The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) responsible for protecting and promoting U.S. agricultural health, administering the Animal Welfare Act, and carrying out wildlife damage management activities.
The Automated Broker Interface (ABI) is a voluntary program that allows customs brokers, importers, carriers, port authorities, and independent service centers to file import data electronically with US Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) is the system through which the trade community reports imports and exports and the government determines admissibility.
ACS is the legacy cargo processing system that is transitioning to the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE).
A legal transport document used by airlines for air cargo, detailing the shipment's terms, route, and contents. It serves as a receipt, a contract, and is necessary for customs clearance but does not confer ownership of the goods.
Principal transportation contract that describes the freight, sets forth the terms and conditions, responsibilities and liabilities, and by which a carrier acknowledges receipt of the freight.
A bond is a contract where the principal, as guaranteed by the underwriting surety, agrees to perform in compliance with CBP regulations. When a breach of performance occurs, liquidated damages result. CBP is the beneficiary under the bond.
Cartage is transporting a container from a port to a nearby facility and then separating the contents of the container onto different trucks for delivery.
Acronym defining the established guidelines set by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) governing the standardized electronic transmission of essential import and export information. These comprehensive guidelines outline technical specifications, data formats, and mandatory elements for various customs and trade-related transactions, ensuring uniformity and accuracy in data submission from trade entities to CBP systems. Compliance with CATAIR facilitates efficient customs clearance, minimizes errors, and fosters smoother international trade operations by promoting consistency and adherence to CBP regulations. [more]
The invoice issued from the overseas factory (seller) to the buyer of the goods. The enclosed data defines what is being bought and how much it cost. The description of merchandise helps determine which tariff code (and therefore what % tax) to be used, and the value of goods forms the basis for the calculation of the taxes (duties) owed to the government.
The final recipient of the shipment, usually a customer or client of the consignor. They could be a product assembler, a retailer, or the end user. The consignee is considered the importer of record in international shipping.
The person, business, or organization that originally ships the product. The consignor originates the shipment and, when shipping internationally, serves as the exporter of record. Often, a consignor is a manufacturer, a distributor, or a drop ship warehouse hub.
Drayage is when a container is transported from a port to a nearby facility before it is redirected to its final destination.
Drawback is the refund of certain duties, internal revenue taxes and certain fees collected upon the importation of goods and refunded when the merchandise is exported or destroyed.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is a U.S. federal agency tasked with protecting human health and the environment.
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is a system for exchanging business documents and data electronically between companies using standardized formats, improving speed, accuracy, and efficiency in transactions.
Automated Export System is the equivalent of the 7501 that is filed when exporting goods. Typically this is a much faster / easier filing to make than a 7501.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a federal agency within the United States Department of Health and Human Services. It's responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of food safety, tobacco products, dietary supplements, prescription and over-the-counter pharmaceutical drugs, vaccines, biopharmaceuticals, medical devices, blood transfusions, radiation-emitting devices, veterinary products, and cosmetics.
The actual cargo or goods, also referred to as merchandise.
A freight bill is essentially an invoice and they're different from bills of lading (BOL) because they wouldn't serve as evidence in a court of law as proof of shipment in the event of a legal dispute. The freight bill includes all of the details about the transaction and is signed by the shipper and the carrier as well. A BOL is a legal document and a freight bill is merely an invoice of shipping charges and fees.
A person or company whose business is to act as an agent on behalf of the shipper
An adjustment in shipping rates by carriers to cover rising operational costs or market demand changes, affecting the base rate of freight charges in the ocean and air freight industry.
A Bill Of Landing created by an Ocean Transport Intermediary (OTI), such as a freight forwarder or non-vessel operating company (NVOCC), and is issued to the supplier once the cargo has been received. The HBL is an essential document in shipping, as it's the formal acknowledgment of the receipt of goods being shipped.
The Harmonized System (HS) or Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) is a standardized numerical method used by customs authorities around the world to classify and define internationally traded goods. To import or export a product internationally, the traded good must be assigned an HTS code that corresponds with the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the country of import. HTS codes are six digits that can be broken down into three parts: the first two digits identify the chapter in the HS Nomenclature the goods are classified in, the next two digits identify the heading within that chapter, and the last two digits identify the subheading within that chapter. The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) is responsible for publishing the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States Annotated (HTSA), which provides the applicable tariff rates and statistical categories for all merchandise imported into the U.S.
The US filing that must be completed when importing goods from abroad. Consists of a form and a tax payment, with the form being mostly to determine / substantiate how much tax is owed.
A filing required for Ocean shipments (not Air or Trucking) traveling to the US. Filing defines the ‘Involved Parties’ of the shipment. Basically, who is buying, who is selling, who is manufacturing, who is getting (consignee), where is the stuff going, etc. 12 data points in all. Due 24 hours before ship sails from the foreign port.
Entries of merchandise for transportation either to another port in the U.S. or through the U.S. for exportation without appraisement or the payment of duties.
There are three primary types of in-bond movements:
- Immediate Transportation (IT; Type 61) entry that allows foreign merchandise which has arrived at one U.S. port to be transported to another U.S. port where a subsequent entry must be filed.
- Transportation and Exportation (T&E; Type 62) entry that allows foreign merchandise arriving at one U.S. port to be transported through the U.S. and to be exported from another U.S. port without the payment of duty. This requires a Custodial Type 2 bond only. Example – Vehicles imported to Brunswick, Georgia. Transferred on a Type 62 for transfer to Miami with eventual exportation to Brazil.
- Immediate Exportation (IE; Type 63) entry that allows foreign merchandise arriving at one U.S. port to be exported from the same U.S. port without the payment of duty.
A charge for using a mechanical platform on a truck to move cargo between the truck and ground when no loading dock is available. It's applied for heavy or bulky items that require special handling, typically in locations without facilities for easy loading/unloading, such as residential areas or businesses lacking a loading dock. This fee covers the additional labor, time, and equipment needed for safe cargo handling.
An abstract of the individual bills of lading.
One air waybill with one or more house air waybills assigned to it.You cannot post against a master air waybill unless it is to post a local transfer to move the entire shipment to a bonded facility. to be de- consolidated.
A Master Bill of Lading (MBL) is issued by the carrier (ship owner or operator) and represents the contract of carriage between the shipper and the carrier. It's important to note that the cargo shipper will only receive a Master Bill of Lading if they are working directly with a mainline carrier or a freight forwarder.
A type of shipping industry operator that organizes shipments for individuals or corporations but does not own any vessels. Instead, NVOCCs lease space on ships and then sell that space to their customers, often handling the packing, consolidation, and transportation of goods. They provide the services of a shipper yet act like a carrier, issuing their own bills of lading and assuming responsibility for the cargo without operating the ships themselves.
A fee applied for services provided at the shipment's point of origin. This can include costs associated with handling, packing, and preparing goods for export, including documentation, port fees, and the initial transportation charges up to the point of departure. These charges are typically incurred by the shipper or exporter and are an essential part of the overall cost of shipping goods internationally..
Defines what is in the shipment (skus, description, units), and how it’s packed (weights, volumes, number of cartons, etc). Usually (but not always) received with the Commercial Invoice (CI) as part of a shipment. Main use of PL is in defining the gross and net weight of the shipment, and or its line items.
Agencies that may also require data from the entry. Examples are FDA, EPA, NHTSA, APHIS, etc. Each has it’s own form that needs to be filled out alongside the main 7501 entry.
Official Mexican customs form required for importing and exporting goods, detailing the transaction and ensuring compliance with trade regulations. Similar to the U.S. Customs Import Entry Form 7501. One difference is you can have Import and Export Pedimentos.
A straight bill of Lading is a non-negotiable bill of lading. It is used when the goods that are being delivered are already paid for or are donations or gifts and don’t require payment. Using this, the consignee is delivered the goods by the shipping company upon presentation of identification.
A surety is a guarantee by one party to cover another's financial obligations if they default on their debts.
It is the first comprehensive authorization of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) since the Department of Homeland Security was created in 2003, with the overall objective to ensure a fair and competitive trade environment.
Vessel Entrance and Clearance System (VECS) will be a complete digitization and automation of the Entrance and Clearance process. VECS will allow vessel masters, operators, and agents to submit certain vessel entry and clearance data and requests to CBP electronically, instead of submitting paper forms, as currently required by CBP regulations. Specifically, this VECS will allow participants to submit the data required on CBP Forms 26, 226, 1300, 1302, 1303, 1304, and 3171 electronically through VECS prior to arrival or departure from designated ports.
A special tariff or tax rate applied to goods within Free Trade or Special Economic Zones, potentially lower than standard tariffs, to stimulate trade and investment.
