Survey Fees refer to the costs incurred in foreign trade transactions for the inspection and appraisal of goods regarding quality, quantity, weight, packaging, or shipping conditions. The responsible party is usually agreed upon by the buyer and seller in the contract. A common practice is that the seller bears the inspection fees at the port of shipment, and the buyer bears the inspection fees at the port of destination, or they are allocated according to Incoterms rules. Usage scenarios include statutory inspection, client-commissioned inspection, and third-party notarized inspection (such as SGS, BV). Precautions: The inspection agency, inspection standards, fee responsibility, and validity of inspection results should be clearly specified; if non-conformity is found during inspection, the fees may be borne by the responsible party. Unlike 'inspection certificate fees,' survey fees cover the entire inspection process, not limited to issuing certificates; unlike 'customs declaration fees,' which are customs declaration costs. Foreign trade practitioners need to detail these in the contract to avoid disputes.
📝 Examples
1. According to the contract, the survey fees at the port of shipment shall be borne by the seller, and the survey fees at the port of destination shall be borne by the buyer. (Illustrating a common agreement on fee sharing)
2. The buyer commissions SGS to conduct a pre-shipment inspection, and the survey fees will be paid directly by the buyer to the inspection agency. (Illustrating the payment method for third-party inspection fees)
💡 Foreign Trade Tips
Foreign trade terms are the foundation of international business communication
Trade practices may vary slightly by country; pay attention when using them
When using terms in contracts, specify the applicable version (e.g., Incoterms 2020)
For unfamiliar terms, use GlobalSync's multilingual email helper to confirm with your partner