Customs storage fees are the daily charges that begin accruing when an imported container sits at a port terminal or bonded warehouse past its allotted “free time,” usually three to five days after the container becomes available for pickup. Rates escalate on a stepped schedule the longer cargo stays, and on a single shipment the total can run into the thousands. What you owe, who you owe it to, and whether you can fight the bill all depend on which type of charge you are looking at.
Demurrage, Detention, and Terminal Storage Are Not the Same Thing
Three separate charges get lumped together under “storage fees,” and the difference matters because the billing party and your dispute rights change with each one.
Demurrage is what a carrier or terminal assesses when a loaded import container occupies space inside the terminal beyond free time. The clock starts when the container comes off the vessel and stops when it leaves the gate. Detention is what a carrier charges when you hold a container outside the terminal too long, covering the time between pulling a full container off the port and returning the empty. Some carriers label this “per diem.” Terminal storage is a charge the terminal operator itself levies for yard space, which can overlap with demurrage in practice but is billed independently.
The distinction is not academic. Federal Maritime Commission rules on billing requirements and dispute rights apply to demurrage and detention charges from ocean carriers, but generally do not cover charges assessed independently by a marine terminal operator.
What Actually Triggers the Charges
The obvious cause is a slow pickup. Free time runs out, and the meter starts. Several situations, though, push importers past the deadline even when they are moving as fast as they can.
CBP exams are a common one. When a shipment gets flagged for inspection, it may be moved to a Centralized Examination Station, a privately operated facility where officers physically examine cargo.1eCFR. 19 CFR Part 118 – Centralized Examination Stations The exam itself can take days, the container is out of your control the entire time, and the CES operator adds its own service fees on top of whatever the terminal is charging.
Paperwork problems cause the next wave. If the bill of lading has errors, the commercial invoice is missing, or the harmonized tariff classification is wrong, CBP cannot legally release the cargo. Every day spent fixing documents is another day of storage. And even after CBP releases the shipment, failing to have a truck scheduled will burn through whatever free time is left. First-time importers often focus entirely on clearance and forget that someone still has to physically haul the container off the terminal.
How the Rates Work
CBP does not set storage rates for private terminals. Each facility publishes its own tariff, and rates vary between ports and operators. Government-owned or government-rented facilities must charge rates at least as high as the commercial operations at the same port.2eCFR. 19 CFR 24.12 – Customs Fees; Charges for Storage
Most terminals use a stepped pricing model. A typical pattern charges one rate for the first several days after free time expires, then jumps sharply. A standard dry container might cost around $75 to $150 per day during the first week, then double for the second week and climb from there. The escalation is designed to keep high-demand yard space turning over. For smaller shipments not filling a full container, terminals often charge by volume rather than per container.
Calendar Days Versus Working Days
How free time is counted makes a real difference. According to a Federal Maritime Commission report, free time is generally calculated in working days, so weekends and holidays when the terminal is closed do not count against your allotment.3Federal Maritime Commission. Report: Rules, Rates, and Practices Relating to Detention, Demurrage, and Free Time Once free time expires and charges kick in, however, they typically accrue on calendar days, weekends and holidays included. A container that goes over free time on a Friday keeps running up charges through Sunday even though nobody can pick it up.
For examination packages held in a government appraiser’s store, the free period is two full working days after the release permit is issued, with Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays excluded from the count. The port director can extend this by up to three additional working days if circumstances make removal impractical.2eCFR. 19 CFR 24.12 – Customs Fees; Charges for Storage
Refrigerated and Specialized Cargo
Reefer containers cost substantially more to store because the terminal has to supply power and monitor temperature. Expect a daily plug-in charge on top of standard storage, often $50 to $75 per container per 24-hour period, and that premium applies from day one, including during free time. Hazardous cargo and oversized loads also carry surcharges at most facilities. With refrigeration, the total daily cost can run two to three times the rate for a standard dry container, so coordinating pickup before free time expires is even more critical.
What Happens if Cargo Goes Unclaimed
Cargo that nobody enters or claims does not sit at the terminal forever. Merchandise that remains unentered for 15 calendar days after landing must be reported to CBP, and the goods are transferred to a general order warehouse.4eCFR. 19 CFR 4.37 – General Order The bonded warehouse then arranges transportation and storage at the risk and expense of the consignee.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 19 USC 1490 – General Orders You now owe the drayage from the terminal to the warehouse on top of whatever demurrage has already accrued.
General order warehouses charge their own storage rates plus handling fees. The regulation calls for storage “at the ordinary rates,” but the total cost climbs because you are paying a second facility’s charges on top of what you already owed the first one.6eCFR. 19 CFR Part 127 – General Order, Unclaimed, and Abandoned Merchandise – Section 127.13 Between the transport, the general order storage, and the accumulated terminal demurrage, many importers find the final bill roughly doubles what a timely pickup would have cost.
If merchandise stays in customs custody for six months from the date of importation without all estimated duties, storage charges, and other fees being paid, it is legally considered unclaimed and abandoned.7eCFR. 19 CFR 127.11 – Unclaimed Merchandise At that point, CBP can appraise the goods and sell them at public auction to recover what is owed.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 19 USC 1491 – Unclaimed Merchandise You can still enter the merchandise for consumption before the sale by paying all duties, taxes, and accumulated charges, but you lose the right to export it duty-free once it reaches this stage.9eCFR. 19 CFR 127.14 – Disposition of Merchandise in Customs Custody Beyond Time Fixed by Law
How to Challenge a Storage Invoice
The Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 gave importers real leverage against unreasonable carrier charges. Under rules that took effect in May 2024, every demurrage or detention invoice from an ocean carrier must include specific information, and if it doesn’t, the billed party can challenge it.10Federal Register. Demurrage and Detention Billing Requirements
A compliant invoice must contain:
- Identifying information: bill of lading number, container number, port of discharge, and the reason the billed party is considered liable.
- Timing details: the number of free days allowed, start and end dates of free time, the container availability date, and the specific dates being charged.
- Rate information: total amount due, the applicable tariff rule or service contract provision, and the specific daily rate.
- Dispute instructions: contact information for requesting fee mitigation or a waiver, a link to a public website describing what documentation you need to dispute the charge, and defined timeframes for resolution.
- Certifications: a statement that the charges comply with FMC rules, and a statement that the billing party’s own performance did not cause or contribute to the charges.
If any of those elements is missing, scrutinize the invoice before paying. You have at least 30 calendar days from the invoice date to request mitigation, a refund, or a waiver, and the billing party must attempt to resolve your request within 30 days.10Federal Register. Demurrage and Detention Billing Requirements
Filing a Formal Complaint With the FMC
When a carrier will not resolve a dispute directly, you can file a charge complaint with the Federal Maritime Commission by emailing chargecomplaints@fmc.gov. Your submission needs to identify the carrier, explain how the charge violated federal shipping law, and include supporting documents like invoices, bills of lading, and proof of payment.11Federal Maritime Commission. Guidance on Charge Complaint Interim Procedure The carrier bears the burden of proving the charges were reasonable, not you.12Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 46 USC 41104 – Prohibited Acts by Common Carriers
One important limit: this process covers charges from ocean carriers. If a marine terminal operator independently assessed the fees rather than billing on behalf of a carrier, the FMC charge complaint procedure does not apply, and your dispute route is through the terminal’s own tariff provisions or direct negotiation.
Paying the Fees and Getting Cargo Released
Closing out a storage debt means getting your documents in order before you contact the facility. Locate the warehouse entry number and the original bill of lading, since those are how the facility identifies your shipment. Check the arrival notice to confirm which warehouse currently holds the cargo, because goods may have moved to a general order facility since you last looked.
Request a formal storage invoice from the facility operator, itemizing the total owed, any late fees, and the daily rate applied. Once you have that, complete a delivery order specifying the consignee and the trucking company authorized to pick up the goods. The consignee name on the delivery order has to match the identification the truck driver presents at the gate exactly. Facilities routinely refuse release over name discrepancies.
Most terminals accept payment through online portals via wire transfer, ACH, or certified check. Once payment clears, the facility issues a receipt, removes the financial hold, and generates a gate pass or release authorization number. Get that number to your trucking provider right away and have the truck arrive as soon as payment posts. Another overnight stay is another day’s charges.
A licensed customs broker can pay storage fees and secure release on your behalf with a valid power of attorney on file.13eCFR. 19 CFR 141.46 – Power of Attorney Retained by Customhouse Broker For a general order situation or a complex exam hold, a broker who knows the specific terminal’s procedures can often resolve things faster than working through it alone, and the fee typically pays for itself by shaving days off the timeline.