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- January 14, 2026
- Policy GuidanceCSMS #67396599
DEA Added New ACE Data Requirement for Tableting and Encapsulating Machines
CBP announced that DEA updated its ACE Partner Government Agency (PGA) Implementation Guide to require machine data for tableting and encapsulating machines. The guide set a rollout schedule: certification environment on January 20, 2026, production deployment with a WARNING-level DE3 flag on March 21, 2026, and REJECT-level enforcement of that flag on May 2, 2026. This affected importers of these machines and the brokers who file their entries.
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This message set a phased requirement for DEA data on tableting and encapsulating machine imports, ending in REJECT-level enforcement by May 2, 2026 under the schedule CBP published. Clients who import these machines should ask us to confirm their entries include the required DEA PGA Message Set data (the DE3 flag) so filings are not rejected. Because this message is more than eight months old, later CSMS messages may have updated the related reference documents, so we recommend clients confirm current requirements with us before shipping.
CBP Reminded Trade of Mandatory Electronic Refunds Starting Feb 6, 2026
CBP announced that beginning February 6, 2026, it would issue all refunds electronically via ACH, with limited exceptions, under an interim final rule published January 2, 2026. CBP said it improved the ACH refund sign-up process in the ACE Portal and added a feature for importers to add notify parties. CBP held a support call on January 14, 2026 to help importers and other parties prepare for the transition.
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This message described a support call and enrollment steps for a transition that took effect on February 6, 2026 and is now in the past. Electronic ACH refunds are now the standard method CBP uses, subject to the exceptions CBP listed, so clients who receive CBP refunds should confirm they are enrolled in ACH refund payment through ACE. If a client has not set up ACH refunds or has questions about a specific refund, they should ask us to review their account status.
CBP updated the list of qualified parties that pay duty on international mail
On January 14, 2026, CBP announced that it had certified additional parties to collect and pay duty on international mail shipments under Executive Order 14324. The list was attached to the message, and CBP said it would post and update the list on CBP.gov. Parties seeking certification had to file a CBP Form 5106, obtain a bond and meet other requirements. Parties with a Form 5106 and active bond on file could email CBPDM@cbp.dhs.gov to request qualification.
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This message mattered to foreign postal operators and forwarders choosing who pays duty on mail shipments to the United States. De minimis remains suspended for all countries, including mail, so duty on mail still applies. The list of qualified parties may have changed since January, so check CBP.gov for the current list. Clients who want to act as a qualified party or need help with mail entries should ask Allied to review their situation.
CBP explained filing rules for 25% Section 232 duties on semiconductors (Jan 2026)
CBP issued guidance on the January 14, 2026 proclamation imposing a 25 percent Section 232 duty on certain semiconductors and derivative products, effective January 15, 2026. It listed HTSUS 9903.79.01 through 9903.79.09 covering duty rates and exclusions such as data centers, repairs, research and development, startups, and other listed uses. The message also set the required sequence for stacking Chapter 98 and Chapter 99 classifications, barred drawback for these duties, and set FTZ admission rules.
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This guidance governed how we classified and filed entries for semiconductors subject to the January 2026 Section 232 proclamation. We applied the required HTSUS 9903.79 codes and duty stacking sequence to entries filed under that guidance at the time. Later CSMS messages may have changed rates, exclusions, or classification requirements since then, so clients should ask us to review their current semiconductor entries for what now applies.
CBP held ACE maintenance window on January 14, 2026 (historical)
CBP announced an ACE certification standard invasive maintenance window on January 14, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET. This is a routine system maintenance notice with no other details provided. The window has long since passed.
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This was a routine, time-limited maintenance notice for ACE that occurred in January 2026. It had no lasting effect on entries and does not apply today. Clients do not need to take any action regarding this notice.
CBP updated air manifest data fields for declared value and currency codes
CBP announced in January 2026 that it updated the ACE Air CAMIR system in Production to make the Declared Value and ISO Currency Code fields conditional, required for express bills. CBP also updated its ACE AIR CAMIR Message Line Identifiers Implementation Guide. The update affects parties who submit air import manifest data through ACE.
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This update concerns the technical filing of air manifests in ACE and is handled by carriers and ABI filers, not by importers. It does not change any duty, classification or entry requirement for our clients. Clients do not need to act on this message; if they have questions about how their air shipments are manifested, they can ask Allied to check with the filer.
CBP held ACE system maintenance in January 2026, now history
CBP announced ACE production standard invasive maintenance from 10:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 10, 2026, to 4:00 a.m. ET on Sunday, January 11, 2026. This was a routine system maintenance window affecting ACE availability during those hours. The message did not name any specific ACE functions affected.
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This maintenance window is long past and had no lasting effect on entries. Clients do not need to take any action regarding this notice. If clients had filing issues during that specific window in January, they should ask Allied for details on how it was handled.
CBP added a notify parties feature for importers in the ACE Portal
CBP announced that as of January 2, 2026 it enhanced the ACE Portal so importers who are Trade Account Owners could add notify parties (CBP Form 4811 special address notification) under the Notify Parties tab. CBP held user readiness calls in January and February 2026 to help trade users with this and other ACE enhancements related to electronic refunds. The message affected importers who manage their own ACE Portal accounts.
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This feature let importers manage their own ACE Portal notify party settings and did not change how we file entries for clients. Clients who are ACE Portal Trade Account Owners could use this tool on their own if they wanted to add notify parties. Clients do not need to act now, and the informational calls CBP held in January and February 2026 have already passed. If a client has questions about their ACE Portal account or notify parties, they should ask us to review their setup.
- QuotaCSMS #67305708
CBP Published 2026 Peru TPA Agricultural Quota Bulletin
CBP published Quota Bulletin 26-106 for the 2026 Peru Trade Promotion Agreement, covering agricultural products under HTSUS Chapter 98, Subchapter XXII, Note 28, and General Note 32. The quota period ran from January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026, with an opening date of January 2, 2026. Entries filed early on the opening date received an entry time of 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time, and CBP said it would prorate any HTSUS group that exceeded its limit at that time.
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This was a routine quota bulletin for agricultural products under the Peru Trade Promotion Agreement, and the opening date has already passed. Later quota bulletins or CBP updates may have changed the status of this quota, so clients with entries claiming this preference should ask us to review their specific entries.
CBP made ACH electronic refunds mandatory starting February 6, 2026
CBP announced that starting February 6, 2026, it would issue all refunds electronically through ACH, with limited exceptions, under an interim final rule published January 2, 2026. CBP said it had upgraded the ACE Portal with an automated ACH Refund Authorization tool and an automated importer account application to support the transition. CBP also held user readiness support calls in January and February 2026 to help importers and other parties prepare for the change.
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This message affected how CBP paid out refunds on entries we file, moving from other payment methods to ACH deposits for importers and other refund recipients. We advised clients at the time to confirm their ACE Portal ACH enrollment so refunds would not be delayed. Later CSMS messages may have updated this process, so clients should ask us to confirm the current refund enrollment status for their entries.
CBP held a short maintenance window for the ACE certification test system in early 2026
CBP announced an invasive maintenance window for the ACE certification standard environment, scheduled from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET on January 7. This affected the test environment used to certify filing software, not the production ACE system used for live entries.
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This notice concerned the ACE certification test environment that brokers use to test filing software, not live entry filing. It did not affect entries we filed for clients at the time, and it has no bearing on entries now. Clients did not need to take any action.
- Policy GuidanceCSMS #67298447
CBP held webinars in January on reporting suspected trade violations
CBP announced a quarterly webinar series for fiscal year 2026 on how to report suspected trade violations and file EAPA allegations. The first webinars were held on January 13 and 15, 2026, and required free registration in advance. The webinars covered use of the Trade Violations Reporting tool and the Enforce and Protect Act allegation process.
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This notice concerned free CBP webinars on reporting trade violations and filing EAPA allegations, not entry filing requirements. The registration deadline and webinar dates have passed, so no action is needed now. Clients do not need to act on this message.
CBP held webinars in January 2026 on new Forced Labor Portal
CBP announced three webinars held on January 13, 14, and 15, 2026 to train users on the new Forced Labor Portal. The portal handles submission of Withhold Release Order and Finding admissibility reviews, UFLPA applicability and exception requests, and CAATSA exception requests. CBP stated that after the portal launched, importers must use it to request review of shipments detained or excluded for forced labor enforcement.
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This message announced past training webinars and is now historical. If a client has shipments detained or excluded for forced labor enforcement, we recommend confirming current portal procedures directly with CBP or asking us to review the specific entry. Clients do not need to act on this webinar notice itself.
CBP issues all refunds electronically by ACH from February 6, 2026
CBP announced that from February 6, 2026 it would issue all refunds electronically by Automated Clearing House (ACH), with limited exceptions. The change came from the Electronic Refunds Interim Final Rule published January 2, 2026. CBP added an automated ACH Refund Authorization tool and an automated importer account application in the ACE Portal. CBP asked importers and other parties expecting refunds after February 5, 2026 to review its enrollment reference sheet and prepare.
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This message meant importers needed ACH refund enrollment in the ACE Portal to receive CBP refunds from February 6, 2026. Refunds on the entries we file, such as drawback or IEEPA duty refunds, depend on the refund recipient's enrollment. Later CSMS messages may have changed details. Clients who are unsure of their ACH refund setup should ask Allied to review their account and entries.
- QuotaCSMS #67256105
CBP published 2026 Israel FTA agricultural quota bulletin 26-101
CBP announced Quota Bulletin 26-101 for the 2026 Israel Free Trade Agreement, covering agricultural products under Chapter 99 subheadings, Additional US Notes 3 through 7. The quota period ran January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026, opening January 2, 2026. Entries filed before 8:30 am ET on the opening date received an 8:30 am entry time, and CBP would prorate accepted entries if any HTSUS group exceeded its limit at that time.
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This was a routine annual quota bulletin for Israel FTA agricultural goods and did not require action from importers at the time beyond normal quota filing procedures. The 2026 quota period is still open as of today, so clients importing goods under these Chapter 99 provisions should ask us to confirm current quota status for their entries. Later quota bulletins or fill notices may affect availability, and we can check the latest status before filing.
- System UpdateCSMS #67257873
CBP issued year end Harmonized Tariff Schedule update for January 2026
CBP announced Harmonized System Update (HSU) 2543, created December 30, 2025, containing 872 harmonized tariff records and 4,893 ABI records. The update included the end of year Harmonized Tariff Schedule changes effective January 1, 2026. CBP referred questions to hts.usitc.gov or its HTS admin mailbox.
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This update set the tariff classification data CBP systems used starting January 1, 2026. Later CSMS messages may have changed classification or duty rates since then, so clients should ask Allied to review how current tariff data applies to their specific entries.
- QuotaCSMS #67248648
CBP published 2026 beef tariff-rate quota bulletin (historical)
CBP announced Quota Bulletin 26-201 for 2026 beef, covering HTSUS Chapter 2, Additional U.S. Note 3. The quota period ran January 1 to December 31, 2026, opening January 2, 2026. Entries filed early on the opening date received an 08:30 am ET entry time, and CBP would prorate accepted entries if a HTSUS group's limit was exceeded at that time.
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This bulletin set the opening and proration rules for the 2026 beef quota, which has already opened and is underway. Clients with beef entries under this quota should ask us to confirm how their specific entries were processed. No action is needed on this notice itself since its opening date has passed.
- General NoticeCSMS #67236626
CBP published 2026 due dates for Periodic Monthly Statement duty payments
CBP announced that ACE filers approved for Periodic Monthly Statement (PMS) can pay duties for shipments entered or released the prior calendar month. CBP posted the specific 2026 due dates in an attached PDF. This applies to importers who use PMS to pay duties on a monthly cycle rather than per entry.
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This message concerns the payment calendar for clients enrolled in Periodic Monthly Statement. It set the 2026 due dates and, as a routine reference schedule, still applies unless a later CBP message changed it. Clients who use PMS do not need to take any action beyond following the posted dates. Clients who want to confirm their specific due dates should ask Allied to review their entries.
CBP Added Notify Parties Feature to ACE Portal in January 2026
CBP announced that on January 2, 2026 it enhanced the ACE Secure Data Portal to let importers who are Trade Account Owners add notify parties, also called Special Address Notification (CBP Form 4811) notify parties, under the Notify Parties tab in the Importer sub-account view.
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This was an optional ACE Portal feature for importers who manage their own Trade Account Owner sub-account, not a filing requirement. It did not change how we file entries for clients. Clients who want to add notify parties in their own ACE Portal account can do so, but they do not need to take any action with us because of this change.
- General NoticeCSMS #67158887
CBP set Dec 24 and 26, 2025 as holidays, delaying payment due dates
CBP announced that December 24 and 26, 2025 became federal holidays under a presidential executive order, joining December 25 as CBP holidays. Entry summaries with a statement print date of December 24 or 26, 2025 still printed on those days, but payment was not due until December 29, 2025. ABI filers could change the payment print date to December 29, 2025 for previously transmitted summaries at their discretion.
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This notice only affected payment timing for entry summaries around the December 2025 holidays and that period has passed. It does not affect any entries we file today. Clients do not need to take any action on this now.
Air manifest: Declared Value and Currency Code became conditional for express bills
CBP announced that an update to the ACE air manifest (CAMIR) was available for testing in the CERT environment. The update made the Declared Value and ISO Currency Code fields conditional, and required for an express bill. CBP updated the ACE AIR CAMIR Message Line Identifiers Implementation Guide and said the change would reach Production on January 6, 2026.
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This message concerned air carriers and express consignment operators that transmit air manifests to ACE, not the entries importers file. Later CSMS messages may have changed these manifest rules. Clients do not need to act, but should ask us if they have questions about their air shipments.
CBP held ACE maintenance window in December 2025
CBP announced a scheduled ACE Production Standard Invasive Maintenance window from 10:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, December 20, 2025, to 4:00 a.m. ET on Sunday, December 21, 2025. This maintenance affected ACE system availability during that overnight period.
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This was a routine, time-limited maintenance notice and has already passed. It required no action from clients at the time and has no ongoing effect on entries we file today.
- EnforcementCSMS #67144922
CBP held FY26 webinars on reporting trade violations and EAPA allegations
CBP announced a quarterly webinar series for fiscal year 2026 on how to report suspected trade violations and file Enforce and Protect Act (EAPA) allegations. The first webinars were held on January 13 and 15, 2026, and required free registration in advance. The webinars were open to anyone, not just brokers or importers.
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This notice concerned outreach on reporting trade violations and EAPA allegations, not entry filing requirements. The webinar dates have passed, so no action is needed now. Clients who want to report a suspected trade violation or file an EAPA allegation should contact CBP directly or ask us for guidance on their specific situation.
CBP detained Serbian-made Linglong tires over forced labor evidence
CBP announced a Withhold Release Order against automobile tires manufactured in Serbia by Linglong International Europe D.O.O. Zrenjanin, citing evidence of forced labor under 19 U.S.C. 1307. The order took effect immediately in December 2025, directing CBP officers at all U.S. ports to detain shipments of these tires. Importers of detained shipments could seek to destroy or export the goods, or try to show the merchandise was not made with forced labor.
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This WRO affects any entries Allied files that include automobile tires from this Serbian manufacturer. We have no information showing this order has been lifted or replaced, so clients with shipments from this producer should ask Allied to review their entries before filing. If a shipment is detained, clients need to decide with Allied whether to pursue destruction, export, or evidence showing no forced labor was involved.
- TariffCSMS #67133044
CBP detailed new Reciprocal tariff rates for Swiss and Liechtenstein goods
CBP announced that, under a framework agreement, Reciprocal tariffs on covered products of Switzerland and Liechtenstein changed effective November 14, 2025. Products with a Column 1 rate of 15 percent or higher paid no additional Reciprocal tariff, while lower-rate products paid a combined 15 percent rate under new HTSUS headings. CBP also listed new exemptions for certain agricultural goods, natural resources, generic pharmaceuticals and civil aircraft articles, and told filers to correct prior entries by post summary correction or protest.
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This message set duty rates and HTSUS headings for Swiss and Liechtenstein goods that Allied used at the time it was in effect. The Reciprocal tariffs it describes were IEEPA duties, and CBP ended all such duties on February 20, 2026, later moving refunds to CAPE Declarations in the ACE Portal instead of post summary corrections or protests. Clients with entries affected by this notice should ask Allied to review whether a CAPE Declaration or other later CBP guidance applies to their filings.
CBP expanded ACE Portal access for refund authorization in December 2025
CBP announced on December 16, 2025 that it enhanced the ACE Portal to give more account users access to the ACH Refund Authorization tab under the Importer sub-account view. CBP held a deployment support call on December 17, 2025 to explain the change and answer questions. The notice pointed users to an information notice for more detail.
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This update affected how importer account users see and manage refund authorization settings in the ACE Portal, not how we file entries. Later CSMS messages may have changed portal access or refund procedures since December 2025, so clients should ask us about the current process for their entries. Clients do not need to take any action based on this message alone.
CBP added new seal-related codes to ocean and rail import manifest guidance
CBP announced updates to the ACE Ocean/Rail Import Manifest Appendix D document, adding two new disposition codes, D2 for a seal added and D3 for a seal deleted, for a future system enhancement. The message stated a separate CSMS would follow with release dates for Certification and Production. It did not set an effective date for the new codes.
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This notice concerns how CBP's manifest system reports container seal changes to carriers and filers, not entry filing itself. It does not change any duty, entry, or documentation requirement for our clients. Clients do not need to take any action on this item.
CBP added carnet reference codes to ACE truck manifest messages
CBP announced updates to ACE truck manifest implementation guides to add new codes for Carnets, including a Bill of Lading Type code, Carnet Number and Carnet Expiration reference qualifiers, and related error codes. The changes let filers submit a Carnet number and expiration date in the Import Truck Manifest to improve processing at ports of entry. CBP said trade parties and software developers using EDI must update their systems, and that Certification and Production dates would be announced in a future CSMS.
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This message concerns EDI formatting for truck carriers and software providers, not the entries we file for importers. We do not manage truck manifest EDI transmissions, so this update does not change how we process client entries. Clients do not need to act, and a later CSMS may have set the actual effective dates, so ask us if you have a specific carnet shipment question.
- QuotaCSMS #67105958
CBP published Quota Bulletin 26-107 for 2026 US-Colombia TPA quotas
CBP announced that Quota Bulletin 26-107 for the 2026 United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement was published on its website. The quota period runs from January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026, with an opening date of January 2, 2026. Entries submitted after 12:01 a.m. local port time and before 8:30 a.m. ET on the opening date received an 8:30 a.m. entry time. If any HTSUS group exceeded its limit at 8:30 a.m. ET, CBP prorated all accepted entries.
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This was a routine quota bulletin, and the 2026 quota period is still open until December 31, 2026. Clients do not need to act, but importers of Colombian goods under quota should ask us to check quota status for their entries.
- QuotaCSMS #67082755
CBP published 2026 tuna quota bulletin with January opening procedures
CBP announced Quota Bulletin 26-212 for 2026 tuna and skipjack in airtight containers not over 7 kg, covering the quota period January 1 through December 31, 2026. The quota opened Friday, January 2, 2026 at noon Eastern Time, and CBP expected oversubscription, so it required importers to follow opening moment procedures under 19 CFR 132.12. Entry summaries could only be transmitted in ACE between 12:01 AM local port time and 12:00 PM ET on the opening day.
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This bulletin set the opening procedures for the 2026 tuna quota, and the opening date of January 2, 2026 has already passed. The quota period itself runs through December 31, 2026, so the underlying quota category may still be active, but the specific opening moment filing window described here no longer applies. Clients with tuna entries this year should ask us to confirm the current quota status and how their entries were processed.
The summaries and positions are general information, not legal advice. Always check the official CBP message, which each page links to.
Does a change affect your entries?
Call (908) 291-8001 or email info@alliedchb.com