared value. For used items most people simply use Ebay or garage sale prices. It is important that you be at least supportably realistic in your value declarations.

Any new items in your repack must be valued at the receipt value and the receipt must be submitted electronically along with the inventory. Please see the receipts discussion in the other column for more details.

HOW TO SUBMIT

Receipts and inventory must be submitted using the link provided in the confirmation email we send you for each package we receive. DO NOT submit receipts and inventories by email or Whatsapp.

Sample INVENTORIES

Saving AMAZON INVOICE as PDF

Saving AMAZON INVOICE on PHONE or TABLET

Saving EBAY INVOICE as PDF