Being told that customs or the port wants to “X-ray your container” sounds alarming, but it is a routine step. A non-intrusive scan lets customs compare the contents of a container with its paperwork without opening the doors. Most scanned containers are released without further action. This page explains what happens, why containers are selected, what it usually costs and how long it takes. It is general information; your customs broker, forwarder or removal company can tell you the specifics for your port.
Why was my container selected?
Customs authorities cannot inspect every container, so they use risk management. Advance electronic data about the shipment — the declared goods, shipper and consignee, route, trader history, value and intelligence — is scored, and a proportion of containers is selected for a documentary check, a scan or a physical examination. Some selections are simply random, to test the risk system. Selection is not an accusation.
Common triggers include vague goods descriptions (“personal effects”, “general cargo”), first-time importers, routes or origins associated with smuggling, mismatches between weight and declared goods, and commodities with high duty or regulatory controls.
What happens during the scan
- Notification. Customs informs the terminal, carrier or your agent that the container is held for examination.
- Moving the box. The terminal moves the container to the scanner — a fixed portal or gantry, a mobile scanner on the quay, or an off-terminal examination facility. This move is often where much of the cost and delay comes from.
- The scan itself. The container (usually still on a truck chassis) passes through or is passed by a high-energy X-ray beam. The scan of a 20-foot or 40-foot container takes only a minute or two; the image shows the whole load as a radiograph. See how container scanners work.
- Image review. A trained customs analyst compares the image with the declaration, looking at densities, shapes, structure of the container and anything that does not fit.
- Outcome. Either the container is released, or customs orders a physical examination of part or all of the load.
If the image is not clear: physical examination
If the analyst cannot explain what is in the image — dense or cluttered goods, something unexpected, or an anomaly in the container walls or floor — customs can order a physical exam. That may be a “tail-gate” look through the doors, a partial unload, or full devanning (stripping the container) at an examination facility. Physical exams take longer and cost considerably more than a scan, because of labour, handling and storage.
How long does it take?
The scan is quick, but the overall hold commonly adds anything from a day to several days, depending on how busy the port and scanner are, transport to and from the scanning site, and whether a physical exam follows. A physical exam can add a week or more at congested ports. Your agent will normally be told when the hold is released.
Who pays?
As a rule, the cargo owner pays — the importer of record or consignee, unless the sales or removal contract says otherwise (for example DDP terms where the seller has agreed to pay import costs). Customs agencies generally do not charge for the scan itself; the bill comes from the terminal, carrier or examination facility for moving, handling and storing the container, and from your broker for extra work. Examples:
- United States: CBP X-ray or gamma-ray (often called a “VACIS” or NII exam) and intensive exams are carried out at or via privately operated facilities; drayage, handling, Centralized Examination Station charges and storage are passed on to the importer. Centralized Examination Stations are regulated under 19 CFR Part 118.
- Germany and other EU countries: customs (in Germany, the Zoll) may order a container to be scanned or opened. Carriers and terminals charge a separate inspection fee when this happens, and these are passed on to the cargo interest; fees are revised from time to time.
Amounts vary widely by country, port and carrier, so ask your forwarder for the current tariff rather than relying on figures you find online. If you are moving house with a removal company, check whether your quote includes customs examination costs; many quotes exclude them.
Household goods (HHG) and personal effects
Containers of household goods are scanned for the same reasons as commercial cargo: customs needs to confirm that only used personal effects are inside and that there are no prohibited, restricted or dutiable items (weapons, ammunition, alcohol and tobacco in quantity, certain foods, plants, cash, new goods for resale). To reduce the chance of delays:
- Give your mover a detailed, honest inventory and make sure the customs paperwork (in the EU, for example, relief from import duty for transfer of residence) is complete before the ship arrives.
- Declare restricted items such as firearms, medications in quantity or alcohol, and check the destination rules in advance.
- Avoid packing items that are hard to explain on an X-ray image, such as unlabelled liquids, vehicle parts with fuel residues, or large sealed metal boxes.
- Keep receipts for valuable items in case customs asks about duty status.
Will the X-ray damage my goods?
No for practical purposes. The dose received by goods during a container scan is small, it does not make anything radioactive, and food and medicines remain safe to use. Undeveloped photographic film is the main exception: very high-energy scans can fog it, so ship undeveloped film by other means if possible. Physical examination carries a greater risk of damage than the scan itself, because goods are handled; customs and the facility are responsible for repacking, but take photos and note any damage when the container is delivered. More on radiation effects is on X-ray screening safety.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the port authority want to X-ray my household goods container?
Customs selects containers for non-intrusive inspection using risk assessment and random checks. For household goods it confirms that the container holds used personal effects and no prohibited, restricted or dutiable goods. It is routine and not an accusation.
How long does a container X-ray take?
The scan itself takes a minute or two, but moving the container to and from the scanner and waiting for review typically adds one to several days. A follow-up physical exam can add considerably more.
Who pays for a customs container X-ray?
Usually the importer or consignee. Customs does not normally bill for the scan, but the terminal, carrier and examination facility charge for moving, handling and storing the container, and these costs are passed to the cargo owner.
Can an X-ray scan damage food or goods in a container?
No. The radiation dose is small and does not make goods radioactive; food and medicine remain safe. Undeveloped film is the main item that can be affected.
Sources
- World Customs Organization — SAFE Framework of Standards (risk management)
- CBP — Non-Intrusive Inspection technology fact sheet
- eCFR — 19 CFR Part 118, Centralized Examination Stations
- Maersk — Germany: inspection charge for export and import (2025)
- German Customs (Zoll) — Transferring residence: duty relief for household effects
Last reviewed on 2026-10-04.