U.S. Customs and Border Protection has updated its schedule for deploying additional functionality to the Automated Commercial Environment.
ACE functionality, including data reports, can help importers and others boost compliance and duty savings efforts. For more information, please contact attorney Lenny Feldman via email or at (305) 894-1011.
Bonds. CBP planned to deploy Sept. 25 an enhancement increasing to ten digits the character limit for the bond amount reported in the K2 output record of the importer/bond query.
Business Identifiers. CBP has delayed from October to November functionality that (1) expands the global business identifier proof of concept enrollment process by enabling trade users to submit one, two, or all three of the global identifiers for any party type and (2) adds an additional free text field allowing filers to input additional descriptions about the party/GBI number provided. New on the schedule is an enhancement planned for March 2026 that will include a new GBI identifier qualifier “ALTA” and expand the current GBI identifier field from 20 to 35 characters.
Cargo Descriptions. An enhancement implementing the automated rejection of ACE manifest filings with insufficient cargo descriptions, consignee information, or shipper information was deployed Sept. 27. This enhancement also implemented new disposition codes that will be sent when holds are manually placed or removed by CBP when cargo descriptions, consignee information, or shipper information is insufficient.
Collections. The migration of the existing credit card database to ACE Collections has been completed. CBP planned to add Sept. 30 a form to allow the payment of a new fee for vessels arrived in the Vessel Entrance and Clearance System. An enhancement creating an additional, secure digital payment option for trade users to pay bills online through pay.gov, is now anticipated in October.
De Minimis Shipments. Enhancements adding bond validations for low-value shipments and automating the removal and restoration of entry type 86 test participants remain on hold.
Detentions. CBP has newly scheduled for February 2026 an enhancement integrating detention record data in ACE with other CBP applications for streamlined detention process management.
DIS Submissions. On Oct. 1 CBP ended the use of the Document Image System to file the outbound cargo declaration, and as of Dec. 1 the DIS will no longer be an acceptable method for submitting that declaration. This includes CBP Form 1302A Outbound Cargo Declaration, supplemental form CBP 168, or any associated documents that comprise the outbound cargo manifest. Effective Dec. 1 electronic export manifests will be the preferred method for outbound manifest submissions.
Drawback. CBP deployed Sept. 16 an enhancement to prevent filers from claiming drawback for ineligible duties associated with HTSUS Chapter 99 numbers.
Exports. Functionality newly planned for June 2026 will provide the export community with an electronic method for submitting outbound cargo manifests.
An enhancement providing a trade-facing electronic export manifest portal to enable the filing of truck EEM bills of lading prior to departing the U.S. for Mexico or Canada and to allow carriers to add account data has not yet been rescheduled. CBP has moved up from July to June 2026 plans to deploy an enhancement enabling export manifest filers to utilize the standard X12 or EDIFACT message sets currently used to submit import truck manifest information.
Import duties. An enhancement enabling ACE to calculate estimated duties on an entry summary line when more than two HTSUS numbers are submitted is still anticipated in January 2026.
In-bonds. An enhancement modernizing ACE in-bond processing, including the QP and WP message transactions, has been newly placed on the development calendar for March 2026.
Interoperability. CBP has pushed back from Oct. 4 to Nov. 8 functionality that, beginning as a pilot with a small set of participants, will enable the use of global interoperability standards, including decentralized identifiers and verifiable credentials, to trade crude oil imports from point of origin to arrival in the U.S.
Mail. CBP has announced plans to deploy in March 2026 an enhancement enabling real-time visibility of U.S. Postal Service manifest data in ACE.
Ocean cargo. Newly announced for February 2026 is an enhancement that will only be applicable to ocean cargo and will enable ATS Import Cargo to send seal change update data to ACE Manifest.
Portal accounts. CBP has announced plans to deploy Oct. 31 an enhancement automating the ACE portal importer account application/creation process via a web-based form.
Also new on the schedule is the deployment in June 2026 of an update to enhance user data security in the ACE portal and restrict certain data access to authorized CBP personnel.
Refunds. CBP planned to deploy Sept. 30 an enhancement enabling trade community users to provide bank information in the ACE portal, which is necessary to receive electronic refunds via the Automated Clearinghouse. CBP next plans to implement Dec. 31 an enhancement adding a new trade user permission for managing refund-related ACH bank information in an importer account in the ACE portal.
Sanctions. Functionality that will implement the collection of new data elements to enable targeting of merchandise subject to sanctions on Russian diamonds and seafood is still on hold.
Temporary imports. CBP has announced plans to deploy in April 2026 an enhancement that will develop an electronic ATA carnet in ACE to control and release temporarily imported materials.
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