CSMS 55503724·System update·March 15, 2023·View on csms.cbp.gov ↗

An updated ACE Agency Tariff Code Reference Guide is available

Plain-English explanation

CSMS 55503724 is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Cargo Systems Messaging Service bulletin (system update), published on March 15, 2023. It carries the official CBP guidance brokers and importers must follow for the topic — "An updated ACE Agency Tariff Code Reference Guide is available". CSMS messages are the operational layer between Commerce determinations and at-the-border collections: when Commerce publishes a new rate, scope ruling, or instruction, CBP turns it into a CSMS that ACE/ACS systems and brokers act on.

Message body

Full text as published by U.S. Customs and Border Protection

CSMS # 55503724 - An updated ACE Agency Tariff Code Reference Guide is available U.S. Customs and Border Protection sent this bulletin at 03/15/2023 03:06 PM EDT Cargo Systems Messaging Service CSMS # 55503724 - An updated ACE Agency Tariff Code Reference Guide is available The ACE Agency Tariff Code Reference Guide has been updated. AQ3 was added for APHIS Core. Here is the guidance from APHIS about this new flag: The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) created a new APHIS Core Message Set flag of AQ3 that, when implemented, will alert filers that products under a Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) code with this flag may require an APHIS Core Message Set. This flag will be enforced with a ‘warning’ severity, meaning filers will not be prohibited from submitting an entry without APHIS Core Message Set data or a disclaim related to this new flag (i.e., the entry won’t be rejected). APHIS expects to begin assigning the new AQ3 flag to HTS codes in CERT no earlier than April 14, 2023 and in PROD no earlier than May 15, 2023. APHIS is introducing the new flag in response to evidence that some HTS codes are largely disclaimed and do not require APHIS Core Message Set data. This change will eliminate the burden on stakeholders who have to disclaim large volumes of shipments. Filers who submit an entry with an HTS flagged AQ3 and who do not submit APHIS data or a disclaim, will receive this message: PU2 – DATA MSNG ON HTS – NO ACTN RQD AQ3. APHIS reminds filers that the AQ3 flag does not eliminate the requirement to file a message set when permits, certificates or other documents are required for agriculture admissibility. The move to an AQ3 flag simply removes the requirement to disclaim products not regulated by APHIS, or indicates data is not required. For help with the APHIS Core Message Set filing, please visit our website, send an email to ace.itds@usda.gov, or call our help desk at 1-833-481-2102. Update your subscriptions, modify your password or e-mail address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page . You will need to use your e-mail address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please contact subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com . This service is provided to you at no charge by U.S. Customs and Border Protection . Privacy Policy | GovDelivery is providing this information on behalf of U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and may not use the information for any other purposes. Powered by Privacy Policy | Cookie Statement | Help

Frequently asked questions

What is CSMS 55503724?

CSMS 55503724 is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Cargo Systems Messaging Service bulletin titled "An updated ACE Agency Tariff Code Reference Guide is available". CSMS bulletins are the operational instructions CBP issues to brokers, importers, and ACE filers covering rate changes, system updates, scope guidance, and other day-to-day customs-operations changes.

When was CSMS 55503724 published?

CBP published CSMS 55503724 on March 15, 2023. The bulletin's instructions are typically operative as of the publication date unless the body specifies a different effective date.

Is the CBP CSMS the legally binding instruction?

Yes — for at-the-border filing and entry collection. CSMS messages translate Commerce's Federal Register determinations into operational CBP instructions that ACE/ACS systems and brokers execute. The Federal Register notice is the underlying legal authority; the CSMS is the operational implementation. Both should be read together when reconciling a rate or scope change.

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