Freight forwarder
A person engaged in dispatching foreign-commerce shipments and handling related formalities on behalf of others. The term does not decide a shipment action or outcome.
Trade terminology glossary
A freight forwarder is a person engaged in dispatching shipments in foreign commerce on behalf of others.
This definition distinguishes freight forwarder from customs broker and a general import-broker phrase. It does not select, recommend, contact, engage, evaluate, validate, or manage any party, shipment, document, import, export, filing, product, payment, or transaction.
A freight forwarder, under 19 CFR 111.1, is a person engaged in dispatching shipments in foreign commerce between the United States, its territories or possessions, and foreign countries, and handling formalities incident to those shipments on behalf of others. The term does not establish a party’s authority, suitability, obligations, costs, or outcome for a particular shipment. Read 19 CFR 111.1.
Three related terms
Related terms do not determine a shipping role.
Freight-forwarder language can appear beside customs broker and import broker. These terms can clarify a discussion without determining a party’s authority, duties, documentation, filing responsibilities, or suitability for a shipment.
Customs broker
Under 19 CFR 111.1, a person licensed under that part to transact customs business on behalf of others. This is distinct from freight forwarder.
Import broker
A general phrase sometimes used for an intermediary associated with imports. The phrase does not itself establish a license, authority, role, or responsibility.
Why context matters
A role label does not determine a shipment action.
The important distinction
A glossary defines the term. It does not dispatch a shipment.
19 CFR 111.1 gives freight forwarder a defined meaning in the context of foreign-commerce shipments. That definition provides vocabulary, not a determination about a particular shipment, party, product, record, document, import, export, obligation, or outcome.
Label, role, shipment
A term does not select or validate a service provider.
A shipping discussion may involve forwarders, carriers, brokers, importers, exporters, documents, entries, and shipment formalities. This page does not identify a party, determine authority, assess a record, validate a service, or recommend an action for a shipment.
A source note
Shared vocabulary can help name a trade question.
19 CFR 111.1 defines freight forwarder alongside customs-broker terminology. That supports a plain-language definition; it does not resolve a shipping, customs, commercial, regulatory, or transaction question.
Keep the term and the shipment decision separate.
A regulatory definition can explain a term. It cannot determine a party’s authority, duties, qualifications, engagement, fee, documentation, filing, classification, valuation, admissibility, duty, tax, compliance, liability, or the appropriate handling of a particular shipment.
Glossary boundary: This page does not select, recommend, contact, engage, evaluate, validate, manage, or direct any forwarder, carrier, broker, importer, exporter, shipment, import, export, entry, filing, document, product, record, payment, or transaction.
What this glossary does not decide
This educational definition does not determine any shipping, customs, regulatory, legal, import, export, classification, valuation, admissibility, duty, tax, fee, filing, documentation, entry, recordkeeping, compliance, risk, liability, payment, product, shipment, carrier, broker, forwarder, importer, exporter, supplier, retailer, food-safety, inventory, quality, or operational status; create, prepare, review, file, submit, transmit, validate, assess, contact, engage, manage, or direct any shipment, customs business, forwarder, import, export, product, document, record, payment, account, or transaction; or provide shipping, freight-forwarding, customs, regulatory, legal, tax, financial, food-safety, logistics, procurement, inventory, or operational advice.
Source note
References for this definition
This source supports the terminology on this page. It is not a substitute for a party’s own qualified advisers, records, contracts, authorities, or applicable requirements.
Building commercial workflows with CPG design partners
Help shape a clearer way to keep product context and operating handoffs connected.
A working prototype validated Guidance’s core operating model. The commercial rebuild is translating that proof into production-ready workflows with CPG design partners.
Apply as a Design Partner →