Frequently asked questions

Customs warehouses means buildings (parts thereof), yards, tanks or other places suitable for the storage of goods under customs control, as recognised by the Customs Department. The owner of a bonded warehouse shall hold a permit issued by the Customs Department in the prescribed form, specifying where (at what address and on what premises) and what goods may be stored in the bonded warehouse.

Customs warehousing is a customs procedure belonging to one of the special procedures. Goods placed under the customs warehousing procedure are normally stored in places designated by the customs authorities – customs warehouses. These goods may be temporarily removed from the customs warehouse. For such cases, prior authorisation is required from the territorial customs office in whose area of operation the customs warehouse is established. 

The customs authorities may authorise the processing of goods placed under inward processing or end-use procedures on the premises of a customs warehouse, provided that the conditions laid down for the application of those procedures are complied with, without the application of import duties, other charges, trade policy measures, and provided that they do not prohibit the entry into, or the exit from, the customs territory of the Union. In this case, those goods shall not be placed under the customs warehousing procedure.

Customs may also authorise the customs warehousing of exported goods which, after exportation, are subject to the reimbursement of import duties and taxes paid or the payment of refunds.

Goods can be stored indefinitely in customs warehouses, and when goods are imported, it is often not known how they will be disposed of. This opens the possibility of storing such goods in customs warehouses until a buyer is found. It is also possible to break up a large consignment in a bonded warehouse and sell it to different buyers. Most importantly, there is no need to pay import duties and other compulsory taxes during the storage of goods. These taxes are paid when the goods are put into service.

The requirements for the suitability of the goods storage place (territory) for the operation of a customs warehouse (temporary storage warehouse) have been approved by the Order of the Director General of the Customs Department under the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania No 1B-577 of 11 July 2016 “On the Approval of the Description of the Evaluation of the Suitability of the Goods Storage Place (Territory for the Operation of a Customs Warehouse) for the Operations of a Customs Warehouse (Temporary Storage Warehouse)”.

Duty-free shops operate as customs warehouses referred to in Article 201 of the delegated act of the Union Customs Code.

• Innovative and secure fastening technologies.
• Wooden platforms, nylon ropes, steel chains and cables are used to secure the load. These measures can be combined with each other.
• We transport cargo in 40′ Hight Cube, 40′ Dry Freight, 20′ Dry Freight containers.

• Financial intermediation and assistance.
• Trade intermediation and commercial assistance.
• Conciliation mediation in dispute resolution.
• Legal mediation.
• Insurance mediation.
• Administrative mediation.

• Shipment tracking. Every stage of the shipment is tracked using transport management systems. The cargo is monitored and coordinated in real time. This helps to determine whether everything is going as planned.
• Negotiation process. Freight forwarders negotiate with carriers the terms and conditions of the shipment. Negotiations not only involve agreeing on the conditions of transport, the timeframe, the weight of the cargo, etc., but also trying to reduce the cost of the service. This is why freight forwarding services not only help to obtain better conditions but also to reduce costs.
• Cargo insurance. Often the value of the cargo is very high, especially if the cargo is bulky, which is why it is worth taking out additional cargo insurance. This way you won’t suffer a large loss if your goods are damaged or stolen during transport.

• Cargo insurance.
• Preparation of bills of exchange.
• Risk management and assessment.
• Warehousing.
• Cooperation with banks and payment management.

• Light signalling and design of lighting devices (arrangement, colour, lighting perimeter, etc.).
• Wheels and perimeter of wheel structure. It must meet the manufacturer’s requirements (M1 and N1).
• The car must comply with the ecological requirements in force at the time of first registration.
• The car must comply with the technical requirements.

Cars arriving in Lithuania from the US are subject to specific requirements due to discrepancies in design and technical parameters. The EU has slightly different requirements, which are the same as the laws in force in Lithuania. Cars made here comply with EC (European Community) technical directives and can be registered without major problems. When a car arrives in a European country from the USA, it is subject to additional checks to make sure it meets the requirements and will be safe on the road.

The biggest problems are usually caused by the headlights. Not only do they vary in colour, but also in positioning and the area illuminated. To pass the roadworthiness test, the headlights must be replaced with European counterparts. We suggest that you have your vehicle inspected before you register your US car. This way you will know what needs to be replaced and you will not have to deal with any extra hassle during the inspection.

• Clear title. The document shows that the car has had no significant accidents. It is suitable for registering the vehicle in Lithuania.
• Salvage title. This is the most common document required when transporting a car from the USA. It shows that the car has been involved in an accident. The document is suitable for registration in Lithuania.
• Lemon title. This indicates that the vehicle is not of high quality and often breaks down even during the warranty period. This document is suitable for registration in Lithuania.
• Rebuilt (reconstructed) title. This document indicates that the car has already been repaired after an accident. It is suitable for registration in Lithuania.
• Junk title. This title is granted when the car is badly damaged and has lost more than 75% of its value. It is not eligible for registration in Lithuania.
• Certificate of destruction. This is a document issued by an insurance company for the inoperability of the car. In Lithuania, this document is not eligible for registration.
• Flood (water) damage title. This document is issued for cars that have been caught in floods or storms. The document is suitable for registration in Lithuania.
• Odometer rollback title. This document indicates that the mileage of a car may be out of balance or may even have been rolled back. It is suitable for registration in Lithuania.