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Port of entry: Baltimore, Maryland

Customs broker for the Port of Baltimore

The Port of Baltimore is CBP port 1303 in the Baltimore Field Office. Allied CHB files entries for vehicles, Ro-Ro equipment, breakbulk and containers at port 1303 in ACE under filer code 9AJ.

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Port facts

What does CBP port 1303 cover?

CBP lists Baltimore, Maryland as port 1303. The CBP port office is in the Custom House at 40 South Gay Street. The Maryland Port Administration lists the public marine terminals below.
CBP port code
1303
Baltimore, Maryland
Airport code
1305
Baltimore-Washington International Airport (CBP Schedule D). The 1303 port page lists the Air Cargo Office at BWI.
CBP field office
Baltimore
Also 1101 Philadelphia, 1401 Norfolk-Newport News and 5401 Washington-Dulles
CBP port office
40 South Gay Street, Baltimore, MD 21202
Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm Eastern
Dundalk Marine Terminal
Ro-Ro, autos, breakbulk, containers
Also farm and construction equipment and project cargo, with direct rail access (Maryland Port Administration)
Seagirt Marine Terminal
Containers
Next to the Intermodal Container Transfer Facility (rail)
Other public terminals
Fairfield, North and South Locust Point
Autos at Fairfield, forest products and steel at North Locust Point, cruise at South Locust Point
General order
From day 15 after landing
Cargo without an entry goes to a general order warehouse at the importer's risk and expense (19 CFR 4.37).
FDA
Division of Northeast Imports
Dundalk Resident Post, Baltimore
USDA APHIS PPQ
Plant inspection station
Beltsville, Maryland
USFWS designated port
Yes
Baltimore, Maryland (50 CFR 14.12)

Which agencies check cargo at port 1303?

CBP releases the cargo. At Baltimore, vehicles and used equipment often need other agencies too: DOT and EPA for vehicles and engines, and USDA for soil on used machines.
Agencies at the Port of Baltimore (port 1303)
AgencyOffice for port 1303What it means for your cargo
CBPPort 1303, Baltimore Field Office, Custom HouseThe CBP port page lists separate contacts for Vehicles (Imports and Exports), Sea Cargo Operations, CES Trade and Agriculture Exams, the Trade Enforcement Team, the Entry Branch and Fines, Penalties and Forfeitures.
FDADivision of Northeast Imports, Dundalk Resident PostFood, drugs, medical devices and cosmetics. FDA lists ports 1303 (Baltimore) and 1305 (BWI Airport) under this office.
USDA APHIS and CBP agriculturePlant inspection station, Beltsville, MDUsed farm machinery must be free of soil. APHIS requires a foreign government certificate of steam cleaning for used farm equipment from a country affected with foot-and-mouth disease.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceDesignated port: Baltimore, MarylandBaltimore can receive wildlife shipments. The importer declares them to the Service on Form 3-177 (50 CFR 14.61).
DOT (NHTSA) and EPANo office at the port. The forms go with the entry.Each motor vehicle needs DOT Form HS-7 and EPA Form 3520-1. Nonroad and heavy-duty engines, also inside machines, need EPA Form 3520-21.

What arrives at Baltimore, and which rules matter most?

The Maryland Port Administration lists containers, autos, Ro-Ro farm and construction equipment, wood pulp, steel, breakbulk and project cargo at Dundalk. Each type has its own rules.

  • Cars and light trucks

    The entry for each car carries DOT Form HS-7 and EPA Form 3520-1. The DOT standards do not apply to a vehicle at least 25 years old, counted to the month (49 CFR 591.5(i)). A newer vehicle that does not conform must come through a registered importer with a DOT bond (49 CFR 591.5(f)). See vehicle import.

  • Duty on vehicles

    Section 232 duties apply to most imported cars and light trucks, with an exception for vehicles made 25 or more years before the year of entry. Other 2026 duties can still apply to old cars. See vehicle duty rates.

  • Construction and farm equipment

    Excavators, tractors and similar machines with a nonroad engine need EPA Form 3520-21. The engine needs an EPA emission label or an EPA exemption. Age alone does not help: EPA says the ancient engine exemption is no longer available. See machinery imports.

  • Heavy trucks and steel content

    Section 232 duties also apply to medium and heavy-duty trucks, and to many steel, aluminum and copper derivative products. Check the HTS number of a machine before you buy it. See Section 232 duties.

  • Ro-Ro and breakbulk ISF

    Ro-Ro and breakbulk cargo still needs an ISF. If CBP exempts the carrier's breakbulk cargo from the 24-hour loading rule, the ISF is due 24 hours before arrival (19 CFR 149.4(b)). Containers follow the 24-hour loading rule. See ISF filing.

  • Project cargo

    Large machines and plant parts often ship in crates on flat racks. Wood crates and skids must carry the ISPM 15 treatment mark (7 CFR 319.40-3). See project cargo.

What goes wrong at port 1303, and what should I do?

  • The vehicle is held for documents

    CBP needs the HS-7, the EPA form and the ownership documents, such as the foreign title or registration and the bill of sale. Send these before the vessel arrives. The terminal charges storage while the car waits.

  • Soil on a used machine

    CBP agriculture specialists inspect used equipment for soil. A dirty machine is not released until it is cleaned. The owner pays the cleaning costs (7 CFR 330.107). Have it washed, including tracks and buckets, before it ships.

  • The engine has no EPA label

    A used machine without an EPA emission label may not enter, unless an EPA exemption applies. Check the engine label and the EPA Form 3520-21 codes before you buy.

  • CBP orders an exam

    CBP can send a car, a machine or a container to a centralized examination station (CES), a private facility for CBP exams (19 CFR 118.1). The port page lists one CES contact for both trade and agriculture exams. The CES bills the importer (19 CFR 118.4).

  • No entry by day 15

    A car or machine without an entry by the 15th calendar day after landing goes to a general order warehouse (19 CFR 4.37). The owner pays the cartage and the storage there. Send the vehicle documents early.

How does Allied CHB file an entry at port 1303?

Allied CHB files entries remotely in ACE under filer code 9AJ at every U.S. port of entry. At Baltimore, we file the ISF, the entry and the DOT and EPA data for vehicles and machines, and we answer CBP. The terminal and your trucker handle the cargo.

Send the vehicle or machine documents before the vessel sails. We check them against the DOT and EPA rules first. For the first entry, sign the power of attorney online.

  • Bill of lading number and the vessel name

  • Commercial invoice or bill of sale, and packing list

  • For vehicles

    VIN, the original foreign title or registration, HS-7 box, EPA code, and photos of the labels.

  • For machines

    Make, model, serial number, engine data and a photo of the EPA emission label.

  • Importer of record number and a customs bond

    A formal entry needs a bond. See customs bonds.

  • A signed power of attorney

    One time, before the first entry.

Quote on request

How do I get a quote?

Tell us about the shipment. We reply with a quote and the list of documents that we need.

Request: Customs entry at the Port of Baltimore

Quote on request

Do not send an EIN, a Social Security number or a password in this form. We ask for them securely later.

Or call (908) 291-8001 or email info@alliedchb.com.

Questions

Questions about customs at the Port of Baltimore

What is the CBP port code for Baltimore?

1303. CBP lists Baltimore, Maryland as port 1303 in the Baltimore Field Office. The same field office also has ports 1101 Philadelphia, 1401 Norfolk-Newport News and 5401 Washington-Dulles.

How do I import a car through Baltimore?

Ship it on a Ro-Ro vessel or in a container. File the ISF. File the entry with DOT Form HS-7 and EPA Form 3520-1, and pay the duty. The car stays at the terminal until CBP releases it. Read how to import a car.

Can I import a used excavator or tractor through Baltimore?

Yes, if the engine meets the EPA rules and the machine is clean. File EPA Form 3520-21 for the engine. CBP agriculture specialists inspect used equipment for soil, and a dirty machine must be cleaned before release.

My car is under 25 years old. Can it enter at Baltimore?

Only if it conforms to the U.S. standards, or if a registered importer brings it into conformity under a DOT bond (49 CFR 591.5(f)). NHTSA must first find the model eligible. See vehicle eligibility.

Do I need a customs broker with an office in Baltimore?

No. Allied CHB works from Rahway, New Jersey. Under a national permit, a licensed broker can file at any U.S. port (19 CFR 111.19). We file the Baltimore entry in ACE, and the car or machine stays at the terminal until release.

My shipment lands at BWI Airport. Is that port 1303?

No. CBP Schedule D gives Baltimore-Washington International Airport its own code, 1305. The CBP port page for 1303 lists the Air Cargo Office at BWI, on the lower level of Pier E. Air cargo without an entry goes to general order from the 15th calendar day after landing (19 CFR 122.50).

Vehicle or machine arriving at Baltimore?

Send the bill of lading, the invoice and the vehicle or engine data. We file the ISF and the entry in ACE.

Call (908) 291-8001 or email info@alliedchb.com

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Last reviewed September 28, 2026. This page explains customs rules in general terms. It is not legal advice. Duty rates and CBP procedures change often, and we confirm the figures for your shipment in writing before you commit.

Sources