ISF Filing (10+2)
Same-day Importer Security Filing. Guaranteed.
The Importer Security Filing (ISF), commonly called "10+2," must be filed with CBP no later than 24 hours before cargo is laden aboard a vessel destined for the United States. Late or inaccurate ISF filings can result in liquidated damages of $5,000 per violation, cargo holds, and intensive examinations. We guarantee same-day ISF filing: the exact same day we receive your documents. For the full rules and deadlines, read our ISF filing guide.
What ISF filings does Allied CHB file?
Allied CHB is a licensed U.S. customs broker (CBP filer code 9AJ). We file ISF for ocean cargo arriving at every U.S. seaport. The filing type depends on where the goods go after the vessel arrives.
| Filing | When you need it | Data we send to CBP | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISF-10 | Goods that you will enter into the United States (consumption, warehouse or in-bond to an inland port) | 10 importer data elements and the house or regular bill of lading number | 24 hours before lading at the foreign port (2 elements: 24 hours before U.S. arrival) |
| ISF-5 (IE or T&E) | Goods that move through a U.S. port in-bond for immediate exportation (IE) or transportation and exportation (T&E) | Booking party, foreign port of unlading, place of delivery, ship-to party, 6-digit HTS number | 24 hours before lading at the foreign port |
| ISF-5 (FROB) | Foreign cargo that remains on board the vessel during a U.S. port call. The carrier or NVOCC is the ISF Importer; we file as its agent. | The same 5 elements | Before lading at the foreign port |
The 10 Data Elements
The ISF requires 10 data elements from the importer: seller, buyer, importer of record number, consignee number, manufacturer (or supplier), ship-to party, country of origin, HTS number (6-digit), container stuffing location, and consolidator. We collect, validate, and transmit these elements accurately and on time, every time. CBP lets you send container stuffing location and consolidator later, up to 24 hours before the vessel arrives in the United States (19 CFR 149.2(b)(3)).
What do I send you to file ISF?
Send the documents to info@alliedchb.com as soon as your supplier books the shipment. Commercial documents from the supplier and the booking details from the forwarder are enough. You do not need the final invoice.
- Commercial invoice or proforma invoice, and the packing list
- Seller and buyer: names and addresses (if there is no sale, the owner of the goods)
- Manufacturer or supplier name and address for each product
- Importer of record number (IRS number, EIN, SSN or CBP-assigned number) and consignee number
- Ship-to party: the first address that receives the goods after CBP releases them
- Product descriptions and country of origin (we classify the HTS number if you do not have it)
- House or regular bill of lading number from the forwarder or carrier (not the master bill)
- Container stuffing location and consolidator (the forwarder usually gives these after loading)
- Your bond details, or a request for a bond
How does same-day ISF filing work?
- 1. Sign the customs power of attorney online. CBP requires the filing agent to keep it on file (19 CFR 149.5(c)).
- 2. Email the shipment documents. We check each element against the invoice and the booking.
- 3. We classify each product to at least 6 HTS digits and link the manufacturer and country of origin to each line.
- 4. We transmit the ISF to CBP through ABI the same day we receive the documents.
- 5. We send you the ISF transaction number from CBP and confirm that the ISF matches the bill of lading.
- 6. We update the ISF when the forwarder confirms the stuffing location, the consolidator or a new bill number.
ISF Amendments & Flexibility
CBP requires an ISF update whenever the data changes before the goods arrive in a U.S. port (19 CFR 149.2(d)). If your supplier changes, the bill of lading is updated, or the HTS number needs refinement, we handle the amendments promptly to keep your ISF compliant throughout the voyage. If goods are sold on the water, we update the buyer and other changed fields. If you cancel the shipment, we withdraw the ISF and give CBP the reason, as 19 CFR 149.2(e) requires.
Do I need a customs bond for ISF?
Yes, for commercial shipments. The ISF must be secured by a bond (19 CFR 149.5(b)). A continuous import bond (activity code 1) already covers your ISF filings. Without one, the ISF can use a stand-alone ISF bond, activity code 16. If you import more than once, compare the cost with a continuous bond in our customs bond calculator. We arrange the bond through our customs bond service.
What if the vessel already sailed without an ISF?
Send us the documents at once. A late ISF is still required: CBP withholds release of the cargo until it receives the ISF and can review the shipment. The ISF Importer can receive a claim for $5,000 in liquidated damages for a late ISF. A filing sent before arrival gives CBP time to review the cargo before the vessel docks.
"We guarantee Importer Security Filings are filed the exact same day we receive the documents. No exceptions."
- Same-day ISF filing guaranteed
- All 10 importer data elements validated before transmission
- Timely amendments for changes during voyage
- Penalty avoidance: $5,000 per late/inaccurate filing
- ISF-5 filings for FROB, IE and T&E cargo
- Customs entry and in-bond filing for the same shipment when you need it
After the ISF, the same team can clear the shipment on arrival through our ocean freight clearance service, or move it inland with an in-bond.
Questions about our ISF filing service
How fast do you file the ISF?
We file the ISF the same day we receive your documents. This is our guarantee. The legal deadline for most elements is 24 hours before the cargo is loaded on the vessel at the foreign port, so send the documents as soon as the supplier books the shipment. Late documents shorten the time we have to fix missing data.
Can you file the ISF if another broker clears the entry?
Yes. CBP lets the ISF Importer use one agent for the ISF and a different broker for the customs entry (except for a unified ISF and entry filing). We then send the ISF transaction number and the bill of lading match to you and to your entry broker. Many importers use one broker for both filings, because the same data feeds the entry.
My forwarder offers to file the ISF. Should I let them?
The forwarder can file as your agent. But you, as the ISF Importer, stay liable for a late or inaccurate ISF. Ask who checks the HTS numbers and the manufacturer data, and who updates the filing before arrival. We validate each element against your invoice before we transmit it.
Do you file ISF for LCL and consolidated containers?
Yes. For consolidated freight, CBP needs the ISF at the lowest bill of lading level, which is usually the house bill from the NVOCC. We file with the house bill number and not the master bill. Then we check that CBP matched the ISF to the bill that the NVOCC sent.
Do I need an ISF for air freight or truck shipments?
No. The ISF applies only to cargo that arrives in the United States by vessel. Air cargo and truck cargo have other advance data rules that the carrier handles. If a vessel bound for Canada or Mexico calls at a U.S. port on the way, the cargo is FROB and needs an ISF-5.
What does ISF filing cost?
Quote on request. The price depends on the number of shipments, the number of product lines and whether we also file the customs entry and the bond. Email the shipment details to info@alliedchb.com or call (908) 291-8001 for a quote.