Compliance Guide

How to Write Declaration Elements: Use, Material, Brand, Model

Q: Are declaration elements mandatory?

They are the necessary support for classification. If the elements are unclear the classification cannot be defended, and both the duty rate and the regulatory conditions become uncertain. In practice, missing key elements trigger a request for supplementary explanation, which lengthens the cycle instead of shortening it. Confirm the elements and the classification together before shipping.

Q: How do I write the use element clearly enough?

State where it is used and what it does there, ideally naming the equipment or setting. Write a pipe connection component for hydraulic systems, used with construction machinery rather than industrial component. Phrases like industrial use or general use supply no information at all.

Q: How specific must the material element be?

At minimum state the main constituent material, and give the proportion if you can. Writing metal or plastic is usually not enough, because within the same material family the tariff lines differ precisely by the specific material, for example polypropylene versus polyvinyl chloride, or carbon steel versus stainless steel. If a specification sheet exists, follow the specification sheet.

Q: What do I enter if there is no brand?

State no brand explicitly. A blank field and a stated none are two different things. Blank means the information is missing and you may be asked to supplement it. Stating none means you have checked and confirmed there is no brand marking. For private-label goods, describe the actual labelling situation.

Q: Must both model and specification be written?

Write them whenever you can, because they are what distinguishes one variant from another. If a shipment contains several variants, list them row by variant. Do not use phrases like multiple specifications or see attached list as a way around it, because the list must still map to a code variant by variant.

Q: What if I cannot obtain a particular piece of information?

Write not known and state the source. Do not guess. Also keep whatever supporting evidence you do have, such as a product catalogue, specification sheet or packing detail. Inventing a plausible-looking value carries the risk of conflicting with the physical goods, and once the check happens you face a difference you cannot explain.

Q: What is the relationship between declaration elements and the HS code?

The elements are the input to the classification decision; the code is the output. The more specific the elements, the more likely the code is unique. When the elements are vague you get several candidate codes, and the correct action is to supplement the information rather than pick one. The code must also be checked against the Indonesian tariff, not copied from the Chinese code.

Q: Can one set of elements be reused across multiple shipments?

Yes, for the same product with unchanged parameters. But before each shipment you should still confirm that the physical goods match the elements, for example if the material was changed or the model revised. Carrying old elements forward after the parameters changed is the most common form of the problem where every document is internally consistent yet none of them matches reality.

How to write declaration elements: for use, material, composition, brand, model and specification, each with its correct wording and its common mistake. Also how the elements determine classification and duty, and how to request the missing information from a supplier.

Six elements, one by one
Includes the supplier request wording
Working rules, reviewed 2026-09-22

Key figures (free to quote)

Jakarta (Tanjung Priok) standard clearance2–4 working dayscomplete documents, no inspection

Jakarta yellow-channel inspection3 + 73 working days standard + 7 working days inspection

Jakarta red channel3 + 103 working days standard + 10 working days red-channel handling

PPh 22 (no API)7.5%100% surcharge if no NPWP tax number

Bea masuk BM0–15%set by HS code; with FORM E claiming ACFTA preference, most can reach 0%

Import de minimisUSD 3duty-free below this value (PPN still payable)

NIB and API processing1–2 / 3–7working days respectively

LS (Laporan Surveyor) inspection3–7working days including certificate issuance

FORM E issuance1–3working days, issued by China customs or the CCPIT

These are reference values for standard situations (complete documents, no inspection, not in a red-channel period); the carriers and customs current announcements prevail. Data reviewed 2026-09-27.

In short

Declaration elements are not a form to fill in. They are the evidence chain behind the classification.

For the same goods, accurate elements make the classification defensible. Vague elements leave the code to guesswork, and the duty rate, regulatory conditions and preferential eligibility all wobble with it.

The three most often missing are use, material, brand and model — and those three are exactly what many tariff lines use to distinguish themselves from each other.

This page gives the correct wording against the common mistake, plus a single supplier information request list so you stop asking in rounds.

1. The six elements, one by one

Element	What to write	Common mistake
Use	In what setting, and on what equipment, it is used to do what	Writing industrial use or general use, which is the same as writing nothing
Material	The main constituent material; composition or proportion is even better	Writing the product name only, such as plastic part with no PP or ABS
Composition	Give the main constituents and their proportions by content	Writing only a collective term such as blend or composite material
Brand	The brand name or marking; if there is no brand, state no brand explicitly	Leaving it blank, because blank and none are two different things
Model and specification	Model, dimensions, capacity, power and other distinguishing parameters	Writing multiple specifications or see attached list, which cannot locate a specific variant
Processing state	Moulded, assembled, semi-finished or finished, and so on	Omitting it, which leaves no basis to classify finished goods versus parts

2. Why the elements matter: they decide the classification

The basic logic of classification is:

First what it is, then what it is used for. If the elements are unclear, the what it is question cannot be answered.

Many tariff lines differ precisely on useor material. For the same box, what it holds and what it is made of can lead to entirely different codes.

Once the classification wobbles, the consequences chain:

the duty rate changes, the regulatory conditions change, and the preferential eligibility may no longer apply. That is not something a few extra words can fix. The elements have to be right.

For categories requiring a permit or certification, the information in the elements also affects whether the corresponding regulatory document is needed at all.

3. Worked wording, compared side by side

Element	Not recommended	Recommended
Use	Industrial component	A pipe connection component for hydraulic systems, used with construction machinery
Material	Metal	Steel, predominantly carbon steel, zinc-plated surface
Composition	Plastic	Polypropylene (PP) about 90%, colour masterbatch about 10% (example values, fill in the actual content)
Brand and model	Several models	No brand / model XX-200 (if several, list them row by row)
Specification	See attached list	Outer diameter 20 mm, length 300 mm, unit weight 0.8 kg (example values, fill in the actual specification)
State	Finished goods	A fully assembled finished item, ready for direct use

4. Asking the supplier: get it all in one request

Why we insist on never leaving a blank

A blank field gets flagged at the checking stage, and by the time you are asked to fill it the container is already loaded and the goods have entered the port. The person who can answer may no longer be reachable.

Asking everything in one round with the same list costs the least.

Do not ask one item per round

Send the list in one go, with a note saying if certain items cannot be obtained, say so, but do not leave them blank:

Product use, main material and composition, brand and whether it is labelled, model and key specifications, processing state, unit weight and packing format.

Where you can obtain the product catalogue, specification sheet or packing detail, ask for the original. Having the supplier describe it is far more accurate than you paraphrasing it.

For an item you cannot obtain, write "not known" and state the source. Do not invent. "Not known" is a state you can explain. "A guessed value" is not.

If the supplier is exporting the same model to other countries, you can ask what declaration wording it has used before as a reference. But you still have to re-verify against Indonesian rules rather than copy it across.

5. Three questions to ask after you finish writing

Looking at the elements alone, can you determine one code uniquely? If you can still think of two or more codes, the elements are not specific enough.
Are the element descriptions consistent with the invoice product name and the physical goods? All three must use one wording.
Is any element copied from somewhere else and never verified by you? If copied information is wrong, the very first link of the evidence chain is already broken.

Frequently asked questions

Are declaration elements mandatory?

Elemen deklarasi adalah dukungan yang diperlukan untuk klasifikasi. Bila elemen tidak jelas, klasifikasi tidak dapat dipertanggungjawabkan, dan tarif serta ketentuan regulasi ikut tidak pasti. Dalam praktik, elemen kunci yang hilang akan meminta penjelasan tambahan, sehingga justru memperpanjang siklus. Pastikan elemen dan klasifikasi dikonfirmasi bersama sebelum pengiriman.

How do I write the use element clearly enough?

Sebutkan dipakai di mana dan untuk apa, sebaiknya menyebut peralatan atau situasinya. Tulis komponen sambungan pipa untuk sistem hidrolik, dipakai bersama alat berat konstruksi, bukan komponen untuk industri. Kalimat seperti untuk industri atau umum tidak memberikan informasi apa pun.

How specific must the material element be?

Setidaknya sebutkan bahan utama penyusun, dan lebih baik lagi sertakan proporsinya. Menulis logam atau plastik biasanya tidak cukup, karena dalam satu keluarga bahan, pos tarif justru berbeda pada bahan spesifiknya, misalnya polipropilena versus polivinil klorida, atau baja karbon versus baja tahan karat. Bila ada lembar spesifikasi, ikuti lembar spesifikasi tersebut.

What do I enter if there is no brand?

Nyatakan tanpa merek secara eksplisit. Kolom kosong dan pernyataan tidak ada adalah dua hal berbeda. Kosong berarti informasi hilang dan Anda mungkin diminta melengkapinya. Menyatakan tidak ada berarti Anda sudah memeriksa dan memastikan tidak ada tanda merek. Untuk barang private label, jelaskan kondisi pelabelan yang sebenarnya.

Must both model and specification be written?

Tuliskan bila bisa, karena itulah yang membedakan satu varian dari varian lain. Bila satu pengiriman berisi beberapa varian, tuliskan per baris untuk setiap varian. Jangan memakai kalimat seperti berbagai spesifikasi atau lihat daftar untuk-html, karena daftarnya tetap harus memetakan setiap varian ke kodenya masing-masing.

What if I cannot obtain a particular piece of information?

Tulis tidak diketahui dan sebutkan sumbernya. Jangan mengisi berdasarkan tebakan. Selain itu, simpan bukti pendukung yang bisa Anda miliki, seperti katalog, lembar spesifikasi, atau daftar pengemasan. Mengarang nilai yang tampak masuk akal berisiko tidak sesuai dengan barang fisik, dan begitu diperiksa Anda akan menghadapi selisih yang tidak bisa dijelaskan.

What is the relationship between declaration elements and the HS code?

Elemen adalah input bagi keputusan klasifikasi; kode adalah outputnya. Semakin spesifik elemennya, semakin mungkin kodenya tunggal. Bila elemennya kabur, akan muncul beberapa kode kandidat, dan tindakan yang benar adalah melengkapi informasi, bukan memilih sembarangan. Kode juga harus diperiksa terhadap tarif Indonesia, bukan disalin dari kode Tiongkok.

Can one set of elements be reused across multiple shipments?

Bisa, untuk produk yang sama dengan parameter yang tidak berubah. Namun sebelum setiap pengiriman, Anda tetap harus memastikan barang fisik sesuai dengan elemennya, misalnya bila bahannya diganti atau modelnya direvisi. Memakai elemen lama setelah parameter berubah adalah bentuk paling umum dari masalah di mana semua dokumen saling konsisten tetapi tidak satupun sesuai kenyataan.

Data source

This page is a compilation of general working rules for reference only. It is not a customs, legal or price commitment.

Field requirements and declaration practices change with the regulations and with practice. Before actual declaration, the customs broker or PPJK must re-verify each shipment against the current rules in INSW and CEISA 4.0, and the official acceptance result prevails.

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Clearance and delivery quotation Look up HS code and regulatory conditions