Guide
Your freight invoice is higher than the quote
A final freight invoice that exceeds the quotation is normal, and most of the difference usually has an explanation somewhere in the paperwork. The task is not to argue about the total. It is to work out, charge by charge, which differences the documents already account for and which ones nobody has evidenced yet.
Start with the quotation's own terms, not the totals
Before comparing a single number, read what the quotation says about itself. Three clauses decide how most variances should be read: the validity period, the list of exclusions, and any clause allowing a specific charge to be revised.
A quotation that expired before the vessel sailed is not a binding rate for that shipment. A charge listed under exclusions was never quoted, so its appearance on the invoice is not a surprise — the question becomes whether the amount is reasonable, not whether it should be there. And a fuel surcharge with a clause saying it is revised at time of sailing can legitimately differ from the figure shown.
Any of these can account for a large part of a variance, and none of them is a billing question. Sorting them out first keeps the conversation with your provider focused on what actually needs an answer.
Match charges by what they are, not what they are called
Freight documents rarely use the same words twice. A destination terminal handling charge might appear as DTHC on the quote and as "terminal handling — destination" on the invoice. A documentation fee can arrive as a B/L fee, a manifest fee, or an AMS filing. Matching on wording produces false unquoted charges and misses real duplicates.
Group charges by what they actually are — ocean freight, terminal handling, CFS handling, drayage, customs clearance, and so on — and compare the groups. A charge that has no counterpart on the quotation after that exercise is genuinely worth asking about.
Separate the three kinds of difference
Once the charges are grouped, every difference falls into one of three categories, and they call for entirely different responses.
The three categories
- Contemplated by the quotation — a revisable surcharge, an excluded charge, or a rate that applied after the original quote expired. These are explained. Asking about them costs goodwill and gets you nothing.
- Arithmetic — a rate applied to a different quantity, a percentage applied to a different base, a line that does not equal quantity times unit rate. These are checkable on the face of the documents.
- Unevidenced — a charge that may well be correct but that nobody has yet supported: a remeasurement with no certificate, an examination fee with no notice, a disbursement with no receipt. These need a document, not an argument.
Ask for documents, not for a discount
The most effective first message to a freight provider asks for the specific record behind each unexplained charge, names the charge and the amount, and gives a date for a reply. It does not allege anything, because at that stage there is nothing to allege — you are missing information, not looking at wrongdoing.
This matters commercially as well as legally. Your forwarder is usually an ongoing supplier, often the same people who will handle your next shipment. A request for a measurement certificate is a routine operational query. An accusation is not, and it will be remembered.
Know the difference between variance and recoverable money
Gross variance is arithmetic: invoiced total minus quoted total. It is not a claim, an entitlement, or a forecast. Treating it as money you are owed is the single most common mistake in freight invoice review, and it is the reason so many of these conversations start badly.
The realistic figure is smaller, and it only becomes clear after the explained portion is set aside and the unevidenced portion has been tested against actual documents. Some of what looks questionable turns out to be perfectly supported once the certificate or receipt arrives.
Common questions
How long do I have to question a freight invoice?
It depends on the terms of your agreement with the provider and on the applicable trading conditions, which commonly contain short notice periods. Check the conditions printed on or referenced by the invoice, and raise questions in writing promptly rather than waiting until payment is due.
Should I pay the invoice while I am asking questions?
That is a commercial decision that depends on your agreement and your relationship with the provider. Many importers pay the undisputed portion and hold the specific charges under query, stating clearly in writing which lines are being held and why. A demurrage or storage clock can keep running regardless, so delay is not free.
What if the charge is legitimate but was never quoted?
That is common and not necessarily a problem. Some charges genuinely cannot be quoted in advance — a customs examination is ordered by the authority, not the forwarder. The reasonable question is whether it was actually incurred and whether the amount matches what was paid, which is a receipt question rather than a rate question.
A note on what this is
This guide describes how freight charges are commonly evidenced. It is general information, not legal advice, and it does not describe the terms of your particular agreement with your provider.