Automated Commercial Environment

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) encourages everyone to take advantage of the ACE Secure Data Portal capabilities by creating a "Portal" account.  Participating in ACE allows you to file your manifests through electronic means, along with many other benefits.  The application form for establishing an account can be found here.

For any questions regarding ACE or the application, please contact ACE.Support@cbp.dhs.gov. You can also check out these FAQs or CBP's dedicated ACE page for more information.

WHAT'S NEW WITH ACE?
February 12, 2010

This Notice was published to inform the public that effective February 14, 2010, CBP will improve ACE's portal and EDI capabilities, specifically pertaining to the filing of AD/CVD entries and Case Management.

U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION NEWS RELEASE - CBP Expands Access To ACE
September 11, 2007

The United States Customs and Border Protection have issued the following news release regarding expanded access to ACE.

View the news release.

U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION AND DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY - CHANGES TO CBP'S ACE SYSTEM
August 7, 2007

The United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), have announced that effective August 26, 2007, they will implement a new Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) system. 

View the announcement.
Additional information on changes.

CBP Cargo Systems Program Office Regarding ACE (Automated Commercial Environment) Non-Portal Accounts for Importers

To encourage maximum participation in the Periodic Monthly Statement test, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CPB) will no longer require that importers first establish ACE Portal Accounts in order to pay estimated duties and fees on a monthly basis as required by the Federal Register Notice (FRN) of February 4, 2004 (see 69 FR 5362).  CBP will now allow the creation of ACE Non-portal Accounts for importers wishing to participate in the ACE test but not seeking the benefits of having an ACE portal account.

Importers who are certified partners in the voluntary Custom-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) Program and who are not current ACE accounts will automatically be established as ACE Non-portal Accounts and are eligible to participate in the Periodic Monthly Statement test.  For additional details please refer to 70 FR 61466, published October 24, 2005, which can be found on the ACE Federal Register Notices link at www.cbp.gov/modernization.  The creation of ACE non-portal accounts for importers and the automatic ACE non-portal account participation for C-TPAT importers who are certified partners is effective immediately upon the publication of 70 FR 61466.  To create an ACE non-portal account for an importer, the broker must first establish their ACE portal account.

Importers are reminder that to participate in the periodic monthly statement test, a continuous bond covering duties and fees must be in place.  Payment must be effected via Automated Clearing House (ACH) Debit or ACH Credit.  Entry/entry summaries must be filed via the Automated broker Interface.  Entries not eligible to be paid on a periodic monthly statement include reconciliation entries (entry type 09), NAFTA duty deferral entries (entry type 08) and entries requiring the payment of excise tax.

The steps to participate in the Periodic Monthly Statement test as an ACE non-portal account are as follows:

I.  ACE Non-Portal Accounts for Certified C-TPAT Importers

  • The certified C-TPAT importer notifies the broker they want to participate in periodic monthly statements and supplies a list of C-TPAT Importer of Record (IR) numbers.
  • If the importer has a CBP Account Manager, the importer must provide the broker with the CBP Account Manager's name and email address.
  • The importer must provide the broker with a copy of their C-TPAT certified letter (copy of CBP correspondence).

The broker does the following:

  • Sends an email to periodic statements@dhs.gov with a list of the importer's IR numbers that will be flagged for periodic monthly statement and a scanned copy of the C-TPAT certified letter.  The email subject line should read:  "Activation Request".
  • If applicable, the broker sends a carbon copy of the above referenced email notification to the importer's CBP Account Manager.

After successful completion of the above steps, CBP will set the switch to allow participation in periodic monthly statement.

  • Upon activation an email notification will be sent to the broker with a copy to the importer's CBP Account Manager.

The broker will then notify the importer.

  • Where an importer uses multiple brokers, the importer is responsible for notifying all applicable brokers, the importer is responsible for notifying all applicable brokers that they have been activated for participation in periodic monthly statements.

II  ACE Non-Portal Accounts for Importers, Non-C-TPAT Certified

  • The non-C-TPAT importer notifies the broker they want to participate in periodic monthly statement as a non-portal account and supplies a list of IR numbers through the creation of a 5106, Importer ID Input Record.
  • The importer has a CBP Account Manager, the importer must provide the broker with the CBP Account Manager's name and email address.

The broker does the following:

  • Ensures a valid Power of Attorney for the importer is on file.
  • Initiates a bond query via the Automated Broker Interface (ABI) to verify that the specific IR number is covered by a valid continuous bond (CB) on file with CBP.
  • Compares the 5106 data to the data returned from the bond query.

Consistent data:

  • If the bond data returned is consistent with the 5106 data, the broker sends an email to periodicstatement@dhs.gov with a list of the importer's IR numbers that will be flagged for periodic monthly statement along with a scanned image of the 5106 (s).  The email subject line should read:  "Activation Request".  The top of the form must contain a note indicating "Periodic Monthly Statement Activation".

If applicable, the broker sends a carbon copy of the above referenced email notification to the importer's CBP Account.

Upon successful completion of the above steps, CBP will set the switch to allow participation in periodic monthly statement.

Upon activation, an email notification will be sent to the broker with a copy to the importer's CBP Account Manager.

The broker will notify the importer.

  • Where an importer uses multiple brokers, the importer is responsible for notifying all applicable brokers that they have been activated for participation in periodic monthly statements.

OR

Inconsistent Data:

  • If the bond data returned is not consistent with the 5106 data, the broker notifies the importer of the discrepancy.

If the importer states the 5106 is correct and the specific IR number is either the principal, co-principal, or an authorized user on the CB, then the importer must submit the 5106 as well as a bond rider showing the correct name and address information to the Revenue Division, Bond Section.

CBP will notify the broker when the update is complete.

The broker then sends an email to peridocstatement@dhs.gov with a list of the importer's IR numbers that will be flagged for the periodic monthly statement along with a scanned image of the 5106 (s).  The email subject line should read:  "Activation Request".  The top of the form must contain a note indicating "Periodic Monthly Statement Activation".

If applicable, the broker sends a carbon copy of the above referenced email notification to the importer's CBP Account Manager.

Upon successful completion of the above steps, CBP will set the switch to allow participation in periodic monthly statement.

Upon activation, an email notification will be sent to the broker with a copy to the importer's CBP Account Manager.

The broker will then notify the importer.

  • Where an importer uses multiple brokers, the importer is responsible for notifying all applicable brokers that they have been activated for participation in periodic monthly statement.

Importers are reminded that if they wish to establish ACE non-portal accounts to take advantage of periodic monthly statement processing through their Customs broker, the broker must first establish an ACE portal account.  If the broker is not currently an ACE portal account, please direct the broker to the ACE Application Information link at www.cbp.gov/modernization or email ACENow@dhs.gov to learn how to enroll.

If more than one broker attempts to establish a non-portal account on behalf of the importer and the non-portal account has already been established, the broker will be notified by CBP that the switch for this IR number has already been set to allow participation in periodic monthly statement.

If you have any questions regarding these changes, please send an email to PMS.Mailbox@dhs.gov.