A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U W

Carnet
See ATA carnet.

Certificate of Origin
A document that certifies the country where the product was made (i.e., its origin). A common export document, a Certificate of Origin is needed when exporting to many foreign markets. It may be required in order to obtain preferential tariff treatment under several Free Trade Agreements (i.e., NAFTA, APTA, DR_CAFTA, etc.)

Commercial invoice (CI)
A document prepared by the exporter or freight forwarder, and required by the foreign buyer, to prove ownership and arrange for payment to the exporter. It should provide basic information about the transaction, including description of goods, address of shipper and seller as well as delivery and payment terms. In some cases, the Commercial Invoice is used to assess customs duties.

Cost and freight (C&F)
The exporter pays the costs and freight necessary to get the goods to the specified destination. The risk of loss or damage is assumed by the buyer once the goods are loaded at the port of embarkation.

Cost, insurance and freight (CIF)
The exporter pays the cost of goods, cargo and insurance plus all transportation charges to the specified port of destination.

Country of origin of goods
Country of origin in which the goods have been produced or manufactured.

CHEP
See pallets.

Clear
When you've finished a job and you're ready to take on another one, you're "clear".

Clearing house
A clearing house is a courier or transport company that doesn't have any vehicles. It takes courier bookings from customers and subcontracts the work out to other courier companies or owner drivers.

CMR note
A CMR note is a courier document that goes with goods being exported by road in the EU. The exporter or courier freight forwarder provides the CMR note.

Co-load
This is another name for part load of the courier load.

Consignment
A courier consignment is a courier load collected from one place and delivered to one place. If you pick up three boxes to courier from A and deliver them to B, C and D, that's three courier consignments - and you'll need a separate courier POD for each one. (If it's a multi-drop courier the arrangements might be different.)

Consignment note / con note
A courier consignment note is a courier document that says where a courier load is to be collected from and delivered to. It can also have a description of the goods to courier, and any special instructions. A courier consignment note can also be used as a courier POD.

Consignor and Consignee
The consignor is the person or company that sends the goods; the consignee is the person or company that receives them.

Controller
A controller is the person in an ops room or transport office who allocates jobs to drivers. Also called a dispatcher.

Courier insurance
Courier insurance is like ordinary vehicle insurance but covers carriage of goods for hire and reward

CPC (certificate of professional competence)
CPC is a qualification which covers all aspects of road transport. It is a necessary qualification for traffic managers (where a company has an O licence). A CPC qualification can be for either road haulage or road passenger transport, and there are national and international modules.

Customs
The government service that is responsible for the assessment of import and export duties and taxes and administration of other laws and regulations that apply to the import, transit and export of goods. This term is also used when referring to any part of the customs service or its main or subsidiary offices. This term is also used adjectivally in connection with customs officials, import or export duties control on goods, or any other matter within the purview of customs (customs officer, customs duties, customs office, customs declaration).

Customs and border protection (CBP)
Single unified border agency of the United States.

Customs declaration
A document that traditionally accompanies exported goods bearing such information as the nature of the goods, their value, the recipient and their ultimate destination. Required for statistical purposes, it accompanies all controlled goods being exported under the appropriate permit.

Customs invoice
A formal document used to clear goods through customs in the importing country by providing pertinent shipment information including but not limited to country of origin, description and value.

Customs self assessment (CSA)
Offers approved importers, approved carriers, and registered drivers the benefits of a streamlined clearance option for CSA eligible goods.