Title 19Customs DutiesRelease 119-73

§1551 Bonding of carriers

Title 19 › Chapter CHAPTER 4— - TARIFF ACT OF 1930 › Subtitle SUBTITLE III— - ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS › Part Part IV— - Transportation in Bond and Warehousing of Merchandise › § 1551

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Under rules the Secretary of the Treasury sets, three kinds of carriers are covered. They are common carriers that run railroads, steamships, or other U.S. routes for merchandise; contract carriers authorized by a U.S. agency; and freight forwarders authorized by a U.S. agency.

Full Legal Text

Title 19, §1551

Customs Duties — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Under such regulations and subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary of the Treasury shall prescribe—
(1)any common carrier of merchandise owning or operating a railroad, steamship, or other transportation line or route for the transportation of merchandise in the United States,
(2)any contract carrier authorized to operate as such by any agency of the United States, and
(3)any freight forwarder authorized to operate as such by any agency of the United States,

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 551, 42 Stat. 975. That section was superseded by section 551 of act June 17, 1930, comprising this section, and repealed by section 651(a)(1) of the 1930 act.

Prior Provisions

concerning transportation of merchandise in bond without appraisement to another port of entry were contained in the Immediate Transportation Act of June 10, 1880, ch. 190, 21 Stat. 173, as amended, section 3 of which required the merchandise to be transported by carriers designated by the Secretary of the Treasury, and required them to give bonds as the Secretary should require. That act was repealed by act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 643, 42 Stat. 989.

Amendments

1968—Pub. L. 90–240 provided that a private carrier, upon application, could, in the discretion of the Secretary, be designated as a carrier of bonded merchandise, subject to

Regulations

, terms, and conditions prescribed by the Secretary, safeguard the revenues of the United States with respect to the transportation of bonded merchandise by such applicant. 1962—Pub. L. 87–854 amended section catchline and text generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “Under such

Regulations

and subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary of the Treasury shall prescribe, any common carrier of merchandise owning or operating a railroad, steamship, or other transportation line or route for the transportation of merchandise in the United States, or any freightforwarder authorized to operate as such by any agency of the United States, upon application, may, in the discretion of the Secretary, be designated as a carrier of bonded merchandise for the final release of which from customs custody a permit has not been issued.” Pub. L. 87–598 substituted “authorized to operate as such by any agency of the United States,” for “, as defined in section 1002(5) of title 49.” 1945—Act Dec. 28, 1945, substituted “Under such

Regulations

and subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary of the Treasury shall prescribe, any common carrier of merchandise owning or operating a railroad, steamship, or other transportation line or route for the transportation of merchandise in the United States, or any freight forwarder, as defined in section 1002(5) of title 49, upon application, may, in the discretion of the Secretary” for “Any common carrier of merchandise owning or operating railroad, steamship, or other transportation lines or routes for the transportation of merchandise in the United States, upon application and the filing of a bond in a form and penalty and with such sureties as may be approved by the Secretary of the Treasury, may”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

19 U.S.C. § 1551

Title 19Customs Duties

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73