Why Shipping Magnets via DHL Requires a $150 Surcharge

At CCmagnetics, our products differ from standard goods and cannot be picked up by just any commercial courier. Because they contain magnetic components (whether strong or weak magnets), a formal Magnetic Inspection Report must be issued before air transport. This inspection and the subsequent customs declaration process can take up to 7 days before the logistics provider can legally collect and transport the shipment. Standard couriers, such as FedEx, typically do not offer magnetic cargo inspection services. Therefore, CCmagnetics utilizes DHL to manage these requirements, which include magnetic inspection fees and formal customs procedures.

Additionally, please verify that the recipient (importer of record) information on the Proforma Invoice (PI) is accurate to ensure a smooth customs clearance process. For countries with particularly strict customs regulations, CCmagnetics offers two options:

Option A: You may arrange your own freight forwarder. Under this EXW (Ex Works) arrangement, CCmagnetics will provide only the Packing List, PI, and CI, and your forwarder will handle all other required documentation.

Option B: We can ship via DHL, but an additional $150 fee will be applied. This fee will be incorporated into the product price to comply with customs declaration requirements.

The $150 fee covers the mandatory test fees, the iron shielding materials, and the hours of specialized labor required to get your magnets through airport security and customs.

💡 Good News: For orders over $10,000, we will waive the fee entirely!

You might have noticed a $150 DHL packaging fee. We understand your reaction: "Why is the shipping surcharge so expensive?"

To be completely honest, we don't like charging this fee either.

However, because our profit margins on magnetic products are razor-thin, we simply cannot absorb the extra costs imposed by Aviation Safety Regulations and Customs for smaller shipments. We want to be 100% transparent with you about exactly where this money goes.

It is not profit. It is the cost of compliance to get your goods safely on a plane.

1. The Mandatory "Aviation Safety" Cost (We pay this to the airline)

Because magnets can interfere with airplane navigation systems, DHL and all airlines treat them as "Restricted Goods."

For every single shipment, we are forced to pay a 480 RMB fee to a third-party testing agency. They scan the package and generate a mandatory document called the Magnetic Material Air Transport Test Report. Without this report, DHL will refuse to pick up the box. This is a hard cost charged by the carrier, not us.

2. Extreme Packaging: Building an "Iron Shield"

To pass that safety test, a regular cardboard box isn't enough. We effectively have to build a "Faraday Cage" (a magnetic shield) for your goods.

Our Packaging Process:

• Layer 1: Foam box for cushioning.
• Layer 2: Iron Sheets. We line the box with metal to block the magnetism so it doesn't affect the plane's instruments.
• Layer 3: The outer cardboard carton.

This specialized packaging material and the labor to assemble it cost significantly more than standard taping.

(Above: How we wrap your goods in iron sheets to pass DHL inspection)

3. The Administrative Nightmare: 10 Minutes vs. Half a Day

This is the part most customers don't see. If we send a regular non-magnetic product, it takes us 10 minutes to print a label.

But for a DHL magnetic shipment, our specialized staff needs half a working day to prepare and file 8 different legal documents to prevent your package from being rejected or seized by customs:

• Magnetized Material Non‑Dangerous Goods Declaration
• Magnetic Material Air Transport Test Report
• Commercial Invoice & Packing List
• DHL Air Waybill (AWB)
• Power of Attorney for Customs Declaration
• Magnetic Product Composition and Characteristics Statement
• DHL Online Declaration Entry

4. Strict Export Controls (Rare Earth Inspections)

Since our products contain Rare Earth materials (which are strictly controlled for export by China), DHL often requires additional sample testing. During this process, our staff must stay on standby to explain the chemical composition to inspectors to ensure the goods are released.