Customs Seal

A Customs Seal is a security device approved and applied by customs authorities to goods, containers, vehicles, or packaging, typically made of metal or plastic with a unique identification number. Its core function is to ensure the integrity of goods under customs supervision (such as transit transport, bonded zone circulation, temporary import/export, etc.) and prevent unauthorized opening or tampering. Use cases include: international transit, transfers between bonded warehouses, temporarily imported/exported goods, and re-sealing after customs inspection. Precautions: Once a seal is applied, any unauthorized breaking or replacement without customs permission is a violation, which may lead to cargo detention, fines, or even criminal liability; the consignee should verify the seal in the presence of customs and report any abnormality immediately. The difference from a Commercial Seal is that a customs seal has legal enforcement power and is applied by customs or authorized parties, while a commercial seal is only for logistics security and has no customs supervision effect. Foreign trade practitioners must accurately record the seal number in documents (such as transit documents, customs seals) and ensure the seal remains intact during transport.