Ex Works
Seller makes the goods available at their premises; the buyer handles everything else.
Under EXW, the seller's only obligation is to make the goods available at the named place — usually their factory or warehouse. The buyer arranges and pays for loading, inland transport, export clearance, the main carriage, import clearance, and final delivery.
EXW is the most buyer-burdened term in the Incoterms 2020 rules. It is often chosen for domestic-style transactions or when the buyer has a freight forwarder already contracted in the seller's country.
For international shipments, EXW is commonly replaced with FCA because FCA shifts export clearance responsibility to the seller — which is usually who holds the export licence and records.
Who is responsible for what
- Cost
- Buyer pays from the seller's door onward.
- Risk
- Risk transfers at the seller's premises when goods are made available.
- Insurance
- Not required from either party — buyer usually insures.
- Duties
- Buyer pays export and import duties.
When to use
Buyer has a strong forwarding partner in the seller's country and wants full control of logistics.
Transport modes
air, sea, road, courier
FAQ
- Does the seller load the truck under EXW?
- No. Loading is the buyer's responsibility. Many sellers load as a courtesy, but legally the goods just need to be available at their premises.
- Who handles export clearance under EXW?
- The buyer. This is the key reason exporters often prefer FCA for international shipments — most countries require the exporter of record to be the seller.
Create a EXW invoice
Start the wizard with EXW pre-selected. Takes about a minute.
Start with EXW