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FCA

Free Carrier

Group F · Main carriage unpaid · Any mode of transport

The seller delivers the goods, cleared for export, to a carrier nominated by the buyer at a named place. If the named place is the seller's premises, the seller loads. If it is anywhere else, the seller delivers ready for unloading from its arriving vehicle.

Where risk transfers

On delivery to the buyer's nominated carrier at the named place — the exact address matters enormously.

Seller's cost & riskBuyer's cost & risk

Seller pays

  • Packaging
  • Export clearance
  • Carriage to the named place
  • Loading (if at seller's premises)

Buyer pays

  • Main carriage
  • Insurance
  • Import clearance and duties
  • Delivery to final destination

Insurance

No obligation. Buyer bears risk from delivery onward. Under Incoterms 2020 the parties may agree the carrier issues an on-board bill of lading to the seller.

Customs

Export clearance: Seller

Import clearance: Buyer

Use it when

Containerised cargo, air freight, and any multimodal shipment where the buyer books the main carriage.

Watch out

Write the named place with surgical precision. "FCA Hamburg" is ambiguous; "FCA Seller's warehouse, Musterstr. 4, Hamburg" is not.