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Port of entry: Charleston, South Carolina

Customs broker for the Port of Charleston

The Port of Charleston is CBP port 1601 in the Atlanta Field Office. Allied CHB files entries for containers, Ro-Ro vehicles and air cargo at port 1601 in ACE under filer code 9AJ.

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Port facts

What does CBP port 1601 cover?

CBP lists Charleston, South Carolina as port 1601. The South Carolina State Ports Authority (SC Ports) operates the marine terminals. These facts come from the CBP, FDA, SC Ports and eCFR pages in the source list.
CBP port code
1601
Charleston, South Carolina
Modes
Sea and air
Containers, Ro-Ro, breakbulk, and air cargo at Charleston International Airport
Container terminals
Wando Welch, North Charleston, Leatherman
Wando Welch Terminal in Mount Pleasant moves about 80% of the port's containers (SC Ports).
Ro-Ro and breakbulk
Columbus Street Terminal
Vehicles, equipment and project cargo. Veterans Terminal takes bulk and breakbulk cargo.
CBP field office
Atlanta
Also 1703 Savannah and 1603 Greenville-Spartanburg
CBP exam station
Centralized Examination Station
CBP lists it for trade enforcement, trade compliance and agriculture exams.
Terminal free time
7 calendar days
Loaded import containers; 5 days for operating reefers (SC Ports tariff, Rule 34-220)
FDA
Division of Southeast Imports
Charleston Resident Post, North Charleston
USFWS designated port
No
50 CFR 14.12 does not list Charleston.

Which agencies check cargo at port 1601?

CBP releases the cargo. FDA, DOT, EPA and the other agencies must also release goods that they regulate. The CBP port page lists a contact for each step.
Agencies at the Port of Charleston (port 1601)
AgencyOffice for port 1601What it means for your cargo
CBP entry and import specialistsCustomhouse, CharlestonThe port page lists an Entry Division mailbox (Charleston-Entry@cbp.dhs.gov). It also lists local import specialists for each Center of Excellence and Expertise, for example the Automotive and Aerospace Center.
CBP examsCentralized Examination Station and Wando Welch TerminalThe CES has separate mailboxes for trade enforcement, trade compliance and agriculture exams. CBP also lists its targeting unit and non-intrusive inspection (NII) team at Wando Welch Terminal.
FDADivision of Southeast Imports, Charleston Resident PostFood, drugs, medical devices and cosmetics. The same office covers ports 1601, 1602 Georgetown, 1603 Greenville-Spartanburg, 1604 Columbia and 1681 Myrtle Beach.
DOT (NHTSA) and EPADeclarations filed with the entryVehicles and motor vehicle equipment, including tires, need the DOT declaration (49 CFR 591.5). Vehicles also need the EPA declaration.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceNot a designated port for wildlifeWildlife must enter at a designated port (50 CFR 14.11). Charleston is a designated USDA port for logs and lumber of CITES tree species (50 CFR 24.12(e)).

What does Charleston import, and which rules matter most?

SC Ports data for 2025 shows the top import groups by loaded containers: machinery parts (18%), furniture, sporting goods and toys (11%), textiles and apparel (10%), chemicals (9%), and tires, rubber and plastic products (9%). Vehicles also arrive on Ro-Ro ships.

  • Vehicles

    Cars arrive on Ro-Ro ships at Columbus Street Terminal and in containers. The entry for each car carries the DOT HS-7 and EPA 3520-1 declarations. The DOT 25-year rule counts from the month of manufacture (49 CFR 591.5(i)). See vehicle import.

  • Tires and auto parts

    Each new tire must carry a tire identification number (49 CFR 574.5), and the importer declares tires on the HS-7. Section 232 duties on auto parts can apply. See auto parts imports.

  • Machinery parts

    The largest import group at Charleston. Section 232 duties on steel, aluminum and copper can apply to parts on the derivative lists. Classification decides the duty. See machinery imports.

  • Textiles, apparel and chemicals

    Cotton goods can face a forced labor review under the UFLPA. Chemicals need a TSCA certification with the entry (19 CFR 12.121). See textile and apparel imports.

What if my container goes to Inland Port Greer or Inland Port Dillon?

SC Ports runs two inland rail terminals. Norfolk Southern runs an overnight shuttle from Charleston to Inland Port Greer six days a week. CSX serves Inland Port Dillon near I-95.

You can clear the goods at Charleston before the rail move. Or the container can move in-bond to a CBP port of destination. It must arrive there within 30 days (19 CFR 18.1(i)). See in-bond moves.

Inland Port Greer is near the CBP port of Greenville-Spartanburg (1603). CBP says that port can handle the entry and clearance of cargo and in-bond cargo. The FDA Charleston Resident Post covers both ports, so the FDA office does not change.

What goes wrong at port 1601, and what should I do?

  • Terminal demurrage after day 7

    The SC Ports tariff charges demurrage per TEU per day after free time: $25 for days 1 to 3, $30 for days 4 to 7, $40 for days 8 to 23 and $60 from day 24 (Rule 34-220). The steamship line or its consignee pays.

  • CBP orders an exam at the CES

    CBP moves the container to the Charleston CES (19 CFR 118.1). Unloading, exam and reloading are at the importer's cost (19 CFR 151.6, 118.4). Reply quickly to the exam mailbox, because terminal and carrier clocks keep running.

  • A vehicle without its DOT or EPA papers

    CBP does not release a vehicle without the HS-7 and the EPA declaration. A car less than 25 years old that does not meet the U.S. standards must go through a registered importer, if NHTSA lists the model as eligible. If not, it must be exported.

  • Carrier demurrage and detention invoices

    A carrier invoice must show the free time, the dates and the rate (46 CFR 541.6). You have at least 30 calendar days to dispute it (46 CFR 541.8). Read our demurrage guide.

  • No entry by day 15

    Cargo without an entry goes to a general order warehouse after the 15th calendar day, at your risk and expense (19 CFR 4.37).

How does Allied CHB file an entry at port 1601?

Allied CHB files entries remotely in ACE under filer code 9AJ at every U.S. port of entry. Our office is in Rahway, New Jersey. SC Ports, the carrier and your trucker move the cargo. We file the ISF, the entry and the DOT and EPA data, and we answer CBP for you.

For a vehicle, send the papers before the ship sails, so that the entry is ready on arrival. For the first entry, sign the power of attorney online.

  • Bill of lading number and vessel name

  • Commercial invoice and packing list

  • Importer of record number and a customs bond

    A formal entry needs a bond. See customs bonds.

  • ISF data for container cargo

    Send it before loading at the foreign port.

  • For vehicles

    The VIN, the date of manufacture, the foreign title or registration, and the data for the HS-7 and EPA Form 3520-1.

  • Final destination

    Charleston area, Inland Port Greer, Inland Port Dillon or another place.

Quote on request

How do I get a quote?

Tell us about the shipment. We reply with a quote and the list of documents that we need.

Request: Customs entry at the Port of Charleston

Quote on request

Do not send an EIN, a Social Security number or a password in this form. We ask for them securely later.

Or call (908) 291-8001 or email info@alliedchb.com.

Questions

Questions about customs at the Port of Charleston

What is the CBP port code for Charleston?

1601. CBP lists Charleston, South Carolina as port 1601 in the Atlanta Field Office. Charleston International Airport is part of the same port.

How do I import a car through the Port of Charleston?

Book the car on a Ro-Ro vessel to Columbus Street Terminal, or load it in a container. Send us the VIN and the title before sailing. We file the entry with the HS-7 and EPA 3520-1 data, and you pay the duty. Read how to import a car.

How much free time does SC Ports give on import containers?

Seven calendar days for loaded import containers and five days for operating reefers (SC Ports tariff, Rule 34-220). After that, terminal demurrage starts at $25 per TEU per day. Carrier free time is a separate matter in your contract.

Do I clear customs in Charleston or at Inland Port Greer?

Either one. You can clear the goods at Charleston before the rail move, or move the container in-bond to the CBP port of Greenville-Spartanburg (1603) and make entry there.

Where does CBP examine containers at Charleston?

At the Centralized Examination Station. CBP lists separate contacts there for trade enforcement, trade compliance and agriculture exams. CBP also lists its non-intrusive inspection (NII) team at Wando Welch Terminal.

Can wildlife products enter through Charleston?

Not as a rule. Charleston is not a designated port for wildlife (50 CFR 14.12). Wildlife goes through a designated port such as Atlanta or Baltimore, unless the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issues a permit for Charleston.

Container or car arriving at Charleston?

Send the bill of lading and the invoice, or the VIN for a vehicle. We file the entry in ACE and tell you what each agency needs.

Call (908) 291-8001 or email info@alliedchb.com

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Last reviewed September 28, 2026. This page explains customs rules in general terms. It is not legal advice. Duty rates and CBP procedures change often, and we confirm the figures for your shipment in writing before you commit.

Sources