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 plans 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 still anticipates implementing in October 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.
Cargo Descriptions. An enhancement implementing the automated rejection of ACE manifest filings with insufficient cargo descriptions, consignee information, or shipper information is still anticipated Sept. 27.
Collections. The migration of the existing credit card database to ACE Collections, and an enhancement creating an additional, secure digital payment options for trade users to pay bills online through pay.gov, are still scheduled for this month. CBP plans to add in October a form to allow the payment of a new fee for vessels arrived in the Vessel Entrance and Clearance System.
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.
DIS Submissions. Disabling the option to submit form 1302A (cargo declaration – outward with commercial forms) in the Document Imaging System for outward vessels is still scheduled for Oct. 1. Once this is done such forms will have to be submitted on paper or via ACE Export Manifest.
Drawback. Sept. 16 remains the anticipated date for an enhancement to prevent filers from claiming drawback for ineligible duties associated with HTSUS Chapter 99 numbers.
Exports. 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 delayed from January to July 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 has been pushed back from December to January.
Interoperability. Now scheduled for Oct. 4 is 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.
Refunds. CBP plans to deploy (1) 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, and (2) in January 2026 an enhancement adding a new trade user role 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.
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