MADELINE N SOPKO

Madeline N Sopko holds an individual CBP customs broker license under filer code 9MH, with her practice based in South San Francisco, California. This location places her at the crossroads of two critical Northern California trade gateways: San Francisco International Airport (SFO), one of the country's busiest air cargo hubs, and the Port of Oakland, a top-ten U.S. container port with deep ties to trans-Pacific trade lanes connecting the United States to China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia.

For importers navigating U.S. import requirements, a licensed customs broker like Madeline provides essential support in preparing and submitting customs entry documentation through the ACE portal, classifying goods under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS), and ensuring that shipments meet all CBP admissibility standards before or upon arrival. Proper HTS code classification is foundational to determining applicable duty rates, and errors can lead to delays, penalties, or unexpected costs.

South San Francisco and the broader Bay Area import landscape spans a wide range of commodities. The region is a major destination for electronics, pharmaceutical and biotech inputs, medical devices, and consumer goods — all sectors that carry specific regulatory requirements beyond standard customs clearance. Importers in these industries benefit from working with a broker who understands the intersection of CBP requirements and agency partner oversight from the FDA, EPA, and other regulators.

Key compliance obligations for importers working with any licensed broker include Importer Security Filing (ISF) submissions for ocean shipments, which must be filed at least 24 hours before cargo is laden aboard a vessel. Customs bond requirements must also be satisfied, either through a single-entry bond or a continuous bond, depending on import frequency and volume. For eligible importers, a licensed broker can also help identify opportunities under the duty drawback program, which allows recovery of duties paid on goods that are subsequently exported or destroyed.

Madeline N Sopko appears in CBP's official permitted customs brokers listing, confirming her active license status. Importers in the Bay Area, Silicon Valley, and broader Northern California region who are looking for individual broker representation — rather than a large brokerage firm — can consider reaching out through the CBP broker directory or third-party matching services that connect importers with licensed professionals suited to their specific trade lane, commodity, and shipment mode.