Every document
present. Every
code verified.
Customs brokerage for auction houses, museum registrars, and private collections. Zero seizures. Zero delays. Across every major art corridor since 2009.
Study of a Reclining Figure
Attr. Caravaggio, c.1598 · Red chalk on laid paper
Insured Value: USD 4,200,000
Export licence
navigation
Every jurisdiction maintains distinct thresholds, authorities, and procedural timelines. Misreading one delays the shipment. Misreading two risks the consignment. We have filed in 47 countries. The table below reflects current processing windows as of Q1 2026.
Italy: Soprintendenza review
Works attributed to Italian artists, regardless of provenance, may trigger a 90-day cultural patrimony review. We initiate parallel filing to compress this to 30 days in 94% of cases.
| Jurisdiction | Competent Authority | Processing Window | Licence Threshold | Complexity | Key Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | Ministero della Cultura | 30–90 days | €13,500 / 50 yrs | HIGH | Soprintendenza review required for pre-1900 works |
| France | Ministère de la Culture | 4–8 weeks | €150,000 / any age | MODERATE | Attestation de libre circulation for EU movement |
| United Kingdom | Arts Council England | 8 weeks standard | £65,000 / 50 yrs | MODERATE | Waverley criteria; first refusal to UK institutions |
| Germany | Kulturgutschutz | 6–12 weeks | €150,000 / 50 yrs | MODERATE | KGSG registration check mandatory since 2016 |
| China | NCHA / Customs | 12–16 weeks | Any cultural relic | CRITICAL | Export of cultural relics prohibited; pre-clearance essential |
| United States | US CBP / CPAC | No export licence | Import restrictions apply | LOW | MOU restrictions on 27 source countries; CPIA compliance |
* Processing windows reflect standard applications. Expedited procedures available for auction post-sale deadlines. Updated Feb 2026.
Tariff classification
accuracy
Chapter 97 of the Harmonized System provides duty-free treatment for authentic works of art, antiques, and collectibles. Misclassifying a Ming bowl as kitchenware costs more than the broker's fee. Every code we file is reviewed by a licensed customs attorney.
Temporary import
carnets & ATA
Art fairs in Basel and Maastricht operate on hard load-in deadlines. Museum loans have immovable opening dates. Carnet errors — a missing stamp, an incorrect counterfoil, an expired validity — convert a loan into a seizure. We have processed Carnets for Art Basel, TEFAF, Frieze, and PAD without a single procedural failure.
ATA Carnet applications require minimum 10 business days from submission to issuance. We recommend initiating 90 days prior to fair load-in. Late applications accepted on expedited basis (72-hour processing) subject to availability.
Confirm ATA Carnet issuing authority; obtain NCHA certification if applicable
File pre-arrival notification with destination customs authority
Prepare counterfoils, complete Schedule A object list with valuations
Arrange security bond; confirm art-fair drayage and in-booth customs
Receive Carnet from issuing authority; review all stamps and seals
Present Carnet at port of entry; obtain arrival stamp before customs release
Re-exportation: obtain departure stamp; close Carnet loop within validity
CITES & cultural
patrimony
Antiquities and works incorporating organic materials require dual-track compliance: CITES species protection and cultural patrimony law. A Qing dynasty lacquer cabinet with tortoiseshell inlay triggers both simultaneously. We have the protocols for both.
Species threatened with extinction
Elephant ivory pre-1947, rhinoceros horn, certain coral
Import + export permits from both countries; antique exemption if pre-Convention (pre-1975) with documentation
Species not yet threatened but trade controlled
Sea turtle shell, certain hardwoods (rosewood, ebony), freshwater pearls
Export permit from country of origin; no import permit required but US ESA may apply
Protected in at least one country
Specific timber species listed by individual countries
Certificate of origin or export permit depending on listing country
| Country | Governing Instrument | Primary Risk | Clearance Protocol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | Cultural Heritage Code (D.Lgs. 42/2004) | State pre-emption right; inalienability of state-owned cultural property | Provenance research to 1970 UNESCO Convention; Soprintendenza clearance letter |
| Greece | Law 3028/2002 | All antiquities presumed state property; 1970 threshold strictly enforced | Pre-1970 provenance documentation; MOU compliance with US CPAC restrictions |
| China | Law on Protection of Cultural Relics (2002) | Export of "Grade 3 cultural relics" and above prohibited | Authentication of non-relic status; pre-1949 provenance chain required |
| Egypt | Law No. 117 (1983) | All antiquities property of the state; export prohibited without MoA permit | Pre-1983 documented export + import records; MOU compliance |
Request a compliance
review
Submit your shipping corridors and we will return a preliminary assessment of export licence requirements, tariff classifications, and potential compliance flags — specific to your routes, not a template response.
- Corridor-specific export licence assessment
- Tariff classification verification for declared object types
- CITES / patrimony flag screening
- Estimated processing timeline
- Senior broker contact — no junior handoffs
< 1 business day
For urgent pre-sale / fair deadlines, mark as urgent in notes.
2024 Art Import Tariff Classification Guide
32-page PDF · Chapter 97 reference · Updated Q4 2024