Legal · Version 2026-10 · Effective October 29, 2026
Payment Terms
The Payment Terms of AAT Forwarding LLC for emergency logistics and On-Board Courier services: version 2026-10, effective October 29, 2026.
AAT Forwarding LLC — Payment Terms · Emergency Logistics & On-Board Courier Services
Version: 2026-10 · Effective Date: October 29, 2026
Sections
- 1. Scope and Application
- 2. Currency
- 3. Prepayment Requirement
- 4. Estimated Operational Costs
- 5. Incident Reserve
- 6. Emergency Surcharge
- 7. Service Fee
- 8. Courier Outlays
- 9. Accepted Payment Methods
- 10. Payment Timing
- 11. Final Invoice and Reconciliation
- 12. Supplemental Payments
- 13. Payment Processing Fees
- 14. Payment Disputes and Chargebacks
- 15. Late or Failed Payments
- 16. Taxes and Government Charges
- 17. Invoice Records and Documentation
- 18. Electronic Invoicing and Communications
- 19. Changes to Payment Terms
- 20. Governing Agreement and Conflicts
- 21. Governing Law
1. Scope and Application
These Payment Terms govern the payment, prepayment, invoicing, reconciliation and settlement procedures applicable to services provided by AAT Forwarding LLC, a Florida limited liability company (the “Company”), to its customers (each a “Client”).
These Payment Terms apply to assignments for which they have been provided to and accepted by the Client, whether expressly or through incorporation into the applicable contractual documents.
They supplement the applicable Customer Agreement or Master Service Agreement, Quotation and Order Confirmation.
Cancellation, service commencement, operational responsibilities and liability are governed by the applicable agreement.
2. Currency
Unless otherwise expressly agreed in writing, all Quotations, Order Confirmations, invoices and payments are denominated in United States Dollars (USD).
Where costs are incurred in another currency, the Company may convert such costs into USD using the exchange rate actually applied by the relevant payment provider or financial institution, including applicable currency conversion charges.
3. Prepayment Requirement
3.1 Mandatory Prepayment
The Company requires prepayment before commencing an assignment unless expressly agreed otherwise in writing.
The required prepayment shall be stated in the applicable Quotation and confirmed in the Order Confirmation.
The Company is not obligated to dispatch personnel, purchase transportation, make reservations or otherwise commence performance before receiving the required prepayment, except where expressly agreed otherwise.
3.2 Prepayment Components
The required prepayment consists of:
- Estimated Operational Costs;
- Emergency Surcharge, if applicable; and
- Incident Reserve.
Required Prepayment = Estimated Operational Costs + Emergency Surcharge + Incident Reserve
The Service Fee itself is not included in the standard prepayment and is charged in the Final Invoice.
Any different payment arrangement requires the Company’s express written agreement.
4. Estimated Operational Costs
Estimated Operational Costs may include:
- airline tickets and related transportation charges;
- accommodation;
- rental vehicles;
- ground transportation;
- airport handling;
- other reasonably anticipated assignment-related third-party expenses.
The Company calculates Estimated Operational Costs using currently available pricing information together with reasonable allowances for potential changes in availability, booking conditions, timing, exchange rates and prices.
The Client acknowledges that actual costs may differ from estimated amounts.
Estimated Operational Costs are advance-payment calculations and do not constitute guaranteed final prices.
The Final Invoice reflects the actual applicable Operational Costs.
5. Incident Reserve
5.1 Calculation
The Incident Reserve is calculated at 50% of the applicable Service Fee stated in the Quotation or Order Confirmation.
For example:
Service Fee: USD 2,400
Incident Reserve (50%): USD 1,200
5.2 Payment
The Incident Reserve is charged in addition to the Service Fee and is included in the required prepayment.
5.3 Purpose
The Incident Reserve is a fixed assignment-related charge intended to compensate the Company for operational risk, contingency capacity and the financial exposure associated with time-critical logistics services.
5.4 Final Invoice Treatment
For an assignment performed as confirmed, the full Incident Reserve remains chargeable and is included as a separate line item in the Final Invoice, regardless of the amount of contingency expenditure actually incurred.
The Incident Reserve is not treated as a refundable deposit or a cost reimbursement account for completed assignments.
5.5 Additional Costs
The Incident Reserve does not limit the Client’s responsibility for separately chargeable Operational Costs or permitted Courier Outlays.
Where additional funds are reasonably necessary to continue an assignment, the Company may request supplemental payment in accordance with the applicable agreement.
5.6 Cancellation
The treatment of the Incident Reserve following cancellation is governed by the cancellation provisions of the applicable Customer Agreement or Master Service Agreement.
Where those provisions require the return or credit of prepaid amounts, the corresponding reconciliation shall be carried out under Section 11 of these Payment Terms.
6. Emergency Surcharge
An Emergency Surcharge may apply to an assignment expressly designated as Emergency or Immediate Dispatch.
The applicable amount shall be separately stated in the Quotation or Order Confirmation.
The Emergency Surcharge forms part of the required prepayment and remains a separate charge in the Final Invoice where payable under the applicable agreement.
The application of cancellation provisions to an Emergency Surcharge is governed by the applicable Customer Agreement or Master Service Agreement.
7. Service Fee
7.1 Calculation
The Service Fee is the Company’s charge for providing the agreed logistics service.
It includes the applicable service level and any confirmed extensions.
Additional charges identified as separate items, including an Emergency Surcharge or Cold-Chain Surcharge, do not form part of the Service Fee unless expressly stated otherwise in the applicable Quotation or Order Confirmation.
7.2 Invoicing
The Service Fee is charged in the Final Invoice.
7.3 Extensions and Adjustments
Where an assignment is extended or its agreed service scope is materially changed, the Company may issue revised commercial terms for acceptance by the Client.
Any confirmed adjustment to the Service Fee shall be reflected in the Final Invoice.
Where the revised Service Fee changes the applicable Incident Reserve, the Incident Reserve shall be recalculated at 50% of the revised Service Fee.
Any additional required prepayment shall be communicated to the Client.
8. Courier Outlays
“Courier Outlays” means documented third-party expenses properly incurred by a courier in performing an assignment and reimbursed or payable by the Company.
Such expenses may include permitted:
- local transportation;
- fuel and parking;
- meals;
- visa or official fees;
- other reasonable assignment-related expenditures.
Courier Outlays shall be charged based on actual applicable amounts.
Courier Compensation, including fees paid by the Company to couriers for their services, is an internal Company expense and shall not be separately invoiced to or disclosed to the Client.
The same underlying expense shall not be invoiced twice as both an Operational Cost and a Courier Outlay.
9. Accepted Payment Methods
The Company may accept the following payment methods:
9.1 Credit or Debit Card
Payment may be made through a Company-approved secure payment link or payment processing platform, including Stripe.
9.2 Bank Transfer
Bank transfers may be accepted for approved customers or where expressly authorized by the Company.
9.3 Other Methods
Other payment methods require the Company’s prior approval.
The Company may restrict available payment methods based on the assignment, payment amount, urgency, payment risk or customer relationship.
Payment instructions shall be provided through an authorized Company channel.
10. Payment Timing
10.1 Prepayment
Required prepayment is due before dispatch or commencement of services unless otherwise expressly agreed.
10.2 Final Invoice
Unless a different payment deadline is expressly stated in the applicable Order Confirmation or Final Invoice, the outstanding Final Balance is due upon receipt.
10.3 Receipt of Payment
Payment is considered received when the applicable funds have been successfully collected and are available to the Company, subject to applicable payment processing and settlement arrangements.
A payment authorization, pending transfer or payment confirmation that does not result in successful collection does not, by itself, satisfy the payment obligation.
11. Final Invoice and Reconciliation
11.1 Final Invoice
Following completion or termination of an assignment, the Company shall prepare a Final Invoice reflecting the amounts properly chargeable under the applicable contractual documents.
For a completed assignment, the standard calculation is:
Final Balance =
Actual Operational Costs
+ Courier Outlays
+ Emergency Surcharge, if applicable
+ Incident Reserve
+ Service Fee
+ Other separately agreed charges, if applicable
− Total Prepayments and Credits
11.2 Prepayment Credit
All prepayments received for the assignment shall be credited against the amounts due.
The Incident Reserve and Emergency Surcharge shall not be charged twice merely because they appear in both the Prepayment Invoice and Final Invoice.
11.3 Positive Final Balance
If the Final Balance is positive, the Client shall pay the outstanding amount in accordance with Section 10.
11.4 Negative Final Balance
If the Final Balance is negative, the excess shall be refunded to the Client or credited against another amount payable by the Client, as agreed with the Client and subject to applicable law.
11.5 Cancelled or Uncompleted Assignments
For cancelled or uncompleted assignments, the Final Invoice shall reflect only those amounts payable under the applicable agreement, including any applicable Service Fee, Emergency Surcharge, Incident Reserve and incurred or irrevocably committed third-party costs.
The standard completed-assignment calculation shall not override the applicable cancellation provisions.
12. Supplemental Payments
Where the cost of continuing an assignment exceeds the available prepayment or additional funding is reasonably required, the Company may issue a supplemental payment request.
The Company may suspend further discretionary expenditure or performance pending receipt of the required funds, subject to applicable law, safety obligations and the governing agreement.
Supplemental payments received shall be credited in the Final Invoice.
13. Payment Processing Fees
Payment processing fees, bank charges, currency conversion charges and similar costs shall be allocated as expressly stated in the applicable Quotation, Order Confirmation or payment instructions, subject to applicable law and payment-network rules.
The Company shall not impose additional customer-facing payment surcharges unless they have been properly disclosed and are legally permitted.
14. Payment Disputes and Chargebacks
The Client shall promptly notify the Company of any disputed invoice amount and provide reasonable details of the dispute.
The Parties shall cooperate in good faith to resolve payment discrepancies.
The Client’s right to initiate a legitimate payment dispute or chargeback under applicable law or payment-network rules is not waived by these Payment Terms.
The Company may provide relevant contractual documents, acceptance records, invoices, shipment records and proof of performance to a payment processor or financial institution in connection with a payment dispute.
Amounts not genuinely disputed remain payable when due.
15. Late or Failed Payments
Where payment is overdue or unsuccessful, the Company may issue a payment reminder and request immediate settlement.
The Company may suspend future assignments or decline additional services until outstanding amounts are resolved, subject to the applicable agreement.
No automatic late-payment interest, penalty or administrative collection fee is imposed under these Payment Terms unless separately agreed in writing and permitted by applicable law.
16. Taxes and Government Charges
Amounts quoted by the Company exclude applicable taxes, duties and governmental charges unless expressly stated otherwise.
Where the Company is legally required to collect or remit an applicable tax or charge, it may include that amount in the relevant invoice.
The Client remains responsible for shipment-related duties, import taxes and governmental charges allocated to the Client under the applicable agreement.
17. Invoice Records and Documentation
The Company shall maintain reasonable records supporting its invoices and reconciliation.
The Company may provide supporting documentation for chargeable third-party expenses upon reasonable request, subject to confidentiality, privacy, supplier restrictions and the availability of such documentation.
The Company is not required to disclose internal courier compensation, internal margins or confidential supplier arrangements.
18. Electronic Invoicing and Communications
The Client agrees that the Company may issue Quotations, Prepayment Invoices, Final Invoices, payment requests, receipts and related financial communications electronically.
Electronic records may be retained as evidence of payment instructions, invoicing and settlement, subject to applicable law.
19. Changes to Payment Terms
The Company may issue updated versions of these Payment Terms for future assignments.
The version incorporated into an accepted assignment shall continue to govern that assignment unless the Parties expressly agree otherwise.
Updated Payment Terms shall not automatically modify previously confirmed assignments.
20. Governing Agreement and Conflicts
These Payment Terms supplement the applicable Customer Agreement or Master Service Agreement.
The applicable agreement governs cancellation, service commencement, liability, operational obligations and other general contractual matters.
The applicable Quotation and Order Confirmation establish assignment-specific commercial amounts and payment requirements.
These Payment Terms govern the mechanics of invoicing, payment, reconciliation, credits and refunds.
In the event of a conflict, the order-of-precedence provisions of the applicable Customer Agreement or Master Service Agreement shall apply.
21. Governing Law
These Payment Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to conflict-of-law principles.
Disputes shall be subject to the jurisdiction and venue provisions of the applicable Customer Agreement or Master Service Agreement.
These Payment Terms are incorporated into the applicable contractual documents and do not require a separate signature where validly accepted by reference.