Consignee

The consignee is the party named on the bill of lading or air waybill as the intended recipient of a shipment. In international trade, the consignee is the person or business entity that takes legal delivery of the goods at the destination. This role carries specific rights and responsibilities: the consignee has the authority to claim the cargo from the carrier, must arrange customs clearance (or designate an agent to do so), and bears financial responsibility for duties, taxes, and destination charges unless the contract of sale specifies otherwise.

Consignee vs. Importer of Record

The consignee and the importer of record (IOR) are often the same party, but they do not have to be. The importer of record is the entity legally responsible for ensuring the goods comply with U.S. customs regulations and for paying duties and fees to CBP. A company might be listed as the consignee on the bill of lading because it is receiving the goods at its warehouse, while a separate entity acts as the importer of record for customs purposes. This distinction matters for businesses using third-party importation services, where a licensed importer handles customs entry on behalf of the actual buyer.

For most Amazon sellers importing directly from overseas suppliers, the seller is both the consignee and the importer of record. The seller’s name and address appear in the consignee field on the bill of lading, and the seller’s customs bond and EIN are used for the customs entry filing.

Consignee on Different Document Types

On an ocean bill of lading, the consignee field can be filled in three ways. A “straight” bill of lading names a specific consignee, and only that party can claim the goods. An “order” bill of lading (marked “to order” or “to order of [bank name]”) is negotiable, meaning ownership of the goods can be transferred by endorsing and physically delivering the original bill of lading. This arrangement is common in letter of credit transactions where the bank controls the documents until the buyer fulfills payment obligations. A “bearer” bill of lading allows whoever holds the original document to claim the cargo, though this is rare in modern practice due to security concerns.

On an air waybill, the consignee field works differently because air waybills are always non-negotiable. The named consignee is the only party authorized to receive the cargo at the destination airport. There is no “to order” option in air freight.

Responsibilities of the Consignee

Once the vessel arrives and the carrier issues an arrival notice, the consignee (or their authorized agent, typically a customs broker) must file the customs entry, present the required documentation, and pay applicable duties. CBP requires the entry to be filed within 15 calendar days of the cargo’s arrival at the port. If the entry is not filed within that window, CBP can send the goods to a general order warehouse, where storage charges accrue rapidly and the goods may eventually be sold at auction or destroyed.

The consignee is also responsible for arranging pickup or delivery of the cargo from the port terminal, CFS, or airline cargo facility. This includes booking a trucker, securing a chassis (for ocean containers), and coordinating delivery appointments at the receiving warehouse. Failure to pick up cargo promptly results in demurrage and storage fees that the consignee must pay.

Consignee in the Amazon FBA Supply Chain

When an Amazon seller imports a container from Asia, the seller is typically the consignee. The goods are shipped to either the seller’s own warehouse or a third-party prep center. The consignee field on the bill of lading shows the seller’s business name and the delivery address. If the seller uses a prep center like MeisterPrep, the delivery address may be the prep center’s warehouse, but the seller remains the consignee and importer of record.

Some sellers mistakenly list Amazon as the consignee, thinking the goods are going to an Amazon fulfillment center. This is incorrect for third-party sellers. Amazon does not act as the consignee or importer of record for FBA inventory. The seller must import the goods into the country under their own name, clear customs, and then ship domestically to Amazon’s fulfillment centers as a separate transaction.

Verifying the consignee information on the bill of lading before the vessel sails prevents customs clearance complications at the destination port. An incorrect consignee name, misspelled business name, or wrong address can delay cargo release and require an amendment to the bill of lading, adding cost and time to the import process.