Cost structure / standard tiers
Exam costs are billed to the importer or consignee and vary significantly by exam type and facility.
| Exam Type | Typical Cost to Importer | Typical Added Dwell Time |
|---|---|---|
| VACIS (non-intrusive imaging) | $0-$200 (often absorbed by terminal) | 1-2 days |
| Tailgate exam | $150-$400 | 2-4 days |
| Intensive exam (CES devanning) | $800-$2,500+ (devanning, drayage to CES, storage) | 5-10 days |
Containers requiring an intensive exam also accrue demurrage and detention during the additional dwell, since exam time does not pause free-time clocks at most terminals.
Risk mitigation / operational guidance
Request a free-time extension immediately upon notification of an exam hold, since exam-related delays are a common and generally well-accepted basis for extension requests with carriers. For high-frequency importers, review which HTS codes or countries of origin tend to trigger exams and ensure documentation (invoices, packing lists, country-of-origin declarations) is complete and consistent before filing, since documentation discrepancies are a frequent secondary trigger once a container is already flagged. Budget exam costs into landed-cost calculations for commodity categories with historically higher exam rates (textiles, certain food products, goods from countries subject to enforcement priorities). If a container is held for exam at a CES with a known backlog, evaluate whether expedited devanning fees are available to reduce queue time — some CES operators offer priority handling for an additional fee.