International Packing & Customs in Los Angeles County
International packing and customs preparation from Los Angeles: export-grade packing, crating and a detailed inventory that stands up at the border.
- Serving Los Angeles since 1994, more than 50,000 clients
- CAL T 189749 | USDOT 1472924 | MC 498816C, fully insured
- BBB accredited with an A+ rating
What Is International Packing & Customs?
International packing prepares household goods for ocean or air shipment with export-grade cartons, padded wrap and crates for anything fragile or valuable. Customs preparation means a numbered inventory that describes each carton's contents properly, with values where required, so the documents match what is in the boxes. Many destination countries require wood packaging to meet the ISPM-15 treatment standard. Customs entries themselves are filed by a licensed customs broker, and duties and taxes are the shipper's liability.
About International Packing & Customs in Los Angeles County
International packing starts with a free in-home or video survey of what is going and where. Popeye reviews what your destination is likely to restrict, such as food, plant material, untreated wood, alcohol or certain medications, and points you to the destination's own official guidance where rules are unclear or changing. Deciding what not to ship happens here, because freight is priced on volume or weight.
On packing day, Popeye crews use double-wall cartons, padded wrap for finished surfaces and crates for fragile pieces, with timber planned to meet ISPM-15 where the destination requires it. Pieces that need a purpose-built box go through Custom Crating, and valuable items can be handled under Fine Art & Antique Moving. Every carton is numbered and its contents described on an inventory that matches the customs documents. The packed shipment then travels under Ocean Freight Moving or Door-to-Door International Delivery, and goods waiting for a sailing can go into Vaulted Storage at the Mar Vista warehouse.
Popeye Moving & Storage holds CAL T 189749, USDOT 1472924 and MC 498816C, is fully insured, and is BBB accredited with an A+ rating. Estimates are free. Call (310) 823-9510 to book a survey and get your international shipment packed and documented properly.
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Why Choose Popeye Moving & Storage for International Packing & Customs
Why Choose Us
Popeye Moving & Storage has served Los Angeles since 1994 and more than 50,000 clients. Its crews pack and crate in your home and write the inventory as they go, so the person describing a carton is the person who packed it. You get honest advice on what is not worth shipping, even when that shrinks the job. The company is BBB accredited with an A+ rating, rated 4.8 on Google with 34 reviews and 4.5 on Yelp with 111 reviews.
Popeye Moving & Storage holds CAL T 189749, USDOT 1472924 and MC 498816C and is fully insured. Transacting customs business on a customer's behalf requires a customs broker license from US Customs and Border Protection, held by the licensed broker filing the entry. Import rules are set by the destination country. Household moves that stay inside California are regulated by the Bureau of Household Goods and Services, not the CPUC.
Common International Packing & Customs Scenarios
Shipping antique furniture and paintings to Europe, where each piece needs a crate and a clear description for customs valuation.
Moving to a destination with strict biosecurity rules, where wooden items, outdoor gear and garden tools need checking before they are packed.
A household arranging its own freight that needs goods packed and inventoried to customs standard before the forwarder collects.
Common International Packing & Customs Problems
Trouble at the border usually traces back to the packing day. Cartons marked household goods or miscellaneous invite inspection. Missing values or a list that does not match the boxes leads to holds while the paperwork is corrected, and terminal storage charges build in the meantime. Restricted items packed without anyone noticing, untreated wood, and ordinary cartons that collapse under weeks of stacking and humidity are the other repeat problems.
Our International Packing & Customs Process
Survey and restricted items review
A free in-home or video survey, a review of what your destination is likely to restrict, and a decision on what is worth shipping.
Export packing and crating
Popeye crews pack in double-wall cartons and padded wrap, and crate fragile or valuable pieces with wood planned to meet ISPM-15 where required.
Inventory and documents
Every carton is numbered and its contents described, so the inventory matches the customs documents the licensed broker files.
Handoff to freight
The packed shipment moves to the port, the airport or the Mar Vista warehouse to wait for its booking.
What's Included
- Free in-home or video survey
- Restricted items review for your destination
- Export-grade packing and crating
- Numbered inventory matched to the customs documents
Ready to Get Started?
Licensed CAL T 189749 | USDOT 1472924 | MC 498816C, fully insured and BBB A+ accredited. Free in-home and video estimates. Open 6 AM to 9 PM, seven days a week.
Costs & Timelines - What to Expect
International packing and customs typically runs $800 to $3,500 in Los Angeles. That is a typical range, not a quote, and the price for your shipment depends on volume, crating and destination. Estimates are free, in home or by video, and a guaranteed binding price is available after a video survey. Start early: documentation and any crating can take weeks, and the sailing or flight booking sits on top of that.
Methods, Materials & Quality Standards
Export packing uses double-wall cartons, padded wrap and corner protection on finished surfaces, and wooden crates for fragile, heavy or valuable items, with wood planned to meet ISPM-15 where the destination requires it. Cartons are packed full and square so they stack without crushing. Each carton is numbered, labeled and described on the inventory. Hazardous materials are refused under federal hazmat rules.
Popeye Moving & Storage holds CAL T 189749, USDOT 1472924 and MC 498816C and is fully insured. Transacting customs business on a customer's behalf requires a customs broker license from US Customs and Border Protection, held by the licensed broker filing the entry. Import rules are set by the destination country. Household moves that stay inside California are regulated by the Bureau of Household Goods and Services, not the CPUC.
What to Do Next
Call (310) 823-9510 with your destination and target date. Popeye will set up a free in-home or video survey, flag likely restricted items, and schedule packing so the inventory is ready well ahead of the sailing or flight.
What Customers Say About Our International Packing & Customs
Real reviews from International Packing & Customs-area customers we've served.
“Wall bed, safe, unassigned yard slot 0. Pinned in the yard until I said open.”
“Gloves changed at the citywide Redondo Beach overflow 13 when they dirtied. Redondo Beach finish stayed showroom.”
“Linear glass and the citywide Inglewood overflow 12. Coiled in Inglewood, no crease.”
International Packing & Customs - Frequently Asked Questions
International packing and customs typically runs $800 to $3,500 in Los Angeles. That is a typical range, not a quote. The price for your shipment depends on volume, crating and destination, and it is set in writing after a free survey.
Popeye Moving & Storage holds CAL T 189749 for moves within California, and USDOT 1472924 and MC 498816C for interstate work, and is fully insured. California household movers are regulated by the Bureau of Household Goods and Services, not the CPUC. Customs entries are filed by a broker licensed by US Customs and Border Protection.
Popeye gives free in-home and video estimates. The estimate lists what is packed, what is crated and what the inventory covers. A guaranteed binding price is available after a video survey, and a phone figure given without seeing your goods is not an estimate.
A sea shipment faces humidity, temperature swings and vibration over weeks, plus several handlings at ports and warehouses. Cartons have to stack without crushing and fragile pieces need crates. Many countries also require wood packaging to meet ISPM-15, which is a compliance matter rather than a quality one.
Each carton numbered, with its contents described specifically rather than as household goods, and values where the destination requires them. Customs authorities use it to assess what is entering the country, and a mismatch between the list and the boxes leads to inspection and delay.
It varies by country and changes over time. Food, plant material, untreated wood, medication, alcohol and some electronics come up often, and some destinations restrict items that seem ordinary here. Popeye flags what it knows and tells you where to check the destination's own official guidance.
The shipper. Popeye prepares the packing and inventory, and a licensed broker files the entry, but duties, taxes and inspection charges levied by the destination country are your liability.
Earlier than most people plan. Documentation, destination requirements and crating can take weeks, and the freight booking sits on top of that. Give Popeye your target arrival date and the schedule is worked back from it.
SERVICE AREAS
International Packing & Customs Near You
Popeye Moving & Storage provides international packing & customs throughout Los Angeles County.