“Clearance in progress” on UPS tracking means your international package has reached the destination country and is being processed for customs clearance, either by UPS acting as the customs broker or by another clearing agent. The package can’t move on to final delivery until customs releases it, which happens once the paperwork checks out and any duties or taxes are settled.
Most of the time the status clears on its own and tracking moves to a release scan, then out for delivery. When it doesn’t, the cause is almost always one of three things: missing or incorrect documents, unpaid duties and taxes, or a customs inspection. This guide explains what each status means, why packages get stuck, and what the shipper or recipient can do to get things moving.
What does “clearance in progress” mean on UPS tracking?
It means customs paperwork for your shipment is being prepared, submitted or reviewed. UPS sends customs the shipment’s electronic data in advance, including the commercial invoice, item descriptions, values and tariff codes, and customs decides whether to release the package, ask for more information, assess duties or inspect it.
During this step, customs and the broker typically:
- Check the commercial invoice and item descriptions against the declared contents
- Classify each item by its Harmonized System or HTS code
- Calculate any duties, taxes and government fees owed
- Screen for prohibited or restricted goods
- Decide whether the package needs a physical inspection
If shipping and customs vocabulary is new to you, our list of essential logistics terms and definitions explains the common ones.
Where clearance in progress fits in the tracking sequence
| Tracking update | What it means | Do you need to act? |
|---|---|---|
| Import scan | The package has arrived at an import facility in the destination country | No |
| Clearance in progress | Customs clearance is being processed | Not unless tracking shows a request |
| Yellow banner: information or payment needed | Customs or UPS needs documents, details or duty and tax payment | Yes, follow the banner’s instructions |
| Released by clearing agency | Customs has released the package to UPS | No |
| Out for delivery | The package is on a local UPS vehicle | No |
For the full list of scans and what each one means, see our guide to UPS tracking statuses.
How long does UPS clearance in progress take?
UPS doesn’t publish a standard clearance time, because customs authorities control the timeline. Shipments with complete paperwork and duties handled in advance often clear within the same day or a few days of the import scan. Shipments with a documentation problem, a duty payment pending or an inspection stay in clearance until that issue is resolved.
The status itself doesn’t change while customs works, so an unchanged “clearance in progress” line for a day or two is normal. Check the tracking page for a yellow banner, because that is where UPS says it posts what is needed when a package is held.
Why is my UPS package stuck in clearance in progress?
UPS says customs delays are usually caused by incorrect or missing documents, or by duties and taxes that need to be paid. In practice, the main causes are:
- Vague or incomplete descriptions. Entries like “clothing” or “parts” don’t let customs classify the goods. “Men’s cotton knit T-shirts” does.
- Wrong or missing tariff codes. An incorrect HTS code can change the duty owed and trigger a review.
- Value problems. A declared value that looks too low, or that doesn’t match the invoice, invites questions.
- Unpaid duties and taxes. If the recipient owes import charges, the package waits until they’re paid.
- Missing recipient details. Some countries need a phone number, email or tax ID for the importer.
- Restricted goods or inspection. Items that need a permit or license, or packages picked for physical examination, take longer.
What should you do if clearance in progress isn’t changing?
- Open the tracking details. Look for the yellow banner message. If import fees are due, UPS shows a Pay Now option there for eligible shipments before delivery.
- Answer any document request quickly. Send the commercial invoice, product details or importer information customs is asking for.
- Coordinate between shipper and recipient. The shipper controls the invoice and declaration, while the recipient usually controls duty payment and importer details.
- Contact UPS with the tracking number. Use the UPS customer service number and ask whether the hold is for documents, payment or inspection.
- Use a customs broker for complex goods. Commercial shipments with permits or licenses can clear faster with a licensed broker handling the entry.
If you’re following a package with a 1Z number, our guide to the UPS package tracking number explains where to find it and what its parts mean.
Who pays duties and taxes while clearance is in progress?
The terms the shipper chose decide who pays. Under delivered duty unpaid (DDU), the receiver pays duties, taxes and fees. Under delivered duty paid (DDP), the shipper pays them, so the package doesn’t wait for the recipient. UPS says that a shipper paying by credit card without a UPS payment account defaults to DDU, while a UPS account lets the shipper choose who pays when creating the label.
| Term | Who pays duties and taxes | Effect on clearance | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| DDU (delivered duty unpaid) | Recipient | Package can wait for the recipient’s payment | Occasional personal shipments |
| DDP (delivered duty paid) | Shipper | No wait for recipient payment | E-commerce orders and gifts where the recipient shouldn’t be billed |
Our DDP shipping guide explains how to prepay duties, and our explainer on FOB origin versus destination covers how freight terms assign cost and risk between buyer and seller.
Charges UPS bills to the receiver that go unpaid don’t simply disappear. UPS runs a collection process of up to 42 days from the invoice date, after which it bills the unpaid charges back to the shipper.
How do you prevent a UPS clearance in progress delay?
Clearance delays are mostly decided before the package leaves. UPS recommends an accurate commercial invoice, valid item descriptions, correct HTS codes, and submitting customs documents electronically with UPS Paperless Invoice rather than paper copies.
- Describe each item by what it is, what it’s made of and what it’s for.
- Declare the real transaction value, with currency, for every line.
- Include the recipient’s phone number, email and any tax ID the destination requires.
- Put a packing slip inside the box that matches the invoice line for line.
- Use the correct declaration statement on the UPS invoice, such as one confirming origin or a gift.
Packages coming into the U.S. need the same care now. Since August 29, 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Protection no longer grants duty-free de minimis treatment to imports valued at $800 or less from any country, so low-value packages that used to pass straight through now go through full duty processing, apart from exemptions such as bona fide gifts under $100.
If you ship internationally often, the label price is the other half of the decision. ParcelPath is free to use and gives up to 85% off UPS and up to 89% off USPS retail rates, so you can compare UPS international services with USPS options in the ParcelPath rate calculator before you ship. Our UPS shipping guide covers UPS services and tracking in one place, our delivery services comparison sets UPS against same-day, overnight and freight options, and our roundup of the best shipping services and solutions helps you choose a provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does clearance in progress mean on UPS?
Clearance in progress on UPS means your international package is in the destination country and customs clearance is being processed by UPS as broker or by another clearing agent. Customs is checking documents, classifying the goods and working out any duties or taxes. Delivery continues once tracking shows the package was released by the clearing agency.
How long can a UPS package stay in clearance in progress?
UPS doesn’t publish a fixed time, because customs sets the pace. Packages with complete paperwork and duties already handled often clear within the same day or a few days. A package can stay in clearance much longer if documents are missing, duties are unpaid or customs inspects it, so check tracking for a yellow banner explaining what’s needed.
Do I have to pay anything when my UPS package is in clearance?
You may, if the shipment was sent delivered duty unpaid. In that case the recipient owes the destination country’s duties, taxes and related fees, and UPS shows a Pay Now option on the tracking page for eligible shipments. If the shipper chose delivered duty paid, the shipper covers those charges and the recipient pays nothing.
What happens after clearance in progress on UPS?
After customs releases the package, UPS tracking shows that it was released by the clearing agency and the shipment moves back into the UPS network for delivery. It then follows the normal sequence of departure, arrival and out-for-delivery scans. Our UPS tracking and delivery guide explains each of those later scans.
Sources
- UPS: My Package Is Being Held in Customs
- UPS: Understanding Customs
- UPS: Understanding Import Fees
- CBP: Enforcement of the End of De Minimis
- CBP: Suspension of Duty-Free De Minimis Treatment fact sheet
Part of our UPS Tracking and Delivery guide. Related: UPS Package Tracking Number, UPS Tracking Statuses, UPS Tracking.
