19 USC 1484 - Entry of merchandise

U.S Code last checked for updates: Aug 16, 2025

§ 1484.

Entry of merchandise

(a)

Requirement and time

(1)

Except as provided in sections 1490, 1498, 1552, and 1553 of this title, one of the parties qualifying as “importer of record” under paragraph (2)(B), either in person or by an agent authorized by the party in writing, shall, using reasonable care—

(A)

make entry therefor by filing with the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection such documentation or, pursuant to an authorized electronic data interchange system, such information as is necessary to enable the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection to determine whether the merchandise may be released from custody of the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection; 1

 So in original. The word “and” probably should appear at end.

(B)

complete the entry, or substitute 1 or more reconfigured entries on an import activity summary statement, by filing with the Customs Service the declared value, classification and rate of duty applicable to the merchandise, and such other documentation or, pursuant to an electronic data interchange system, such other information as is necessary to enable the Customs Service to—

(i)

properly assess duties on the merchandise,

(ii)

collect accurate statistics with respect to the merchandise, and

(iii)

determine whether any other applicable requirement of law (other than a requirement relating to release from customs custody) is met.

(2)

(A)

The documentation or information required under paragraph (1) with respect to any imported merchandise shall be filed or transmitted in such manner and within such time periods as the Secretary shall by regulation prescribe. Such regulations shall provide for the filing of import activity summary statements, and permit the filing of reconfigured entries, covering merchandise released under a special delivery permit pursuant to section 1448(b) of this title and entries or warehouse withdrawals made during a calendar month, within such time period as is prescribed in regulations but not to exceed the 20th day following such calendar month. Entries filed under paragraph (1)(A) shall not be liquidated if covered by an import activity summary statement, but instead each reconfigured entry in the import activity summary statement shall be subject to liquidation or reliquidation pursuant to section 1500, 1501, or 1504 of this title.

(B)

When an entry of merchandise is made under this section, the required documentation or information shall be filed or electronically transmitted either by the owner or purchaser of the merchandise or, when appropriately designated by the owner, purchaser, or consignee of the merchandise, a person holding a valid license under section 1641 of this title. When a consignee declares on entry that he is the owner or purchaser of merchandise the Customs Service may, without liability, accept the declaration. For the purposes of this chapter, the importer of record must be one of the parties who is eligible to file the documentation or information required by this section.

(C)

The Secretary, in prescribing regulations to carry out this subsection, shall establish procedures which insure the accuracy and timeliness of import statistics, particularly statistics relevant to the classification and valuation of imports. Corrections of errors in such statistical data shall be transmitted immediately to the Director of the Bureau of the Census, who shall make corrections in the statistics maintained by the Bureau. The Secretary shall also provide, to the maximum extent practicable, for the protection of the revenue, the enforcement of laws governing the importation and exportation of merchandise, the facilitation of the commerce of the United States, and the equal treatment of all importers of record of imported merchandise.

(b)

Reconciliation

(1)

In general

(2)

Regulations regarding AD/CV duties

(c)

Release of merchandise

(d)

Signing and contents

(1)

Entries shall be signed by the importer of record, or his agent, unless filed pursuant to an electronic data interchange system. If electronically filed, each transmission of data shall be certified by an importer of record or his agent, one of whom shall be resident in the United States for purposes of receiving service of process, as being true and correct to the best of his knowledge and belief, and such transmission shall be binding in the same manner and to the same extent as a signed document. The entry shall set forth such facts in regard to the importation as the Secretary may require and shall be accompanied by such invoices, bills of lading, certificates, and documents, or their electronically submitted equivalents, as are required by regulation.

(2)

The Secretary, in prescribing regulations governing the content of entry documentation, shall require that entry documentation contain such information as may be necessary to determine whether the imported merchandise bears an infringing trademark in violation of section 1124 of title 15 or any other applicable law, including a trademark appearing on the goods or packaging.

(e)

Production of invoice

(f)

Statistical enumeration

(g)

Statement of cost of production

(h)

Admissibility of data electronically transmitted

(i)

Special rule for foreign trade zone operations

(1)

In general

(2)

Other requirements

The Secretary of the Treasury may require that the operator or user of the zone—

(A)

use an electronic data interchange approved by the Customs Service—

(i)

to file the entries described in paragraph (1); and

(ii)

to pay the applicable duties, fees, and taxes with respect to the entries; and

(B)

satisfy the Customs Service that accounting, transportation, and other controls over the merchandise are adequate to protect the revenue and meet the requirements of other Federal agencies.

(3)

Exception

(4)

Foreign trade zone; zone

(j)

Treatment of multiple entries of merchandise as single transaction

In the case of merchandise that is purchased and invoiced as a single entity but—

(1)

is shipped in an unassembled or disassembled condition in separate shipments due to the size or nature of the merchandise, or

(2)

is shipped in separate shipments due to the inability of the carrier to include all of the merchandise in a single shipment (at the instruction of the carrier),

the Customs Service may, upon application by an importer in advance, treat such separate shipments for entry purposes as a single transaction.

(June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, § 484, 46 Stat. 722; June 25, 1938, ch. 679, § 12, 52 Stat. 1083; Aug. 8, 1953, ch. 397, §§ 3(b), 16(b), (c), 67 Stat. 509, 517; Pub. L. 91–271, title III, § 301(i), June 2, 1970, 84 Stat. 288; Pub. L. 93–618, title VI, § 608(a), Jan. 3, 1975, 88 Stat. 2073; Pub. L. 95–106, § 4, Aug. 17, 1977, 91 Stat. 869;

cite as: 19 USC 1484