Customs House Agent (CHA)

Licensed CHAs file most commercial BoEs in India. They handle ICEGATE, duty computation, and port coordination—valuable for high-volume or complex shipments.

Self-filing

Some importers with in-house compliance teams file directly. You still need valid IEC, AD code registration, and strong knowledge of required documents.

Decision matrix

FactorCHASelf-file
First importRecommendedRisky
CostService feeStaff time only
Speed at portUsually fasterDepends on expertise