CBP Form 7512: Filing in ACE, Transit Limits, and Arrival

To file CBP Form 7512, the Transportation Entry and Manifest of Goods Subject to CBP Inspection and Permit, you submit the in-bond application electronically through CBP’s Automated Commercial Environment (ACE). The paper form has been eliminated for everything except pipeline and barge movements.¹ The data fields on Form 7512 still define what information the electronic submission must carry,² so working through the form box by box is how you prepare to file, whether you enter the data in ACE yourself or hand it to a broker.

Who Can File

Under 19 CFR 18.1(c), three categories of filers are authorized to submit an in-bond application:³

The arriving carrier or its agent that brought the merchandise into the origination port.
The accepting carrier or its agent, meaning the bonded carrier that will take custody of the goods for the in-bond movement.
Any person with sufficient interest, shown through a bill of lading, manifest, power of attorney, or other documentation CBP finds satisfactory.

You do not need a customs broker’s license to file. CBP treats in-bond filing as an excepted activity under 19 CFR 111.2(a)(2)(iv).⁴ Many importers still use brokers because the ACE mechanics and bonding logistics are easier to manage through someone who handles them daily.

What to Gather Before You File

Have all of this in hand before you open the application:

The bill of lading or air waybill identifying consignor, consignee, and cargo.
The commercial invoice showing transaction value in U.S. dollars and a description of the goods.
The six-digit Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTSUS) classification. If another government agency regulates the merchandise (FDA, USDA, EPA, and so on), the description must be detailed enough for that agency to identify what’s in the shipment.³
A valid customs bond on file for the carrier accepting custody. Domestic common carriers typically use an Activity Code 2 custodial bond under 19 CFR 113.63, which guarantees proper handling and delivery of bonded goods during transportation.⁵
Container and seal numbers. C-TPAT participants must use high-security “H” class seals meeting or exceeding ISO 17712 standards with independent certification.⁶
The four-digit Schedule D port codes for the origination and destination ports, published in ACE Appendix E.⁷
The four-character Facilities Information and Resources Management System (FIRMS) code for the destination facility. That facility must be bonded and on file in the Automated Manifest System.

Completing the Form Fields

The electronic data elements map directly to the numbered boxes on the paper Form 7512. Knowing what belongs where helps you navigate ACE’s screens and catch errors before you submit.

Item 1, prior entry number, port, and date. If the merchandise was previously entered as a consumption, warehouse, or another in-bond entry, put that entry number, the Schedule D port code, and the date here.
Item 2, in-bond entry number and class. The nine-digit in-bond serial number assigned by the local CBP port, followed by the entry class code and abbreviation: 61 for Immediate Transportation (IT), 62 for Transportation and Exportation (T&E), 63 for Immediate Exportation (IE).
Item 3, district and port code. The Schedule D code for the port where you present the entry.
Item 4, first U.S. port of unlading. The first port where the goods were physically off-loaded from the importing carrier arriving from abroad.
Items 5 and 6, port name and date. The name of the port from Item 3 and the date you prepared the entry.
Item 7, entered or imported by. The importer, consignee, or party presenting the entry, with name, address, and identification numbers.
Item 8, in-bond via. The bonded carrier that will be liable for transporting the goods, with name and IRS or importer number.
Item 9, destination port.
Item 10, final foreign destination. Required for T&E and IE. Use the five-digit Schedule K code and the destination name.
Item 11, consignee. The consignee named on the bill of lading, air waybill, or invoice, with full name and address.
Items 12 through 18, manifest information. Vessel or flight number, foreign port of lading, bill of lading number, quantity, and description of goods with the HTSUS number, all matching the inward foreign manifest.

Every field must match the physical shipment. A mismatch between the seal number you report and the seal actually on the container, for example, is treated as an irregular delivery and can trigger enforcement action.

Filing Through ACE

All in-bond filings, arrivals, and closures go through ACE electronically. Paper submissions are no longer accepted except for pipeline and barge movements.¹ There are three ways to get the data into ACE:⁸

QP in-bond request. A broker or other filer submits the application through an Automated Broker Interface (ABI) message. If the shipment uses a PAPS shipment control number, the QP message automatically links the in-bond record to the carrier’s manifest.
Pre-filed in-bond via carrier e-manifest. The carrier declares a pre-filed in-bond shipment release type in its ACE e-manifest, then completes the additional in-bond data elements on the shipment and commodity screens.
Linking a QP to a manifest. The carrier links a QP record already created by a broker to its own manifest using the “Look up Shipment” function in the ACE portal or an EDI consist message.

Once CBP accepts the submission, the system generates a movement authorization letting the carrier transport the goods. The carrier should be able to produce evidence of that authorization at any point during transit if stopped by law enforcement or CBP officers.

In-Transit Time Limits

Merchandise moving in bond must reach the destination port within 30 days of either the conveyance’s arrival at the origination port or the date CBP issues the movement authorization, whichever is later. Barge shipments get 60 days. Pipeline movements have no time limit.³

Time spent under examination or inspection by CBP or another agency doesn’t count against that clock. Diverting a shipment to a different port does not restart or extend the deadline. Missing the window is an irregular delivery and exposes the bonded party to liquidated damages.

Need more time? Submit a written extension request to the port director at the destination or exportation port. CBP decides extensions at its discretion, weighing factors like major transportation disruptions, natural disasters, and emergencies beyond the filer’s control.

Reporting Arrival and Closing the Bond

Within two business days after any portion of an in-bond shipment arrives at the destination or exportation port, the carrier must notify CBP through an approved EDI system. The arrival notice must include the FIRMS code for the exact bonded facility holding the merchandise.⁹ Missing the two-day window or omitting the FIRMS code is itself an irregular delivery.

For T&E and IE shipments, a second step follows. Within two business days after the merchandise actually leaves the country, the in-bond record must be updated via EDI to reflect the exportation. That closes out the bond. Until both the arrival and, where applicable, the exportation are properly recorded, the bond stays open and the bonded party remains on the hook.

Diverting a Shipment Mid-Transit

If you need to change the destination port after goods are already moving, you can request a diversion through a CBP-approved EDI system. Approval is at CBP’s discretion. There is no automatic right to divert.¹⁰

Two constraints matter. A diversion does not extend the original 30-day transit clock, so the goods must still reach the new port within the time that started running when CBP first authorized the movement. And if another federal agency regulates the merchandise and the diversion would conflict with that agency’s requirements, CBP may deny the request. If it does, the carrier must deliver to the original destination.

Liquidated Damages, Relief, and Records

The party whose bond is obligated on the transportation entry bears financial liability for any failure to comply, whether that’s late delivery, a broken or mismatched seal, unreported arrival, or missing cargo.⁹ Liquidated damages are assessed under 19 CFR 18.8, and the bonded party is also liable for duties, taxes, fees, and related costs on the missing or improperly delivered merchandise. That duty liability is not capped at the bond amount.

If damages are assessed and you believe the violation was unintentional, you can petition CBP for relief under 19 CFR Part 172. CBP may reduce or cancel the claim if the evidence shows no intent to evade any law or regulation. Documented proof of a weather delay, a mechanical breakdown, or a port closure is what turns a full claim into a granted petition.

Carriers, brokers, and other parties involved in an in-bond transaction must keep all related records, including application data, supporting commercial documents, arrival notifications, and export proofs, for five years from the date of entry.¹¹ CBP can request them for audit any time in that window, and failing to produce them is its own violation.

1
U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Immediate Transportation Entry (IT) and Assignment of In-bond Number Procedures
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U.S. Customs and Border Protection. CBP Form 7512 – Transportation Entry and Manifest of Goods Subject to CBP Inspection and Permit
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eCFR. 19 CFR 18.1 – In-Bond Application and Entry General Rules
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Federal Register. Changes to the In-Bond Process
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eCFR. 19 CFR 113.63 – Basic Custodial Bond Conditions
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U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Compliance With ISO 17712 Standards for High Security Seals
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U.S. Customs and Border Protection. ACE M1 Import Manifest Electronic Data Interchange Appendix E Schedule D
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U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Three Methods an In-Bond Message Can Be Filed Via the ACE System
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eCFR. 19 CFR Part 18 – Transportation in Bond and Merchandise in Transit
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eCFR. 19 CFR 18.5 – Diversion
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eCFR. 19 CFR 163.4 – Record Retention Period