Why can genuine branded goods still be seized on import?

Because customs and the rights holder check the authorisation chain, not whether the goods are genuine. The goods may be real, but if the importer cannot produce an authorisation and provenance chain covering the shipment, it sits in a state of suspected infringement. Being genuine and being entitled to import are two different things — and proving the second relies on documents.

What must an authorisation letter cover to count?

Three elements: territory (does it cover Indonesia), category (does it cover this shipment’s goods) and validity period (is it valid during this shipment). If any one is not covered, the authorisation does not hold. The authorising entity must also connect back to the trademark rights holder, and every link of any sub-authorisation needs its own document.

Are parallel imports (grey market) allowed in Indonesia?

It depends on the territorial rule for exhaustion of trademark rights and the specific brand’s rights status. Different brands and categories can produce different conclusions, so it must be confirmed case by case under the law currently in force. Do not apply another country’s experience directly, and do not rely on “everyone in this industry does it that way”.

What documents do OEM private-label goods need?

Two core documents: the principal’s rights document for the trademark, and the contract manufacturing agreement (specifying the scope of trademark use and the ownership of the goods). Both must point to the same trademark and the same scope. The factory’s verbal confirmation is not enough — formal procedure looks for written documents.

What is the first step when branded goods are seized?

Confirm the reason and basis for the seizure, then immediately start the evidence file: submit the authorisation letter, purchase contract, invoice and payment records together as a set. The handling window is short, and the earlier you file evidence the more proactive you are. If a document is missing from the chain, contact the authorising party at once for written confirmation.

Can leftover stock be imported normally?

It depends on the agreement: whether the authorisation-to-manufacture agreement sets out who owns the sales right for leftover goods. By default the sales right does not transfer automatically with the goods, and leftover stock without written basis sits with a broken chain. To import leftover stock, first obtain the rights holder’s written sales permission.

How do I avoid authorisation risk on branded goods?

Turn the three links (rights status, sales authorization, provenance documents) into a pre-shipment self-check list, verify it on every shipment, and keep the documents as originals or confirmed copies. If the supplier changes, the authorisation expires, or the category expands, re-check — the chain is managed per shipment, not settled once.

What happens to the goods if infringement is found?

Depending on the nature of the case, it may lead to disposal of the goods, a fine or heavier legal consequences, as determined by the law in force and the finding in the case. That is exactly why the evidence stage is worth every effort: cases that can prove lawful provenance and cases that cannot end very differently.

Branded Goods Imports to Indonesia: The Authorization Chain

Key figures (free to quote)

Item	Reference figure
Jakarta (Tanjung Priok) standard clearance	2-4 working days (complete documents, no inspection).
Jakarta inspection (yellow line)	3 working days standard + 7 working days inspection.
Jakarta red line	3 working days standard + 10 working days red-line handling.
Import duty (BM)	Commonly 0-15% (set by HS code; with FORM E under ACFTA, most goods can reach 0%).
De minimis threshold	Goods valued below USD 3 are exempt from duty (PPN still applies).
NIB / API processing	NIB 1-2 working days; import licence (API) 3-7 working days.
LS survey (Laporan Surveyor)	3-7 working days (including issuance).
FORM E issuance	1-3 working days (issued by Chinese customs / CCPIT).

Reference values for standard cases (complete documents, no inspection, outside the red-line season). Actual figures follow current carrier and customs notices. Last reviewed 2026-09-27.

In short

The risk with branded goods is not the goods — it is whether you can prove you have the right to import them. The same genuine shipment is ordinary trade when the authorization chain is complete; break one link and it becomes suspected infringing goods.
The authorization chain = trademark rights status + sales authorization + provenance documents. All three need written documents, and they have to line up with one another. Verbal authorisation, screenshots and chat confirmations count for nothing in a review.
The window for handling seized branded goods is short. Starting the evidence file immediately is far more effective than repairing things afterwards. This page gives you the chain and the order of moves after a seizure.

1. The three sets of documents in the chain

The three links must form one line. Each link can look fine on its own, but a review looks at the chain: you bought from A — does A have the right to sell to you? Do the entity, category and validity period on the authorisation match your purchase contract and bill of lading? Wherever the chain breaks, that is where the risk comes from.

Link	Document	What to check
Rights status	Trademark registration information; the rights holder’s details	The brand’s registration status in Indonesia and who the rights holder is
Sales authorization	A formal authorisation letter from the rights holder or its authorised party	Whether the scope (territory, category, validity period) covers this shipment
Provenance documents	Purchase contract, invoice, payment records	Whether the supplier connects to the authorization chain and the transaction documents close the loop

2. Special cases: parallel imports and OEM private-label goods

Parallel imports (grey market): genuine goods imported outside the local rights holder’s authorised channel. The territorial rule on exhaustion of trademark rights differs between countries, so whether parallel import works in Indonesia is confirmed case by case according to the brand, the category and the law in force — you cannot apply another country’s experience wholesale.
OEM private-label goods: a principal authorises a factory to manufacture and brand the goods. What you need to check is the principal’s rights document for the trademark plus the contract manufacturing agreement, both pointing to the same trademark and the same scope. Shipping on the strength of the factory’s word alone is the commonest way private-label goods fall over.
Leftover stock and defect stock: whether the sales right transfers with leftover goods produced under authorisation depends on the wording of the agreement; by default it does not transfer.
Second-hand branded goods bought abroad: these too need a provenance-document chain, and the condition description must be truthful — see the condition-declaration approach on the used machinery page.

3. Seized: the handling path and order of moves

Step	Action	Note
1. Confirm the reason for seizure	Is it suspected trademark infringement or a document problem?	The reason decides the path — ask clearly before acting.
2. Start the evidence file	Submit the three links of the chain and the transaction documents	The window is short; submit at the first opportunity.
3. Contact the rights holder	Where necessary, obtain a confirmation letter from the rights holder or its authorised party	This step is only available if you have an authorization chain.
4. Procedural response	Argue the case under customs procedure or file a formal objection	Argue on the basis of the documents, within the stated period.
5. Review and archive	Identify where the chain broke and fix the system	So the next shipment does not repeat it.

For the general principles of handling a seizure, see the customs detention page; keep the documents supporting the chain on file throughout, because they are the whole basis of any objection.

4. How to prove lawful provenance

A closed transaction loop. Every hand from the rights holder to you has a contract and an invoice; the amounts match the payment records, and the goods descriptions and quantities on the documents match the physical goods.
Checking that authorization covers the shipment. Check the territory, category and validity period on the authorisation one by one against this shipment. An authorisation that is out of scope or expired is no authorisation.
Consistency of the physical goods. The trademark and model on the goods match the authorisation letter and the purchase contract. Private-label goods must also map to the contract manufacturing agreement.
Original documents. Key documents should be originals or confirmed copies — chat screenshots and verbal promises have no evidentiary weight in formal procedure.
File the chain in advance. Before a branded shipment leaves, put the whole authorization chain together and have the clearance agent look at it. That is far more proactive than hunting for documents after the goods are inspected on arrival.

5. Pre-shipment self-check list

Self-check item	Pass standard
The trademark’s rights status in Indonesia	Registered, with the rights holder clearly identified
The three elements of the authorisation	Territory, category and validity period all cover this shipment
A closed provenance record	Contract, invoice and payment match and connect to the rights chain
Both documents for private-label goods	Rights document plus contract manufacturing agreement present
Consistency between goods and documents	Trademark and model match the document descriptions

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Branded Goods: Two Reviews, Not One Customs Detention Lartas Patterns Import Licence Requirements Commercial Invoice Indonesia Import Guide

This page summarizes field practice and publicly available Indonesian import rules for general business reference only—it is not legal, customs, or pricing advice. Customs provisions, tariff rates, and licensing requirements keep changing, so the rules in force at the time and the official processing result always prevail. Wuhan Freedom International Logistics Co., Ltd. · Licensed PPJK in Indonesia · Jakarta / Semarang / Wuhan.

Branded Goods Imports: The Authorization Chain