You checked the status of your order on AliExpress, it has the message “customs cleared” and you are not sure what it means?
We'll explain it to you and we'll also tell you how long it will take for your package to arrive.
Remember: to see the latest status of your order you can access this section of AliExpress.
What does “customs cleared” mean on AliExpress?
All orders arriving in your country have to go through customs and this process is called “customs clearance”. When you see “customs cleared” in the status of your order, you can rest assured that the package has successfully passed this control and you will receive it at home soon.
Sometimes you get scared by the word “customs”, but the status “customs cleared” is harmless. If you want to know which order statuses are a bad sign, read the article “Held by customs” in AliExpress.
What steps come next?
Let's take a look at the subsequent stages your order will go through after customs clearance is complete:
Accepted by last mile carrier
Main article: Accepted by last mile carrier
Once your package has passed customs clearance (and in the case of an ordinary shipment such as “AliExpress Standard Shipping”) your country's post office accepts the order and takes care of delivering it to your home. For orders with “AliExpress Premium Shipping” the delivery company will be private (by UPS, DHL, Fedex,…).
Shipment at local distribution center
Main article: Arrival at the distribution center
The parcels are sorted and distributed by zones in the mass distribution centers, then taken to smaller centers and from there transported to your local post office.
Arrival at the delivery office
Main article: Arrival at the delivery office
Your package has already arrived at your local post office and is being prepared for delivery.
Delivery driver starts to deliver the order
What you were waiting for: today you will receive your order at home.
How long does it take for an order to arrive to your home after customs clearance is completed?
Although we cannot tell you exactly how long it will take for your package to arrive home, in our experience, by the time customs clearance is complete, the order usually takes no more than 2-5 days.
What reasons can delay the delivery of my order?
Keep in mind that in the big pre-Christmas campaigns that AliExpress does annually, such as 11.11, Black Friday and Cyber Monday, orders can be delayed more than expected because the courier companies end up extremely busy.
Also remember that during Chinese New Year the country comes to a complete standstill for a month and this is usually a reason for delays in AliExpress shipments.
This is the most important holiday in China and although its date varies from year to year, it always falls between January 21 and February 20.
If you have doubts when buying something during these dates, we recommend that you ask the seller directly. It is a very good idea that if you want an order for a specific date, plan the purchase with enough time to avoid surprises due to possible delays.
Although AliExpress logistics have improved a lot in the last few years, you should not rely on AliExpress sellers and wait until the last minute to make your purchases.
Can I open a dispute if my order does not arrive on the estimated delivery date?
The estimated delivery date is indicative and, although it is likely to be met, it is not certain that you will receive your order during this period.
When this date expires, AliExpress automatically generates a message in your order status: “Parcel is still in transit, no worries we will deliver it to you as soon as possible“. If you try to open a dispute, AliExpress will not let you: they will claim that your package is in transit and will be delivered as soon as possible.
To open a dispute you will have to wait until the protection time of your order is expiring or has already expired.
Now you have 15 days to open a dispute from the end of the protection period of your order.
This is the really important date and the one you have to make sure you don't miss. To see how you can do this, read our guide to opening disputes on AliExpress.