a Inward manifest; information required; alternative forms.
19 C.F.R. § 4.7a
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01The forms designated by § 4.7(a) as comprising the inward manifest shall be completed as follows:
(a) Ship's Stores Declaration. Articles to be retained aboard as sea or ship's stores shall be listed on the Ship's Stores Declaration, CBP Form 1303. Less than whole packages of sea or ship's stores may be described as “sundry small and broken stores.”
(b) Crew's Effects Declaration. (CBP Form 1304). (1) The declaration number of the Crew Member's Declaration, CBP Form 5129, prepared and signed by any officer or crewmember who intends to land articles in the United States, or the word “None,” shall be shown in item No. 7 on the Crew's Effects Declaration, CBP Form 1304 opposite the respective crewmember's name.
(2) For requirements concerning the preparation of CBP Form 5129, see subpart G of part 148 of this chapter.
(3) Any articles which are required to be manifested and are not manifested shall be subject to forfeiture and the master shall be subjected to a penalty equal to the value thereof, as provided in section 584, Tariff Act of 1930, as amended.
(c) Cargo Declaration. (1) The Cargo Declaration (CBP Form 1302 submitted in accordance with paragraph (b)(2) or (b)(4) of this section) must list all the inward foreign cargo on board the vessel regardless of the U.S. port of discharge, and must separately list any other foreign cargo remaining on board (“FROB”). For the purposes of this part, “FROB” means cargo which is laden in a foreign port, is intended for discharge in a foreign port, and remains aboard a vessel during either direct or indirect stops at one or more intervening United States ports. The block designated “Arrival” at the top of the form shall be checked. The name of the shipper shall be set forth in the column calling for such information and on the same line where the bill of lading is listed for that shipper's merchandise. When more than one bill of lading is listed for merchandise from the same shipper, ditto marks or the word “ditto” may be used to indicate the same shipper. The cargo described in column Nos. 6 and 7, and either column No. 8 or 9, shall refer to the respective bills of lading. Either column No. 8 or column No. 9 shall be used, as appropriate. The gross weight in column No. 8 shall be expressed in either pounds or kilograms. The measurement in column No. 9 shall be expressed according to the unit of measure specified in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) (19 U.S.C. 1202).
(2)(i) When inward foreign cargo is being shipped by container, each bill of lading shall be listed in the column headed “B/L Nr.” in numerical sequence according to the bill of lading number. The number of the container which contains the cargo covered by that bill of lading and the number of the container seal shall be listed in column No. 6 opposite the bill of lading number. The number of any other bill of lading for cargo in that container also shall be listed in column No. 6 immediately under the container and seal numbers. A description of the cargo shall be set forth in column No. 7 only if the covering bill of lading is listed in the column headed “B/L Nr.”
(ii) As an alternative to the procedure described in paragraph (i), a separate list of the bills of lading covering each container on the vessel may be submitted on CBP Form 1302 or on a separate sheet. If this procedure is used:
(A) Each container number shall be listed in alphanumeric sequence by port of discharge in column No. 6 of CBP Form 1302, or on the separate sheet; and
(B) The number of each bill of lading covering cargo in a particular container, identifying the port of lading, shall be listed opposite the number of the container with that cargo in the column headed “B/L Nr.” if CBP Form 1302 is used, or either opposite or under the number of the container if a separate sheet is used.
(iii) All bills of lading, whether issued by a carrier, freight forwarder, or other issuer, shall contain a unique identifier consisting of up to 16 characters in length. The unique bill of lading number will be composed of two elements. The first element will be the first four characters consisting of the carrier or issuer's four digit Standard Carrier Alpha Code (SCAC) assigned to the carrier in the National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc., Directory of Standard Multi-Modal Carrier and Tariff Agent Codes, applicable supplements thereto and reissues thereof. The second element may be up to 12 characters in length and may be either alpha and/or numeric. The unique identifier shall not be used by the carrier, freight forwarder or issuer for another bill of lading for a period of 3 years after issuance. CBP processing of the unique identifier will be limited to checking the validity of the Standard Carrier Alpha Codes (SCAC) and ensuring that the identifier has not been duplicated within a 3-year period. Carriers and broker/importers will be responsible for reconciliation of discrepancies between cargo declarations and entries. CBP will not perform any reconciliation except in a post-audit process.
(3) For shipment of containerized or palletized cargo, CBP officers shall accept a Cargo Declaration which indicates that it has been prepared on the basis of information furnished by the shipper. The use of words of qualification shall not limit the responsibility of a master to submit accurate Cargo Declarations or qualify the oath taken by the master as to the accuracy of his declaration.
(i) If Cargo Declaration covers only containerized or palletized cargo, the following statement may be placed on the declaration:
(ii) If the Cargo Declaration covers conventional cargo and containerized or palletized cargo, or both, the use of the abbreviation “SLAC” for “shipper's load and count,” or an appropriate abbreviation if similar words are used, is approved: Provided, That abbreviation is placed next to each containerized or palletized shipment on the declaration and the following statement is placed on the delaration:
(iii) The statements specified in paragraphs (c)(3) (i) and (ii) of this section shall be placed on the last page of the Cargo Declaration. Words similar to “the shipper's load and count” may be substituted for those words in the statements. Vague expressions such as “said to contain” or “accepted as containing” are not acceptable. The use of an asterisk or other character instead of appropriate abbreviations, such as “SLAC”, is not acceptable.
(4) In addition to the cargo declaration information required in paragraphs (c)(1)-(c)(3) of this section, for all inward foreign cargo, the Cargo Declaration, must state the following:
(i) The last foreign port before the vessel departs for the United States;
(ii) The carrier SCAC code (the unique Standard Carrier Alpha Code assigned for each carrier; see paragraph (c)(2)(iii) of this section);
(iii) The carrier-assigned voyage number;
(iv) The date the vessel is scheduled to arrive at the first U.S. port in CBP territory;
(v) The numbers and quantities from the carrier's ocean bills of lading, either master or house, as applicable (this means that the carrier must transmit the quantity of the lowest external packaging unit; containers and pallets are not acceptable manifested quantities; for example, a container containing 10 pallets with 200 cartons should be manifested as 200 cartons);
(vi) The first foreign port where the carrier takes possession of the cargo destined to the United States;
(vii) A precise description (or the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) numbers to the 6-digit level under which the cargo is classified if that information is received from the shipper) and weight of the cargo or, for a sealed container, the shipper's declared description and weight of the cargo. Generic descriptions, specifically those such as “FAK” (“freight of all kinds”), “general cargo”, and “STC” (“said to contain”) are not acceptable;
(viii) The shipper's complete name and address, or identification number, from all bills of lading. (At the master bill level, for consolidated shipments, the identity of the Non Vessel Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC), freight forwarder, container station or other carrier is sufficient; for non-consolidated shipments, and for each house bill in a consolidated shipment, the identity of the foreign vendor, supplier, manufacturer, or other similar party is acceptable (and the address of the foreign vendor, etc., must be a foreign address); by contrast, the identity of the carrier, NVOCC, freight forwarder or consolidator is not acceptable; the identification number will be a unique number assigned by CBP upon the implementation of the Automated Commercial Environment);
(ix) The complete name and address of the consignee, or identification number, from all bills of lading. (For consolidated shipments, at the master bill level, the NVOCC, freight forwarder, container station or other carrier may be listed as the consignee. For non-consolidated shipments, and for each house bill in a consolidated shipment, the consignee is the party to whom the cargo will be delivered in the United States, with the exception of “FROB” (foreign cargo remaining on board). However, in the case of cargo shipped “to order of [a named party],” the carrier must report this named “to order” party as the consignee; and, if there is any other commercial party listed in the bill of lading for delivery or contact purposes, the carrier must also report this other commercial party's identity and contact information (address) in the “Notify Party” field of the advance electronic data transmission to CBP, to the extent that the CBP-approved electronic data interchange system is capable of receiving this data. The identification number will be a unique number assigned by CBP upon implementation of the Automated Commercial Environment);
(x) The vessel name, country of documentation, and official vessel number. (The vessel number is the International Maritime Organization number assigned to the vessel);
(xi) The foreign port where the cargo is laden on board;
(xii) Internationally recognized hazardous material code when such materials are being shipped;
(xiii) Container numbers (for containerized shipments);
(xiv) The seal numbers for all seals affixed to containers; and
(xv) Date of departure from foreign, as reflected in the vessel log (this element relates to the departure of the vessel from the foreign port with respect to which the advance cargo declaration is filed (see § 4.7(b)(2) or § 4.7(b)(4)); the time frame for reporting this data element will be either:
(A) No later than 24 hours after departure from the foreign port of lading, for those vessels that will arrive in the United States more than 24 hours after sailing from that foreign port; or
(B) No later than the presentation of the permit to unlade (CBP Form 3171, or electronic equivalent), for those vessels that will arrive less than 24 hours after sailing from the foreign port of lading); and
(xvi) Time of departure from foreign, as reflected in the vessel log (see § 4.7a(c)(4)(xv) for the applicable foreign port and the time frame within which this data element must be reported to CBP).
(5) Unaccompanied baggage must be listed on CBP Form 1302, or transmitted via an electronic data interchange system approved by CBP.
(d) Crew List. The Crew List shall be completed in accordance with § 4.7b and with the requirements of applicable Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulations administered by CBP (8 CFR part 251).
(e) Passenger List. (1) The Passenger List must be completed in accordance with §§ 4.7b, 4.50, and with the requirements of applicable DHS regulations administered by CBP (8 CFR part 231).
(2) [Reserved]
(f) Failure to provide manifest information; penalties/liquidated damages. Any master who fails to provide manifest information as required by this section, or who presents or transmits electronically any document required by this section that is forged, altered or false, may be liable for civil penalties as provided under 19 U.S.C. 1436, in addition to damages under the international carrier bond of $5,000 for each violation discovered. In addition, if any non-vessel operating common carrier (NVOCC) as defined in § 4.7(b)(3)(ii) elects to transmit cargo declaration information to CBP electronically, and fails to do so as required by this section, or transmits electronically any document required by this section that is forged, altered or false, such NVOCC may be liable for liquidated damages as provided in § 113.64(c) of this chapter of $5,000 for each violation discovered.
The information appearing on the declaration relating to the quantity and description of the cargo is in each instance based on the shipper's load and count. I have no knowledge or information which would lead me to believe or to suspect that the information furnished by the shipper is incomplete, inaccurate, or false in any way.
The information appearing on this declaration relating to the quantity and description of cargo preceded by the abbreviation “SLAC” is in each instance based on the shipper's load and count. I have no information which would lead me to believe or to suspect that the information furnished by the shipper is incomplete, inaccurate, or false in any way.
Source: eCFRURL: https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2024-07-01/title-19.xmlFetched: 7/26/2026