GUIDES
Guides for Importers and Businesses
Practical guides on commercial import: finding suppliers, costs, licensing, standards and timelines. Written for business owners and procurement managers.
Import License: Who Needs One, How to Get It and How Long It TakesNot every product requires an import license. How to check the Free Import Order, which ministry handles each type of product, and how long processing should take.
Commercial Import in Small Quantities: What You Need to Get Started (Even as an Exempt Dealer)The difference between personal and commercial import, what a small business needs to place a first shipment, and what being an exempt dealer (osek patur) means for importing.
How Much Does It Cost to Import Goods into Israel? A Full Cost Calculation, from Factory to WarehouseThe product price is only one line. Shipping, insurance, customs duty, purchase tax, VAT, customs brokerage, port fees and standards: every cost component and how to calculate it.
How to Find a Reliable Supplier Abroad: A Guide to Sourcing and Vetting ManufacturersWhere to look for a manufacturer, how to tell a factory from a trading company, what to check before paying a deposit, and how to compare quotes.
Importing an Operational Vehicle: Ministry of Transport Procedure, Import License and What Is AllowedOperational vehicles, mobility scooters for operational areas and service vehicles: what counts as an operational vehicle, where it may be used and what is required to import one.
Private Label: How to Create Your Own Brand, from Idea to ShelfAn existing product with your brand, or a product developed especially for you: what the difference is, what the minimum quantities are and what to agree with the manufacturer.
Import Company, Purchasing Agent or Customs Broker: Who Does What and How to ChooseThree different professionals involved in the same shipment. What each one does, where they overlap and who you need at each stage.
Calculating Customs on Commercial Imports: Duty, Purchase Tax and VAT in a Full ExampleThree different taxes, each calculated on a different basis. How to find the product's customs tariff item and how to reach the final amount.
Israeli Standards Institute Approval and Import Groups: Which Route Applies to Your ProductProducts covered by an official standard are divided into import groups, and each group has a different testing route. How to find out which group your product belongs to.
The Import Reform: "What's Good for Europe" and "What's Good for America" – What It Means for the ImporterThe reform allows importing products that meet European standards, and later American ones too, without a duplicate check in Israel. What is in force and what isn't yet.
Importing Forklifts and Material Handling Equipment: License, Standards and What to Check Before OrderingA forklift is equipment that requires approvals before import and inspections after it. What is required, how the country of manufacture matters, and what to agree with the manufacturer.
How Long Does Import Take? Manufacturing, Sea and Air Freight, and Customs ClearanceA realistic timeline for an order from abroad: how long manufacturing takes, how long shipping takes, and what delays clearance. And how to plan an order ahead of a season.- Quality Control at the Manufacturer: Samples, Factory Audit and Pre-Shipment InspectionThree checkpoints that prevent surprises: an approved sample, inspection during production and a check before the goods leave the factory.
Incoterms Explained: FOB, CIF, EXW and DDP – Who Pays for WhatThree letters in a quote determine who pays for transport, who insures and who is responsible if something is damaged on the way. A simple explanation of the common terms.