[Procedure name] Customs Warehouse Permits
(Procedure for a customs (bonded) area)
[ Summary]
- The procedures are for obtaining the permit of a customs warehouse where foreign freight are unloaded, carried out, or stored.
[ Bases for procedures]
- Article 42 Paragraph 1 of the Customs Law
- Article 35 of the Cabinet Order for Enforcement of the Customs Law
[ Subjects to procedure]
- Persons who intend to apply for a customs warehouse permit
[ Time of submission]
- Apply for a permit as early as possible prior to your intended date of permission.
[ Method of submission]
- Prepare an application and documents to be attached and submit them to the following administrative agency.
[ Fee]
- There is no fee for application. (Refer to [Remarks].)
[ Documents to be attached and number of copies]
-

Submit each copy of the following documents (two copies when applying via a customs branch).

1.  A letter which pledges that the applicant or the officers of the applicant and the major employees of the applicant are not subject to any of the disqualifications prescribed in Article 43 Items 1 to 4 of the Customs Law.
2.  A corporate applicant is required to submit a copy of the latest business report, while an individual applicant is required to submit a copy of the latest tax certificate or a document that certifies the asset position of the individual applicant.
3.  A plane view, mensuration drawing, and neighboring sketch drawing for the customs warehouse
4.  A prospectus for the intended customs warehouse
5.  Written rules for safekeeping goods and a storage rate book when an intended customs warehouse is for commercial use.
6.  A corporate applicant is required to submit a certified copy of the register or a certified extract copy of the register and a copy of the articles of incorporation, and an individual applicant is required to submit a certificate of residence.
7.  A copy of personal histories of the manager, major employees, and officers
8.  A copy of a commission agreement when the applicant has concluded one with others to handle part of its freight control
9.  A copy of the lease agreement when the applicant leases the premises for the intended customs area
10.  A copy of a letter of comprehensive commission that the person who is going to obtain the permit to set up the customs warehouse, will assign procedures for bonded operation, after obtaining the permit, to major employees of the person
11.  A compliance programme on freight control of the company
[ Application form and description]
(The following forms may be printed for use in A4-sized (portrait) sheets of paper.)
- Application for Customs Warehouse Permit (Customs Form C No. 3120): One copy (two copies when applying via a branch customs office)
[ Submitted to]
- Submit a copy of the above application to the hozei section of the customs office having jurisdiction over the area where the customs warehouse is intended.
[ Reception time]
- Office hours of customs (8:30 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. except on holidays for the administrative agencies)
[ Consultation service]
- For information, ask a customs counselor or the customs office that processes your application.
[ Submission standard]
-

An applicant is required not to fall into any of the following seven cases of disqualifications.

1.  A person who intends to obtain a new customs warehouse permit (hereafter referred to as an "applicant") was deprived of his old permit for a customs area within a period of three years before the new application.
2.  An applicant who was subject to a punishment of the Customs Law for violation and completed serving the punishment or was granted a suspension of the punishment, or was subject to a notification procedure and completed serving the procedure, and three years have not elapsed from the date of completion of the administrative disposition
3.  An applicant who was subject to a law or order other than the Customs Law for violation and completed serving a two-year or longer sentence of imprisonment or was granted a suspension of the punishment, and two years have not elapsed from the date of the administrative disposition.
4.  A corporate applicant who employs a person who falls into one of the above three cases, as an officer or an agent or a manager or a major employee of the company in the area.
5.  An applicant who is considered unable to bear burdens to be imposed according to provisions of the Customs Law because of the poor resources of the applicant, or who is considered incapable of performing the operation of a customs warehouse.
6.  An applicant who is considered to have applied for an inappropriate location or facility for a customs warehouse permit.
7.  An applicant who is considered to have applied for a location with poor prospects or usefulness for a customs warehouse permit.
[ Standard processing time]
- Two to three months
[ Administrative appeal]
- Any person may file a protest with the Director-General of Customs within two months from the day following the date of acknowledgement of a disposition related to a customs declaration in case he or she is not satisfied with that disposition.
[ Remarks]
- After obtaining a permit, the applicant is required to pay monthly charges (ten categories from 20,400 yen to 165,100 yen) for the customs warehouse permit according to the warehouse area permitted.
- An applicant may apply for a permit which is valid up to six years.
- A person who intends to apply for a permit should contact the consultation service mentioned above beforehand.