Get a clearer next step—and limit avoidable storage exposure—by finding out exactly what is holding your shipment before you send more paperwork or money.
If you’re preparing a separate parcel, start on Send to see the options and prices that apply to it.
Shipment held for information? Start with the hold notice
A hold can involve a missing document, a permit or approval, or a question about the shipment’s description or value. Don’t guess which applies. Contact the carrier or named warehouse and ask them to state the hold reason and the next required action in writing.
What should you check first?
- Ask which document or action is outstanding, who currently has the shipment, and who is responsible for the next clearance step.
- Ask for the current storage balance, how storage is calculated, and whether it may change while the issue is being resolved. Don’t assume the same storage terms apply to postal parcels, courier parcels, air cargo and sea cargo.
- Gather your tracking or airway-bill reference, hold notice, commercial invoice or proof of payment, product description and value, and any permit or licence relevant to the goods.
- Send clear copies through the channel identified by the carrier or agent. Keep the original assessment and your payment records.
If the paperwork is spread between an office near Industrial Area, a contact in Eastleigh and a warehouse around Embakasi, keep one checklist of what was requested, what you sent and who received it.
What if you dispute the customs assessment?
Request the written assessment and its basis from the responsible officer or carrier. Compare it with your transaction and shipment documents, and keep copies of all correspondence. Use the relevant customs authority’s official enquiry channel to understand the process; a general enquiry or complaint is not necessarily the same as a formal application to review a decision. Check the applicable filing route and deadline promptly.
What should you not assume?
- Don’t assume a document request, assessment or storage charge is the same for every shipment type.
- Don’t treat a verbal explanation as the complete record. Ask for the reason, outstanding action and any payment instructions in writing.
- Before using an intermediary, confirm who is responsible for clearance, request an itemised account and official payment instructions, and agree who will send release confirmation and arrange collection or delivery.
When should you call a customs or tax professional?
Bring in a qualified customs or tax professional if you’re unsure how to challenge the assessment, explain the shipment’s value, determine its tariff classification or follow the formal review process. Getting specialist help early can make the next step clearer while you keep track of storage exposure.
When your next parcel is ready, compare the applicable options and prices on Send. Moveka offers Express and Same-Day services, backed by Kenya’s largest courier and one of Kenya’s most deeply connected courier networks.
