Title 19 — Customs DutiesRelease 119-73not60

§4320 Importer of Record Program

Title 19 › Chapter 28— TRADE FACILITATION AND TRADE ENFORCEMENT › Subchapter I— TRADE FACILITATION AND TRADE ENFORCEMENT › § 4320

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of Homeland Security must set up a program to give and keep importer of record numbers no later than 180 days after February 24, 2016. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) must run the program and send a report about it to the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee no later than one year after February 24, 2016. CBP must make rules for who can get a number and collect enough information to prove the importer exists, find links between importers, and detect changes in address or company structure. CBP must provide a process to assign numbers, keep a central database with each importer’s number history and the collected information, keep it up to date, and prevent duplicate numbers. “Number” means the filing identification number in 19 CFR 24.5.

Full Legal Text

Title 19, §4320

Customs Duties — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Not later than the date that is 180 days after February 24, 2016, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall establish an importer of record program to assign and maintain importer of record numbers.

(b)The Secretary shall ensure that, as part of the importer of record program, U.S. Customs and Border Protection—

(1)develops criteria that importers must meet in order to obtain an importer of record number, including—

(A)criteria to ensure sufficient information is collected to allow U.S. Customs and Border Protection to verify the existence of the importer requesting the importer of record number;

(B)criteria to ensure sufficient information is collected to allow U.S. Customs and Border Protection to identify linkages or other affiliations between importers that are requesting or have been assigned importer of record numbers; and

(C)criteria to ensure sufficient information is collected to allow U.S. Customs and Border Protection to identify changes in address and corporate structure of importers;

(2)provides a process by which importers are assigned importer of record numbers;

(3)maintains a centralized database of importer of record numbers, including a history of importer of record numbers associated with each importer, and the information described in subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of paragraph (1);

(4)evaluates and maintains the accuracy of the database if such information changes; and

(5)takes measures to ensure that duplicate importer of record numbers are not issued.

(c)Not later than one year after February 24, 2016, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Finance of the Senate and the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives a report on the importer of record program established under subsection (a).

(d)In this section, the term “number”, with respect to an importer of record, means a filing identification number described in section 24.5 of title 19, Code of Federal Regulations (or any corresponding similar regulation) that fully supports the requirements of subsection (b) with respect to the collection and maintenance of information.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

19 U.S.C. § 4320

Title 19 — Customs Duties

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60