Importing furniture to Indonesia is highly regulated. Due to restrictions, only licensed Indonesian companies can import furniture.
There is a solution for foreign companies. This article will detail how you can import furniture to Indonesia.
How can I ship furniture to Indonesia?
Since foreign companies cannot import furniture into the country, they will have to appoint a consignee that is a local company.
The consignee must have a General Import License (API-U) and must also have the business classification (KBLI) for wholesale trading of furniture (46491). Your appointed consignee must also have PI Kehutanan or import approval from the Ministry of Forestry before furniture can be imported to Indonesia.
The most common way to ship furniture to Indonesia is to use an Importer of Record such as Emerhub.
Applying for PI Kehutanan/Import Approval
Goods that do not have a PI Kehutanan license prior to importation will not be granted clearance at the customs. Foreign companies can’t do the import so they need to make arrangements with a company that is able to apply for PI Kehutanan.
Requirements for PI Kehutanan, collected by the shipper:
- FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) Certificate
- Factory License
- Commercial Invoice/Packing List
- Catalog/Bill of Materials
We emphasize the importance of PI Kehutanan. You should not load or export your goods before your consignee gets import approval. Without this, customs will hold your goods at the port.
Import Regulations
Upon arrival in Indonesia, your goods will be subject to import duty.
Required documents:
- Packing List
- Bill of Lading/Air Waybill
- Insurance Policy
- Receipt of payment of import duty and import-related taxes (SSPCP)
- Power of Attorney if submitted by Customs Broker
- HS codes of the products
Customs Clearance
On average, the process for getting customs clearance takes 6 to 8 working days.
New companies or companies who have just gotten their import approval documents should expect their goods to go through red channel inspection. This is when customs personnel check the goods and documents before issuing a release letter. Other circumstances like incomplete documents could also cause your goods to be subject to red channel inspection.
In contrast to this, goods of companies with previous imports usually go through green channel inspection. In this case, customs personnel issues a release letter right away. Customs will check the goods and documents after the goods have left the port.
After clearance, you will have to pull your goods out of the customs area. A common practice is to take the goods straight to the client, but you may also send them to a storage warehouse.
Using the Importer of Record in Indonesia
We highly recommend using an importer of record service if you plan on importing furniture into Indonesia. The importer of record is an existing entity who will be responsible for getting your imported goods into the country. It can be your appointed consignee.
Prior to importing, your importer of record will make sure that your goods comply with local laws and that all required documents are ready. Once the shipment arrives in Indonesia, the importer of record will also take care of any duties, tariffs, and fees your goods are subject to. You can also expect the import to go through customs smoothly, and that the goods will make it to the final recipient.
Emerhub offers the importer of record service for different kinds of goods, including furniture. Our experts would be happy to discuss the importer of record service with you. Fill out the form below and someone will get in touch with you. You can also email us at indonesia@emerhub.com.
