What Is a Customs House?

A custom house or customs house was traditionally a building housing the offices for a jurisdictional government whose officials oversaw the functions associated with importing and exporting goods into and out of a country, such as collecting customs duty on imported goods.

What exactly is a custom house?

(“Customs” are the taxes paid on foreign imports into a country; a “customhouse” is the building where these taxes are paid.)

What is the US custom house used for?

Historically, a custom house was a building that served as a port of entry into a country, where government officials regulated commerce and collected shipping taxes.