Today, July 8, 2026, marks a watershed for Amazon US sellers: your goods could be stuck at the port.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) today fully enforces a major clearance reform — all imported goods must be electronically declared via ACE; paper CBP Form 3461/7501 is no longer accepted. The era of paper clearance is over, and the process is now fully digital. If your forwarder or broker still uses old methods, or your data has errors, your container may be held at LA, Long Beach, New York, or even returned.

What makes this rule so strict?

Previously, many brokers could file paper first and then submit electronic data, especially for LCL and e-commerce parcels. But now CBP sets four red lines:

1. Paperless: CBP ports no longer accept paper; paper submissions are invalid.

2. Instant Validation: The system verifies importer tax ID (EIN/SSN), HTSUS code, value, origin in real time. Mismatches are rejected outright.

3. Strict Informal Entry: E-commerce goods using Section 321 (de minimis) and Type 86 require ACE account and electronic transmission; manual forms are no longer accepted.

4. Hard Deadlines: ACAS or ISF must be filed 24 hours before arrival; electronic entry within 48 hours after arrival, or the system locks the shipment into mandatory supervision.

For FBA sellers, a stuck declaration means hundreds of dollars daily in demurrage, plus ranking drops and supply chain disruption.

Three areas most likely to cause problems:

Frontline feedback from U.S. brokers highlights these:

• Importer Qualification
  Many sellers borrow broker importer names, but IRS numbers may not match electronic records; ACE rejects them. “Borrowing” is now very restricted.

• HTS Code Filing
  The system compares against CROSS database; if a product was previously classified under a different code, it gets flagged, requiring manual review and adding 3-7 days.

• Bulk Low-Value Disruption
  Type 86 bulk declarations now need unique master/house B/L and real transaction link; batch imports are blocked. Some software hasn’t updated APIs, causing mass clearance failures.

How to clear customs smoothly: a complete survival guide

Don’t panic; take action. Follow four steps to minimize port hold risk.

Step 1: Confirm electronic filing capability with your forwarder/broker
Ask: ① Do you submit ACE via CBP-certified EDI? ② Do you have an active ACE Secure Data Portal to receive real-time acknowledgments? ③ For Type 86/Section 321, has API testing with CBP been completed? If any answer is no, switch to a compliant provider. Amazon SPN lists “ACE Electronic Filing Compliant” brokers—prioritize them.

Step 2: Prepare core data in advance—no ambiguity
E-filing is rigorous. Have ready:

• Consistent importer info: IRS EIN/SSN exactly matching CBP’s record. Non-resident importers need valid ID and electronic CBP Form 5106.

• 10-digit HTSUS code: Use USITC lookup; avoid “9999” catch-all codes.

• True price & payment proof: Value must align with Amazon selling price and payments. For FBA, use factory price + first-leg freight as dutiable value, keep invoices.

• Accurate B/L & packing list: FNSKU carton counts, quantities, weights must match warehouse forecast.

Step 3: Use ACE portal to monitor—don’t be a hands-off boss
Register a free ACE Secure Data Portal account. Enter your B/L or entry number in Reports to check status:

• “Entry Accepted”: moving to release.

• “Document Required”: under exam; submit docs immediately.

• “Hold”: detention; contact broker for explanation.
  Self-monitoring avoids losses from delayed broker notifications.

Step 4: If shipment arrives but “electronic filing failed,” emergency actions:
① Get broker’s ACE rejection screenshot with code (e.g., INVALID IMPORTER NUMBER, TARIFF MISMATCH). ② Correct data, re-submit, and call the Port CBP Officer to request expedited manual review. ③ Apply for demurrage fee waiver from the shipping line and contact Amazon Seller Support to record the delivery change to protect inbound performance.

Future Trend: U.S. Customs’ end-to-end supply chain penetration

This mandate is part of CBP’s 21st Century Customs Framework with three deeper goals:

• Data penetration: Full chain from factory to Amazon is visible; transfer pricing and under-declaration have no place.

• Intelligent targeting: System uses historical data and risk profiles to target shipments; inspection rates may seem stable but targeted goods face stricter evidence checks.

• E-commerce focus: “Platform responsibility” may require Amazon to share seller data with customs, squeezing gray clearance.

For compliant sellers, this is good—it weeds out cheaters. But if you take chances, the cost can be real cargo loss and customer churn.

U.S. customs clearance has changed. Check your next FBA shipment now; implement every e-filing step so that stuck containers don’t break your cash flow.