2026 In-depth Analysis of Full Process of Pet Products Import Customs Clearance and Professional Control of Key Nodes

Special Nature and Complexity of Pet Products Import Customs Clearance

Importing pet products is not ordinary goods trade,as it involves multiple regulatory dimensions including animal and plant quarantine,food safety,and consumer product quality.In 2026,the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) has further refined the classified supervision of pet food,toys,and care products.Incorrect classification may lead to return or fines.Zhongshen found in operations that about 35% of first-time importers will have their goods detained at the port due to non-compliant labels or missing Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs filing documents during their first declaration.The value of professional agents lies in identifying risks in advance and intercepting problems before the goods are shipped,rather than passively responding during the inspection stage.In the entire chain,customs clearance lead time directly affects inventory turnover,and a one-day delay may cause tens of thousands of yuan in storage costs.

Stage 1: Admission Qualification and Product Pre-review

The core goal of this stage is to confirm whether the products can legally enter the Chinese market and prepare all prior approval documents.Key actions include verifying whether overseas manufacturers are registered in China,whether product formulas comply with the *Measures for the Administration of Pet Feed*,and confirming whether an *Entry Animal and Plant Quarantine Permit* is required.Zhongshen will establish a product database for customers at this stage,and compare items one by one against the 2026 updated *List of Countries (Regions) and Products Allowed to Import Feed Additives and Premixed Feeds*.

Common problems are concentrated in three aspects: first,overseas factories not registered in the GACC system of the General Administration of Customs,making it impossible to declare after the goods arrive at the port; second,product ingredients contain unapproved additives,such as certain new probiotics; third,the draft Chinese labels do not comply with the new standard GB 10648-2026 *Feed Labels*.Mr.Tang once planned to import a batch of Canadian pet snacks,but Zhongshen intercepted the order during the pre-review stage because the packaging did not have the mandatory warning statement "This product shall not be fed to ruminants",avoiding the risk of full container return.

• Verification of validity of GACC registration number for overseas manufacturers
• Comparison of product ingredients with the *Feed Raw Material Catalogue* of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs
• Chinese label pre-review and compliance correction
• Estimation of quarantine permit application cycle (usually 15 working days)

Stage 2: International Transportation and Document Preparation

Transportation method selection directly affects cost and lead time.In 2026,air freight is expensive but suitable for high-value,short-shelf-life products,while less-than-container load (LCL) sea transportation requires strict packing standardization.The core role of Zhongshen at this stage is to coordinate freight forwarders,prepare document lists,and ensure synchronization of information flow and logistics.Key documents include certificate of origin (CO),sanitary certificate,component analysis report,bill of lading (B/L),trade contract,commercial invoice,and packing list.Special attention should be paid to the fact that since 2026,the customs has implemented electronic online verification,and the information on the certificate of origin must be exactly consistent with the fields on the customs declaration form; even a single punctuation difference will trigger manual document review.

The pitfalls of document preparation lie in details: the consignee name on the sanitary certificate must be exactly the same as that on the customs declaration form,no abbreviations allowed; the component analysis report must be issued by a CNAS-accredited laboratory; wooden packaging must have IPPC markings.Mr.He’s company once imported German pet care products,and an extra hyphen added to the product model on the certificate of origin caused the system to fail to automatically complete the review,delaying the process by 3 days.Zhongshen used the pre-entry system to verify in advance,keeping the error rate below 1%.

Stage 3: Customs Declaration,Inspection and Customs Inspection

The most critical stage begins after the goods arrive at the port.In 2026,the Shanghai port has implemented the "classified inspection" mode for pet products: low-risk products are released through machine inspection,while medium and high-risk products must undergo inspection.The customs declaration link requires accurate filling of commodity code,specification and model,usage,and brand; any vague description may lead to order return.Zhongshen’s customs team will prepare a declaration element comparison table in advance to ensure each field is accurately matched.

The inspection link has the greatest uncertainty.Customs may check whether the goods match the documents,conduct sampling and inspection,and verify labels.In 2026,the sampling inspection cycle takes about 7-10 working days,and if the test fails,the goods will face destruction or return.Zhongshen’s response strategies at this stage include: preparing explanatory materials in advance,coordinating with the inspection yard for priority machine inspection,and voluntarily applying for pre-inspection for high-risk products.Mr.Kong’s batch of Japanese pet toys was sampled for inspection because customs suspected the material contained prohibited plasticizers.Zhongshen submitted the third-party test report on the same day of sampling,ultimately avoiding the return of the goods.

Stage 4: Tax Calculation and Foreign Exchange Handling

Pet products import involves tariff,value-added tax (VAT),and some high-end products may also be subject to consumption tax.Since the full implementation of the RCEP Agreement in 2026,pet food originating in Japan,South Korea,and Australia can enjoy zero tariff with the certificate of origin,subject to meeting the regional value content standards.Zhongshen’s tax team will conduct modeling and calculation in advance: compare the difference between general tariff rate and preferential tariff rate,and evaluate whether it is worth applying for a preferential certificate of origin.It once saved a single tariff of nearly 80,000 yuan for a customer.

The VAT special payment voucher is the deduction voucher and must be authenticated within the prescribed time limit.In the foreign exchange payment link,the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) has increased its attention to pet trade in 2026,and frequent large-value foreign exchange payments may trigger verification.Zhongshen provides customers with foreign exchange management modules to plan payment rhythm and provide compliant trade financing plans,avoiding fund chain breakage.Mr.Si’s company was questioned by SAFE due to improper payment rhythm,and Zhongshen assisted in organizing the full set of trade background materials and completed the explanation within half a day.

Stage 5: Post-clearance Supervision and Issue Response

Customs clearance completion does not mean the end of services.In 2026,the customs implements post-clearance supervision for imported pet products,including market sampling inspection,consumer complaint tracing,and label rectification review.Zhongshen will establish an import batch file for customers and retain all electronic document copies for at least 3 years for subsequent verification.If the market sampling inspection fails,the recall procedure must be started quickly,and complete import records are the key to exemption from liability.

Common problems include: consumer report of false label publicity,customs post-inspection finds classification errors,and product counterfeiting requires proof of legal source.Zhongshen provides annual compliance audit services,reviews import data quarterly,and proactively identifies risks.Mr.Sheng’s company was maliciously reported by competitors for false product ingredients.Zhongshen retrieved the full set of test reports and customs retained samples of this batch within 24 hours,cooperated with regulatory authorities in the investigation,and finally proved the company’s innocence.

Summary of Core Values of Zhongshen’s Services

Pet products import customs clearance is not just a simple document transfer,but a systematic project covering product admission,logistics planning,customs compliance,and tax optimization.Zhongshen’s 20 years of accumulated value is reflected in three aspects: first,risk prediction capability,eliminating problems at the initial stage; second,resource integration capability,coordinating multiple parties including customs,inspection and quarantine,laboratories,and freight forwarders; third,cost control capability,creating tangible benefits for customers through accurate classification,tariff optimization,and lead time reduction.The essence of choosing a professional agent is to use deterministic services to hedge against uncertain risks,allowing importers to focus on market development instead of getting stuck in tedious compliance troubles.