Why is my invoice value not accepted as it stands?

It is accepted in most cases. But where the value is clearly below what is usual for that heading and that origin, or where the file lacks anything explaining the difference, the discussion opens. A low value is not an accusation, but it needs a document that explains it.

Which documents support the invoice value?

Proof of payment (a bank transfer or statement), the purchase contract or order, the correspondence that fixed the price, the supplier's price list, and whatever proves a discount where one was given. The closer these come from the manufacturer himself, the stronger they are.

Are freight and insurance included in the value?

How the customs value is computed relates to the delivery term agreed with the supplier. Which is why we ask that the delivery term be written clearly on the invoice — its absence alone opens an assessment that could have been avoided.

I bought used goods or at a clearance price — what do I do?

Prove the condition with documents: an inspection report, photographs, or a contract showing the price reflects the state of the goods rather than their new value. Buying at an exceptional price is entirely legitimate, but it needs something explaining it before the question is asked.

Customs Valuation in Jordan

The rule first

The starting position is that duty is calculated on the price actually paid for the goods — that is, on your invoice. And that is what happens on most files. But where the file cannot prove that price, or where it looks clearly out of line with what is usual for that heading and that origin, the discussion opens and the value is assessed another way.

We say this plainly because many hear it for the first time at the objection: a low value is not an accusation. But it needs a document that explains it.

What opens a valuation dispute

A price clearly below what is usual for that heading and origin, with nothing explaining it
A terse invoice: a generic description, no quantities or unit prices, no delivery term
No proof of payment, or a payment that differs from the invoice
A relationship between seller and buyer that affects the price and was not declared
A large discount with nothing documenting it
A description that does not match what the inspection finds in the package

The documents that support your value

The invoice on its own is the seller's statement. What turns it into a provable position:

Proof of payment — a bank transfer or statement matching the invoice amount
The purchase contract or order, dated before shipment
The correspondence in which the price was settled
The supplier's price list, particularly if it comes from the manufacturer
Proof of the discount where one was given: volume, clearance, or the condition of the goods

The closer these come from the manufacturer rather than a middleman, the stronger they are. Asking for them before shipping takes one message; asking with the goods standing takes days and storage.

The delivery term is not a detail

How the customs value is computed relates to the delivery term agreed with the supplier — who bears freight and insurance, and to where. So we ask that the delivery term be written explicitly on the invoice. Its absence alone opens an assessment that one line could have prevented.

Legitimate cases that need explaining

Not every low price is suspect. These are cases we see often, all of them legitimate, and each one needs a document:

Used or refurbished goods — proved by an inspection report, photographs or a contract
Clearance or end-of-season purchases — proved by correspondence and the original price list
Samples or goods of no commercial value — described as what they are, not as a sale
Defective or second-grade goods — declared in the description, not hidden

When the dispute happens

It is answered with documents, not argument. Proof of payment, the contract and the correspondence are submitted, and the reason for an exceptional price is explained. If the file holds nothing proving the value, the discussion runs long and the days are counted — which is why our work starts by reading the invoice before shipping, not after the objection.

We do not promise that a particular value will be accepted: valuation is a customs decision. What we promise is to tell you before shipping where your file is weak, while you can still strengthen it.

Customs valuation