U.S. Shipper's Export Declaration (SED)

The U.S. Department of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) requires all cargo shipping from the United States abroad to be declared in U.S. Shipper's Export Declarations on the ACE secure data portal. This requirement is mandatory. It doesn't matter whether you're exporting from the USA commercial cargo or shipping household goods or personal effects overseas.

By obeying the U.S. Government's requirement, all carriers involved in shipping freight from the USA stick to the term: NO DOCS-NO LOAD. This means that the presentation of required shipping documents on any cargo shipping from the USA abroad, including proof of filled SED, that is, the ACE Internal Transaction Number (ITN) or an exemption legend, must be submitted no later than 72 hours before the cargo will be released to the international shipping from the USA.

Sea freight shipments without ITN (if not exempt from filling SED) cannot be released to the shipping from the USA and are subject to withholding and penalties related to lack of providing of proper export documentation.

The exceptions on filling SED

However, there are exceptions to filling SED. The most common exceptions are:

• Shipping from the USA goods of the value less US$2500
• The U.S. domestic sea freight. For example, shipping out of the U.S. mainland to Hawaii.

With this online freight calculator, you have options for filling SED.

At the time of quoting or booking your shipping, you can:

• Request us to fill the SED in ACE on your behalf and submit the ITN on your international shipment to the carrier. The ITN will be in your ocean freight bill of lading.
• If you ship goods of value less than US$2500 and select the option, then your shipment is exempt from filing SED. In this event, the following exemption legend will be in your bill of lading: NOEEI SECT 30.37(a).
• Otherwise, you have to contact us by email and inform us about particular circumstances or requirements in your international shipping.  

Please keep in mind that if you request to fill SED on your behalf, then you have to provide us with your EIN (U.S. tax ID) or a copy of the shipper's foreign (not U.S.) passport, with a clear photo and the passport number. ACE does not accept U.S. passports and SSNs on filing SED. Years ago, to protect the sensitive personal information of U.S. citizens, CBP stopped accepting these documents in shipping cargo out of the U.S. 

However, if you are a citizen of the United States of America, but do not have an Employer Identification Number (EIN), do not worry. You can obtain the EIN for your international cargo transportation on the IRS website in almost no time. It is safe and without further obligations. Follow this link to see how easily you can get the EIN for shipping your goods from the USA overseas.