Agency export,What basic qualifications does the company need?

According to the latest Foreign Trade Law of 2025, the following basic conditions must be met to establish an export agency company:

• Entity qualifications: Business License of Legal Entity (the business scope must include "import and export of goods" or "import and export agency")
• Filing Registration: Complete the foreign trade operator registration on the Ministry of Commerce's unified business system platform.
• Customs Registration: Obtain the customs registration code for import and export consignors/consignees.
• Foreign exchange management: Registration through the "List of Enterprises for Trade Foreign Exchange Receipts and Payments" under the State Administration of Foreign Exchange.

How much startup capital is required to register an export agency company?

Actual operating costs vary depending on the scope of services, but the following basic expenses must be prepared:

• Registered capital: The recommended amount is no less than 1 million yuan (RMB), subject to the specific scale of the business.
• System Construction: Including customs declaration system (approximately 30,000-50,000 yuan/year) and logistics tracking system (20,000-40,000 yuan/year).
• Qualification Processing: The cost for handling various certificates is approximately 20,000 to 30,000 yuan.
• Deposit: Guarantee deposits required to be paid to customs for special operations (such as temporary import and export operations)

How many steps are there in the registration process for an export agency company?

The standard registration process consists of six key stages:

• Name verification stage(3-5 business days)
  • Please prepare 3-5 alternative company names.
  • Check for duplicates through the National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System.
• Business registration(7-10 business days)
  • Submit materials such as the company's articles of association and shareholder agreements.
  • Apply for the original and duplicate copies of the business license
• qualification filing(15-20 working days)
  • Foreign Trade Operator Registration Record
  • Customs registration for import/export consignors

What legal risks are involved in export agency business?

Particular attention should be paid to the following three types of risk prevention:

• Trade compliance risk
  • Identification of Export-Controlled Items (Refer to the 2024 Edition of the "China Export Control White Paper")
  • Accuracy of HS Code Classification
• Foreign exchange management risks
  • The timeliness of foreign exchange receipts and payments (foreign exchange must be received within 90 days after goods exportation).
  • Accuracy of Foreign Exchange Receipts and Payments Declaration
• Tax inspection risk
  • Export tax refundDocument Filing Management
  • Compliance Review of Special Value-Added Tax Invoice

How to choose the service scope of an export agency company?

It is recommended to expand the business in phases based on market demand:

• Basic Services: Customs declaration and inspection, logistics and transportation, foreign exchange receipt and payment operations
• Value Added Services:Export tax refundAdvance payment, letter of credit financing, overseas warehouse distribution
• Professional Services: AEO certification consulting, RCEP rules of origin application

According to the General Administration of Customs 2024 data, the profit margin of agencies specializing in the export of mechanical and electrical products is 18% higher than that of comprehensive companies. It is recommended to determine a niche sector based on your own resources.

What types of professionals are required for an export agency company?

The core team should include three types of professionals:

• Trade Compliance Expert: Familiar with INCOTERMS? 2025 and the latest customs policies.
• International SettlementCommissioner: Proficient in settlement methods such as letters of credit, DP/DA, etc.
• Logistics Manager: Master special operations such as multimodal transport and hazardous materials transportation.

It is recommended to establish a continuous training mechanism and regularly participate in professional certification examinations organized by the China Customs Brokers Association.

What is the profit model of an export agency company?

The primary sources of income include:

• Service commission: The agency fee is charged at 0.8%-1.5% of the cargo value.
• Investment returns: Export tax rebate financing service (charging 0.3%-0.5% monthly interest)
• Volume Purchasing: Integrate customer needs to obtain logistics and insurance discount rebates

According to industry research, the customer renewal rate of high-quality export agency companies can exceed 85%, with the key being the establishment of long-term trust relationships.

How to establish a risk control system for an export agency company?

A three-tier risk prevention and control mechanism must be established:

• Preliminary review
  • Customer Credit Investigation (Recommended to Connect to the Central Bank's Credit Reporting System)
  • Verification of Trade Background Authenticity
• Monitoring of the matter.
  • Document Consistency Review System
  • Real - time tracking of the logistics track
• Following afterwards
  • Establish an electronic management system for business archives.
  • Purchase professional liability insurance (recommended coverage of no less than 5 million yuan).