As an importer record number, the IOR number is the core entry voucher for goods to enter the US market and complete customs clearance. It is also a key identifier for CBP to trace import entities and implement regulatory responsibilities. In the US trade process, the IOR number must form a unique binding relationship with the importer entity, EIN tax number, and authorization relationship. Each import declaration must be associated with a valid IOR number, and its validity directly determines whether the goods can successfully complete customs clearance and release procedures, and even affects subsequent trade settlements. Frequent irregular operations in the industry, such as affiliation with freight forwarders' IORs, sharing EINs, and false entities, will all become invalid under this new regulation due to the inability to meet authenticity verification requirements.

There are clear and strict rules for the implementation of this policy. CBP has clearly defined the timeline for policy implementation in the notice. Starting from 12:01 AM Eastern Time on March 20, all IOR numbers that have not completed compliance verification will be completely invalidated. All new declarations must be bound to an officially verified valid IOR number; otherwise, they cannot be completed through the ACE Automated Commercial Environment system. This invalidation is not a partial adjustment for individual numbers but a systematic cleanup covering a large number of existing numbers. The core purpose is to standardize the qualifications of import entities from the source and fundamentally eliminate industry malpractices such as false declarations and unclear entities. According to the official FAQ disclosed by CBP, common reasons for IOR number invalidation include unverifiable information, undeliverable mail, and voluntary application by the entity. This centralized cleanup directly targets various irregular numbers that have existed for a long time.

Regarding the compliance issues after the invalidation of IOR numbers, CBP has also provided clear remedial paths for relevant enterprises, and all operations must be completed through licensed customs brokers: First, submit a fully updated CBP 5106 form, which is the core document for importer filing. All required fields in the form must be accurate and consistent with official records, and expired versions will be directly rejected. Second, provide valid government-issued photo identification documents for IOR holders; passports or driver's licenses are compliant vouchers to ensure the authenticity and traceability of import entities. Third, submit official verification documents of the EIN tax number issued by the IRS within the past 12 months. Types such as 147C, 1040, and SS-4 are commonly recognized, and materials submitted by enterprises themselves are not accepted. This requirement directly blocks the operation space of shell importers. Finally, provide a valid power of attorney between the IOR authorized person and the customs broker. CBP reserves the right to conduct on-site or virtual inspections, and if the verification fails, the IOR number will be suspended. From material submission to restoration of effectiveness, the official CBP process takes 5 working days, leaving sellers with extremely urgent compliance preparation time.

This batch invalidation of IOR numbers is not an isolated policy but a concentrated reflection of the tightening US import trade supervision, with a clear industry background and regulatory logic behind it.

Currently, the cross-border e-commerce and foreign trade industries generally rely on the extensive business model of "dual clearance and tax-included." A large number of sellers complete customs clearance through shared IOR numbers provided by freight forwarders. This model directly leads to problems such as unclear IOR entities, incomplete trade links, and untraceable responsibilities, which are precisely the core targets of CBP's reform. According to industry feedback, as early as February 2026, a large number of Chinese export containers were forcibly returned due to inaccurate IOR information and insufficient trade authenticity, causing many sellers to suffer huge demurrage fees and return shipping costs. Combined with the previously escalated 5H inspection measures, the overall cargo inspection rate in the US has doubled compared to previous years. Core trade ports such as Los Angeles and Long Beach have become major inspection disaster areas, further highlighting the tightening trend of US import supervision.

Countdown 3 days!

The era of compliance on the US route officially begins

The core of this policy surprise targets the long-standing irregularities in the cross-border logistics field. Leo, General Manager of Ningzhi Logistics, told Hugo Cross-border that for a long time, some freight forwarders have completed customs clearance for sellers with their own qualifications by borrowing or forging IOR numbers, and generally adopted methods such as underreporting the value of goods and concealing product names to evade tariffs. These non-compliant operations will face comprehensive blocking under the new policy.

Industry insider Mr. Liu said that this policy surprise is a fundamental tightening of compliance supervision on the US route.

Under the new policy, the cost of non-compliance for cross-border e-commerce sellers will rise sharply, and multiple risks will directly affect business continuity. Leo listed them one by one: "Goods that violate regulations overdue will directly lead to detention or return; once false declaration is found, not only high tariffs need to be paid, but also fines will be faced; the US Customs and the Department of Justice have entered the stage of criminal law enforcement, and those involved in false trade and false importers may face criminal liability; those with serious circumstances will also be included in the CBP import blacklist, restricting all import business."

This also means that the era of earning "grey clearance" price differences relying on information asymmetry has officially ended. The future of cross-border trade on the US route will compete in overseas landing capabilities and compliance service capabilities.

Mr. Liu interpreted the five core impacts of this new policy on the freight forwarding industry:

1. The "dual clearance and tax-included" model is completely terminated, and the traditional business logic is reconstructed. Shared IORs, virtual importers, and batch customs clearance are directly banned. Products that rely on low quotes and weak compliance are completely removed from the shelves. Freight forwarders must switch to a compliance model with single bills, clear entities, and traceable responsibilities.

2. Customs clearance costs and operational pressures have increased sharply. Single bill independent IORs, independent Bonds, and document verification processes significantly increase labor and time costs; customs clearance efficiency slows down, inspection rates increase synchronously, and operational efficiency faces severe challenges.

3. There are significant risks for goods in transit and to be shipped. Goods arriving at the port or declared after March 20, if they continue