Guide
How to reclaim incorrect freight charges
Getting money back depends on who made the error. Carrier and forwarder billing mistakes are a commercial dispute with a short window. Customs duty mistakes are reclaimed from the government, with a much longer one. Mixing the two up is one of the most common reasons valid claims are lost.
1. Commercial overcharges (carrier, broker, forwarder)
Common errors: duplicate invoices, misapplied fuel surcharges, wrong dimensional weight, unapplied negotiated discounts, and accessorials for services that never happened (liftgate, residential, waiting time).
Time limit: many carriers allow around 180 days from the invoice date, but your contract or the carrier's terms decide. Some carriers set their own one-off cutoffs.
- Check line by line. Compare the invoice against the purchase order, rate confirmation and bill of lading.
- Dispute in writing. Use the carrier's billing portal or a formal letter. Quote invoice and PRO/tracking numbers and attach the agreed rate.
- Escalate if needed. In the US, if a licensed broker won't correct a fee, shippers can claim against the broker's $75,000 financial security bond.
2. Customs and duty overpayments (HMRC)
Common errors: the wrong commodity (HS) code, a missed preferential tariff because of an origin error, or customs value inflated with domestic freight costs.
Time limit: generally up to 3 years from when the duty was charged. For UK imports, claim through the Customs Declaration Service or form C&E1179 with the Movement Reference Number (MRN), commercial invoice and proof of the correct classification.
Import VAT: VAT-registered businesses normally correct overpaid import VAT on their VAT return rather than through a repayment claim. Check HMRC guidance for your situation.
Side by side
| Feature | Commercial billing errors | Customs duty overpayments |
|---|---|---|
| Claim against | Carriers, brokers, forwarders | HMRC / customs authority |
| Usual window | ~180 days (contract decides) | Up to 3 years |
| Evidence | Rate confirmation, bill of lading, contract | MRN, HS code evidence, commercial invoice |
| How | Carrier portal or written dispute | CDS amendment or C&E1179 |
3. What published research says
Industry studies commonly report that 5%–15% of freight invoices contain errors, and that undetected mistakes cost mid-market shippers around 3%–7% of annual freight spend. Accessorials are the largest single source of errors. Treat these as broad benchmarks — your own figure is only known once invoices are checked.
Industry benchmark · hypothetical, not your audit
Where freight billing errors cluster
Benchmark leakage at 3%–7% of spend: £60,000 – £140,000 a year (midpoint £100,000).
- Accessorial charges · 42.8%£42,800
Liftgate, residential, waiting time, storage — often billed when the service never happened.
- Fuel surcharges · 14.4%£14,400
Billed against a stale diesel index or the wrong contract formula.
- Reweighs & reclassification · 12.3%£12,300
Terminal scale or dimensional adjustments overriding the tendered weight.
- Base rate, duplicates & admin · 30.5%£30,500
Unapplied discounts, duplicate invoices and other line errors.
Shares of errors from AFS Logistics transactional analysis; 3%–7% spend range from published mid-market benchmarks (NASSTRAC and others). Most carriers allow around 180 days to dispute a charge. Figures are modelled estimates, not audited results for any company.
Why valid claims still go unrecovered
Small charges of £50–£200 are often dropped because chasing them by hand costs more staff time than they're worth. Across hundreds of invoices, that adds up. Checking invoices against agreed rates before payment, and keeping evidence in one place, is the most reliable fix.
Check your own invoices
Run a sample audit in seconds, or upload a batch with rate confirmations. You pay 15% only of credits actually recovered — no recovery, no fee.
General information only, not legal or tax advice. Time limits vary by contract and jurisdiction.