How to Fax Import/Export Declarations to Customs Agencies
Import and export declarations describe goods crossing a border, their value, origin, and the parties to the transaction so customs authorities can assess duties and enforce trade rules. Customs brokers and freight forwarders fax declaration documents when working with CBP field offices, submitting amendments to electronic entries, and dealing with foreign customs authorities where fax is still the standard interface. The timestamp counts in international trade because a held shipment runs up demurrage and storage costs fast while it waits on documentation. U.S. import entries flow through ACE electronically, but fax still handles protests, amendments, and certain CBP communications, with EAR and ITAR violations carrying penalties up to $1 million per violation.
How to Fax a Import/Export Declarations
- 1Identify the correct declaration form: CBP Form 7501 (Entry Summary) for U.S. imports, Electronic Export Information (EEI) filed through AES for exports, or the equivalent form for the destination country's customs authority
- 2Complete the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) codes at the required digit level — 10-digit for U.S. imports, 10-digit Schedule B for U.S. exports — and confirm classification against the applicable tariff schedule
- 3Include the exporter/importer of record's tax identification, the consignee information, country of origin, and a complete commodity description sufficient for duty assessment
- 4Attach the commercial invoice, packing list, and any required permits or licenses (CITES certificates for wildlife products, export licenses for controlled technology, phytosanitary certificates for agricultural goods)
- 5For export declarations involving controlled goods, include the applicable Export Control Classification Number (ECCN) and the license or license exception that authorizes the export
- 6Log in to Send FAX Mail, upload the complete declaration package, and fax to the relevant customs authority or customs broker fax number; save the delivery confirmation as part of the shipment compliance record
Document Format
HTS/Schedule B codes must be written at the required digit level without spaces or hyphens in the entry field. Country of origin must be stated as the country where the goods were substantially transformed, not necessarily where they were shipped from. Declared values on the commercial invoice must match the values on the entry summary — discrepancies trigger CBP examination. For controlled exports, EAR or ITAR markings must appear on the declaration per applicable regulations.
Legal Considerations
U.S. export declarations are required for shipments valued over $2,500 per Schedule B commodity to most destinations, and for all shipments requiring an export license — violations of EAR (15 CFR Parts 730-774) or ITAR (22 CFR Parts 120-130) carry criminal penalties up to $1 million per violation and 20 years imprisonment. Import declaration accuracy is governed by 19 U.S.C. § 1592, which imposes civil penalties for negligent, grossly negligent, or fraudulent misstatements up to four times the unpaid duties or the domestic value of the merchandise. CBP requires import records to be retained for five years from the date of entry.
Industries That Fax This Document
What’s current · as of August 2026
Recent updates
Federal agencies still write fax into new rules and notices
The Federal Register — the daily journal of U.S. federal rulemaking — regularly publishes rules and notices that reference fax as an accepted or required submission channel for filings with agencies like the IRS, SSA, and CMS. That is why fax remains a live requirement for many official forms even as electronic portals expand.
Federal Register →
Faxing a Import/Export Declarations — FAQ
CBP requires most formal import entries to be filed electronically through the Automated Commercial Environment. Fax handles specific post-entry actions like protests, amendments, extensions, and some field office communications. Your licensed customs broker will confirm which method applies to your situation.
Filing incorrect or late Electronic Export Information through AES breaks the Foreign Trade Regulations and can bring civil penalties of $10,000 per violation. For controlled goods, errors can trigger export control enforcement by the Bureau of Industry and Security or the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls.
EEI generally must be filed through AES at least two hours before departure for air shipments and two hours before loading for vessels. For any faxed supplemental documents, Send FAX Mail's delivery confirmation timestamps when the customs authority or broker received them, which helps show you met advance filing requirements.
Teams faxing several declaration packages a week usually need the Professional plan at $39.99/month for 2,000 pages. Every plan includes delivery confirmation on each transmission and free number selection, and if your filing volume outgrows a plan's page allowance you move up to a higher tier rather than paying per page — useful for the five-year recordkeeping CBP requires.
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