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What changed at U.S. Customs?
Every message from the CBP Cargo Systems Messaging Service (CSMS), with a plain-English summary and Allied CHB's position. We add new messages every hour.
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CBP held ACE maintenance window in March 2026, now past
CBP announced ACE production standard invasive maintenance from 10:00 p.m. ET Saturday, March 14, 2026 to 4:00 a.m. ET Sunday, March 15, 2026. This maintenance has already occurred. The message did not describe which specific ACE functions were affected.
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This was a routine, time-limited ACE maintenance window that has already passed. It required no action from clients at the time and has no ongoing effect on entries we file now. Clients do not need to do anything about this message.
CBP held ACE maintenance window on March 11, 2026 (historical notice)
CBP announced an ACE certification standard invasive maintenance window on March 11, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET. This is a past, routine system maintenance notice with no ongoing effect. It applied to the ACE certification environment on that date only.
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This was a routine ACE certification environment maintenance notice from March 2026 and has no bearing on current filings. Clients do not need to take any action regarding this notice today. If clients have questions about current ACE availability or filing issues, they should contact us directly.
CBP updated PGA Appendix document for FDA, DEA and NHTSA/NMFS codes
CBP announced updates to the Appendix Partner Government Agency document on its CATAIR webpage. The changes covered FDA Affirmation of Compliance codes for tobacco, a new DEA agency program code for encapsulating machines, and corrections to NHTSA and NMFS program codes. CBP said filers should review the Appendix PGA table of changes for details.
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This is a technical update to PGA data element codes used in ACE filings for FDA, DEA, NHTSA and NMFS shipments. We apply the updated codes when we file entries that require these PGA disclosures. Clients importing tobacco products, encapsulating machines, or NHTSA or NMFS regulated goods should ask us to confirm the correct codes are used on their entries.
CBP added ATA Carnet data fields to ACE truck manifest filings in March 2026
CBP announced that on March 24, 2026 it enhanced the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) to let trade users include ATA Carnet information in electronic truck manifest filings. The update involved electronic data interchange (EDI) changes. CBP referred filers to an attached information notice for details.
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This was a system enhancement for truck manifest filers and did not require action from importers or shippers. It concerned how carrier and broker EDI systems transmit carnet data to CBP, not the goods or duties on an entry. Clients do not need to act on this notice; if a specific truck shipment involving an ATA Carnet needs review, ask Allied about that entry.
CBP Added Automated Container Seal Change Alerts to ACE Manifest System
CBP announced it deployed updates to the ACE Certification environment that let the system automatically notify carriers via EDI when CBP personnel add or remove container seals on ocean and rail shipments. The update introduced new disposition codes to support this. CBP said the enhancement would move to the ACE Production environment on April 9, 2026.
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This is a carrier and EDI system update, not a change to the entries we file for clients. The update took effect in production on April 9, 2026, so ocean and rail carriers should now receive automated seal change notices through ACE. Clients do not need to take any action.
CBP ran ACE maintenance overnight on March 7-8, 2026
CBP announced ACE production standard invasive maintenance from 10:00 p.m. ET Saturday, March 7, 2026, to 4:00 a.m. ET Sunday, March 8, 2026. The message did not describe which ACE functions would be affected. This was a routine, one-time system maintenance window.
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This maintenance window has passed and required no action from clients at the time. It does not affect entries filed today. Clients do not need to do anything about this notice now.
CBP Held ACE Certification Maintenance Window on March 4, 2026
CBP announced an ACE certification standard invasive maintenance window on March 4, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET. The notice did not describe which ACE certification functions were affected or give further detail.
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This was a routine, one time maintenance window for the ACE certification environment and has no ongoing effect on entries we file today. Clients did not need to take any action at the time and do not need to do anything now.
CBP made electronic ocean manifest filing mandatory for U.S. Virgin Islands ports
CBP announced that electronic submission of ocean cargo manifests through ACE became mandatory for all U.S. Virgin Islands ports of entry (St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. John) starting March 7, 2026. The requirement applied to carriers, importing carriers, vessel agents, brokers, importers and freight forwarders. Non-automated manifest submissions were no longer permitted once the mandatory implementation took effect, though CBP allowed a limited transition period with enforcement discretion.
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This notice concerned ocean carrier manifest filing, not the customs entries we file for clients. We note the correct USVI port codes when we process shipments moving through St. Thomas, St. Croix or St. John. Clients do not need to take any action, since carriers and their IT vendors handle the ACE manifest submission directly with CBP.
CBP held ACE maintenance window in late February 2026
CBP announced ACE production standard invasive maintenance from 10:00 p.m. ET on February 28, 2026 to 4:00 a.m. ET on March 1, 2026. This affected ACE availability for filers during that overnight window.
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This was a routine overnight maintenance window that has already passed. It required no action from clients then and has no bearing on entries today.
CBP held ACE certification test system maintenance in February 2026
CBP announced a scheduled maintenance window for the ACE certification standard invasive environment on February 25, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET. The message did not describe any effect on production ACE filings.
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This notice covered a test environment maintenance window and did not affect entries we file for clients. It required no action from importers or shippers at the time and has no bearing on current entries.
CBP Replaced ACE IDs With FAST IDs For Truck EDI Filings
CBP announced that effective February 24, 2026, the ACE Truck environment began using FAST IDs instead of ACE IDs as the standard identifier for FAST ID transmissions via ACE EDI. The ACE ID method for this purpose was retired. This affected truck carriers submitting FAST ID information through ACE EDI. CBP told users with questions to contact Cargo Control and Release or their client representative.
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This change concerns truck carriers who submit FAST ID data through ACE EDI, not the customs entries we file for importers. Because CBP made this a permanent identifier change, it still applies today. Clients do not need to act. Carriers still using FAST ID services should register or manage their ID through the Trusted Traveler Program website.
CBP updated FTZ CATAIR document for FT40 record processing
CBP announced an update to the Foreign Trade Zone CATAIR document on its website. The change affected the FT40 (Record Processing) chapter, updating the FT record number for Country of Export and Foreign Load Port descriptions. The update was a technical documentation change for ACE system filers.
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This update concerned technical FTZ data specifications in ACE, not the entries Allied files, since Allied does not operate or manage foreign trade zones. Clients who use FTZs should confirm with their FTZ operator or software provider that this record update was applied correctly. Clients do not need to take any action with Allied on this notice.
CBP held ACE maintenance window in February 2026, now past
CBP announced a scheduled ACE Production Standard invasive maintenance from 10:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, February 21, 2026 to 4:00 a.m. ET on Sunday, February 22, 2026. This was a routine system maintenance notice with no other details provided. The window has since passed.
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This was a routine, time-limited maintenance window that has already passed. It did not require any action from clients at the time and has no bearing on entries filed today.
CBP held ACE test system maintenance on February 18, 2026
CBP announced a maintenance window for the ACE Certification (test) environment on February 18, 2026, from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm ET. This was an invasive maintenance window, meaning the test system was unavailable during that time. The notice did not affect the live ACE production system.
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This notice concerned the ACE test environment only, not the production system Allied uses to file live entries. It is now well past the maintenance window, so it has no ongoing effect. Clients did not need to take any action then and do not need to now.
CBP added duty checks in ACE for entries with up to 32 HTS codes per line
CBP announced that on February 17, 2026 it deployed an ACE enhancement that validates filer-provided duty amounts on entry summary lines listing up to 32 HTS codes. When a filer's duty amount does not match CBP's calculation, ACE returns condition code 624 for a line mismatch or 627 for a total mismatch. The message directed technical questions to CBP client representatives and other questions to CBP's ESAR email address.
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This is a system level change to how CBP validates entry summary duty amounts, and it concerns the filing process rather than importer action. We account for these mismatch codes when we prepare and transmit entry summaries with multiple HTS codes per line. Clients do not need to do anything because of this message, but if a specific entry shows a duty discrepancy, clients should ask us to review it.
CBP added carnet number fields to truck import manifests in ACE
CBP announced it updated ACE truck manifest systems to let filers submit a Carnet number and expiration date. The update added new codes for Carnet in the ANSI X12 and EDIFACT truck manifest formats, plus two new error codes for missing or invalid carnet data. CBP said it planned to deploy the changes to production on March 24, 2026. The change affects software developers and trade filers who submit truck manifests by EDI.
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This was a technical update to CBP's manifest system for truck carriers and their EDI software providers, not a change to entry or duty rules. Since the deployment date has passed, we expect these carnet fields and error codes are now active in production for truck manifest filings. Clients do not need to take any action on this notice; if a shipment involves a carnet, clients should ask us to confirm how it was reported.
CBP held support call on electronic ACH refunds and new ACE notify party feature
CBP announced that since February 6, 2026 it issues nearly all refunds electronically via ACH, following a rule published January 2, 2026. CBP also added a feature in the ACE Portal for importers to add notify parties. This message reminded the trade community of a support call held on February 11, 2026 to answer questions on the transition.
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This message covered CBP's move to electronic ACH refunds and a new ACE Portal notify party feature, and the call it describes already took place. If a client has not confirmed ACH refund enrollment in the ACE Portal, we recommend checking that setup, since it affects how CBP-issued refunds, including duty refunds, reach the importer. Ask us if you want help confirming your ACE Portal refund and notify party settings on entries we file.
CBP added a new ACE report to track Section 232 auto import adjustment offsets
CBP announced a new ACE Reports tool, TR-015 Section 232 Auto Credit, for importers and brokers with an ACE role. It shows entries filed with an offset license number for Section 232 duty offsets on automobile parts. The report helps track offset amounts claimed against limits set by the Department of Commerce.
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This report is a tracking tool for clients who use Section 232 auto parts offset licenses. It does not change any duty rate or filing requirement, and Allied does not need to take new action because of it. Clients who use these offsets should ask Allied to review their entries if they want help monitoring their license balances.
CBP held ACE maintenance on February 7-8, 2026 (historical notice)
CBP announced ACE production standard invasive maintenance from 10:00 p.m. ET Saturday, February 7, 2026 to 4:00 a.m. ET Sunday, February 8, 2026. This affected system availability for filers using ACE during that window. The notice did not describe further impacts beyond the maintenance schedule.
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This was a routine, time limited ACE maintenance window that has already passed. It did not require any action from clients then and has no bearing on entries filed today. Clients do not need to do anything about this notice now.
CBP Updated Draft ACE CATAIR for Air Waybill Minimum Length
CBP posted an updated ACE Cargo Release CATAIR document. It set a minimum of 7 characters for the Air Master Bill of Lading under SE15 Note 1. CBP said the related validation rule (rule 029) would deploy no earlier than March 5, 2026.
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This update concerns the technical data format used to transmit the Air Master Bill of Lading through ABI. It affects how we format air waybill data on the entries we file, not what importers must submit. Clients do not need to act on this; contact us if you have questions about a specific air shipment entry.
CBP fixed a time-out error in ACE Reports
CBP announced that it deployed an update on January 29, 2026 to fix a rise in 524 time-out errors that some users saw when running ACE Reports. CBP said the issue was limited to running reports and did not affect trade operations. Users who still see time-out or other errors can contact the ACE Help Desk or the ACE Reports team.
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This issue affected only the ACE Reports tool, not entry filing or cargo release, so it did not change how we processed client entries. No client action was needed then, and none is needed now. Clients with current ACE Reports issues should contact the CBP ACE Help Desk directly.
ACE production maintenance scheduled overnight January 31 to February 1, 2026
CBP announced standard invasive maintenance on the ACE production system. The window ran from 10:00 p.m. ET Saturday, January 31, 2026, to 4:00 a.m. ET Sunday, February 1, 2026.
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This was a routine overnight maintenance window that has already passed. Clients did not need to act then and do not need to act now.
CBP held a brief maintenance window for the ACE certification test environment
CBP announced an invasive maintenance window for the ACE Certification environment, scheduled from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET. The message did not describe the maintenance date consistently, so filers should treat the notice as stating a window in that time period. This affected the ACE certification (test) environment, not necessarily live production filing.
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This notice concerned a maintenance window for the ACE certification environment, which relates to system testing rather than day to day entry filing. It did not require any action from importers or shippers, and it is long past. Clients do not need to do anything about this notice now.
CBP resolved January ACE EDI slowdown affecting Air and Entry Summary filings
CBP announced it completed troubleshooting network connections that had slowed EDI message processing for the ACE application. CBP confirmed EDI processing resumed and ACE portal applications were functioning properly, with the system continuing to process a backlog of transactions until complete. This message was published January 24, 2026.
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This was a temporary system outage notice from January 2026 and CBP reported it as resolved at the time. It required no action from clients then and has no bearing on entries filed today. If clients see unrelated filing issues now, they should contact us so we can review the specific entry.
CBP announced mandatory electronic refunds via ACH starting February 2026
CBP announced that beginning February 6, 2026, it would issue all CBP refunds electronically through ACH, with limited exceptions, under an interim final rule. CBP also improved the ACH refund sign up process in ACE and added a feature to add notify parties in the ACE Portal. CBP held a support call on January 28, 2026 to help the trade community prepare for the transition.
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This message is over eight months old. Later CSMS messages may have changed or clarified how CBP issues refunds, so clients should ask us about the current status of any refunds tied to their entries. At the time, the notice meant importers needed to enroll for ACH to receive CBP refunds after February 5, 2026.
CBP reported slow processing in ACE Air and Entry Summary EDI
CBP announced network issues causing slow processing in ACE Air EDI and ACE Entry Summary EDI. CBP said it was working to fix the issue and would send an update once resolved. The message did not name a cause or give a timeline.
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At the time, this meant filers could see delays transmitting air cargo and entry summary data through ACE. CBP has likely resolved this issue since the message is over eight months old, and later CSMS messages may have provided updates. Clients do not need to act, but they can ask Allied to confirm the status of any specific entry from that period.
CBP reported ACE slow processing issues affecting Air and Entry Summary EDI in January 2026
CBP announced continuing network issues causing slow processing in ACE for Air EDI and Entry Summary EDI. CBP asked the trade not to resend transmissions, stating initial transmissions would still be processed. CBP warned that resending transmissions would cause additional delays. The message did not give a timeline for resolution.
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This was a temporary system slowdown CBP reported in January 2026. It does not describe a current issue, and later CBP messages may have addressed it. Clients do not need to act now, but if they have questions about delayed filings from that period, they should ask Allied to review the affected entries.
CBP resolved brief ACE EDI slowdown from January 2026 maintenance
CBP announced a network restart between 8:00pm and 9:00pm EST that caused temporary delays in processing incoming EDI messages for ACE Air and Entry Summary. CBP asked users not to refile messages that received no response during the window, since those would process once the connection was restored. Users could also see slowness in ACE Portal applications during that time. This affected importers, brokers and carriers filing through ACE that evening.
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This was a routine, one-time maintenance window from January 2026 and has already passed. It did not change any filing requirements or deadlines. Clients do not need to take any action regarding this notice.
CBP held ACE maintenance window in late January 2026
CBP announced a scheduled ACE Production Standard Invasive maintenance window from 10:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 24, 2026, to 4:00 a.m. ET on Sunday, January 25, 2026. This was a routine system maintenance notice with no other details provided. It affected ACE availability during that window only.
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This was a routine, time-limited ACE maintenance window that has long since passed. It did not change any filing rules or deadlines, and clients do not need to take any action regarding this notice now.
CBP held ACE maintenance window on January 21, 2026 (history)
CBP announced an ACE Certification Standard invasive maintenance window on January 21, 2026, from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm ET. This was a routine system maintenance notice affecting the ACE Certification environment. The message did not describe any lasting change to filing rules.
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This was a routine, time-limited maintenance window in the ACE Certification test environment and has no ongoing effect on entries we file today. Clients did not need to take any action then, and no action is needed now regarding this notice.
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?
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