Detention & Demurrage Invoice Auditor

Invoice element checklist

Check every element that is present and legible on the actual invoice (or its accompanying materials). Leave unchecked anything missing, illegible, or not provided.

Audit result

of 20

Completeness

Check elements to begin

The ring fills as required FMC data elements are confirmed present on the invoice.

Check the elements present on the invoice above — the audit result will appear here.

§ 46 CFR 541.5: "Failure to include any of the required minimum information in this part in a demurrage or detention invoice eliminates any obligation of the billed party to pay the applicable charge." A single missing required element is a full defense to the charge as billed — the billing party must reissue a corrected invoice (within its issuance deadline, § 541.7) to have any valid claim.

Dispute & timing rights (46 CFR 541.7 & 541.8)

Independent of missing elements — these deadlines apply to every properly issued invoice.

30-day issuance deadline

A billing party (ocean carrier or MTO) must issue the invoice within 30 calendar days of the date the charge was last incurred. Miss it and the charge is not owed.

46 CFR 541.7(a)

NVOCC pass-through: 30 days

An NVOCC billing its own customer must issue its invoice within 30 days of the date it received the invoice from its carrier/MTO — separate clock from (a).

46 CFR 541.7(b)

NVOCC dispute pass-through

If an NVOCC's own customer disputes a charge, the NVOCC can notify its billing party — which must then grant the NVOCC an additional 30 days to dispute upstream.

46 CFR 541.7(c)

Wrong-party correction window

If billed to the wrong person, the billing party may reissue to the correct party — but only within 30 days of the date the charge was last incurred.

46 CFR 541.7(d)

Minimum 30 days to request mitigation

The billed party must be given at least 30 calendar days from the invoice issuance date to request fee mitigation, refund, or waiver.

46 CFR 541.8(a)

30-day response deadline

Once a mitigation/refund/waiver request is received, the billing party must attempt to resolve it within 30 calendar days (or a later date both parties agree to).

46 CFR 541.8(b)

Source: 46 CFR Part 541 — "Demurrage and Detention" (FMC final rule, 89 FR 14330, Feb. 26, 2024; §§ 541.6 & 541.99 effective May 28, 2024) · ecfr.gov/current/title-46/.../part-541 — specifically §541.5 (failure to include), §541.6 (required contents), §541.7 (issuance timing), §541.8 (mitigation request rights).

How this tool works

Detention & Demurrage Invoice Auditor runs entirely in your browser. Inputs are evaluated with rules and constants taken from cited public data (Freight & logistics). Nothing is uploaded to a server for the calculation itself.

Enter the values that match your load, vehicle, or scenario.
Results update live — treat them as a cited reference, not legal or professional advice.
Open the primary source linked at the top of this page before you rely on a number for compliance.

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FAQ

Who is Detention & Demurrage Invoice Auditor for?

Anyone who needs a fast, cited freight & logistics reference — especially operators who would otherwise dig through a handbook or regulation PDF mid-task.

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No. Sentinel Tools are free, public, and run in your browser with no sign-up.

How current is the source?

The tool is built from cited public data. Regulations and agency tables can change — use the source link on this page to verify the latest official text.