| 1. Who is the Exporter?
2. What is a Shipment?
3. Who is the Ultimate Consignee?
4. Who is the Intermediate Consignee?
5. What does a freight forwarder do?
6. What is the Schedule B number?
7. How do I get my Schedule B number?
8. What is the SED, and why must I fill it out?
9. I know that SEDs are required for shipments
to foreign countries (see exemption). Are they
required for any other destinations?
10. Do I have to fill out separate SEDs for each
box or invoice included in my shipment?
11. What is the Exporter (U.S. principal party
in interest) Identification Number (EIN), and
where do I get it?
12.
What is a Carnet?
...................................................................................................................................
1. Who is the exporter?
For purposes of completing the SED, the exporter
(U.S. principal party in interest) is the U.S.
seller or U.S. principal party in interest in
the export transaction. The U.S. principal party
in interest is the person in the United States
that receives the primary benefit, monetary or
otherwise, of the transaction.
2. What
is a shipment?
A shipment is all merchandise being sent from
one exporter (U.S. principal party in interest)
to one consignee in a single country of destination
on a single carrier. A single carrier is an individual
vessel, plane, truck, or rail car, not a steamship
line or airline. For overland exports the Customs
Director may accept a single declaration for multiple
car shipments moving under a single bill of lading
and cleared simultaneously.
3. Who
is the ultimate consignee?
The ultimate consignee is the party actually receiving
the merchandise. The city and country are only
needed for the address. If a validated export
license is required, the ultimate consignee must
be the same as designated on the license.
4. Who
is the intermediate consignee?
The intermediate consignee is the party in a foreign
country who receives and then delivers the merchandise
to the ultimate consignee. The city and country
are only needed for the address. If a validated
export license is required the intermediate consignee
must be the same as designated on the license.
5. What
does a freight forwarder do?
The freight forwarder performs services that facilitate
the export of the goods. This includes arrangements
for the transportation and delivery to prepare
SEDs for shipments to foreign countries, the forwarder
must have a power of attorney or written authorization
from a principal party in interest, or the U.S.
principal party in interest must sign the authorization
on the paper SED.
6. What is the Schedule B number?
Schedule B is the Statistical Classification of
Domestic and Foreign Commodities Exported from
the United States. The Schedule B contains approximately
8,000 individual 10-digit commodity numbers covering
everything from live animals and fruit products
to computers and airplanes, including a distinction
between civilian and military airplanes. Every
item being exported falls under a particular Schedule
B number.
7. How
do I get my Schedule B number?
If you are exporting a wide variety of products,
you should search the Foreign Trade Division Web
site at: www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/ or
purchase a Schedule B from:
(Hard copy) U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO)
Washington,
DC 20040
Phone:
202-512-1800
(CD
ROM) U.S. Census Bureau
Washington,
DC 20233
Phone:
301-457-2227
For
specific commodity questions, you may call the
U.S. Census Bureau at
301-457-3047.
8. What
is the SED, and why must I fill it out?
The SED is a Commerce Department form that is
required by law (Chapter 9, Title 13, United States
Code) and regulation (Title 15, Code of Federal
Regulations, Part 30) to enable the Census Bureau
to compile the official U.S. exports statistics
and the Bureau of Export Administration (Commerce),
the U.S. Customs Service, the Department of State,
and other U.S Government agencies to enforce U.S.
laws relating to exporting.
9. I
know that SEDs are required for shipments to foreign
countries (see exemption). Are they required for
any other destinations?
Yes. SEDs are required for shipments between the
United States and Puerto Rico as well as from
the United States and Puerto Rico to the Virgin
Islands of the United States.
10. Do
I have to fill out separate SEDs for each box
or invoice included in my shipment?
No. A single SED is all that is required for the
entire shipment. Exporters participating in AES
have the option of providing information at the
invoice or shipment level.
11. What
is the Exporter (U.S. principal party in interest)
Identification Number (EIN), and where do I get
it?
This is the same number the exporter reports on
the Employer?s Quarterly Federal Tax Return, Treasurer
Form 941. The accounting department should provide
this number. Individuals who do not have an EIN
should report Social Security Number (SSN). AES
will provide exporters (U.S. principal parties
in interest) the option of using their Dun and
Bradstreet number (DUNS) as their identifier.
However, AES also require that the EIN or SSN
be on file. Note: a foreign national operating
under the conditions of No. 4 above may use the
DUNS number, border crossing number, passport
number, or any other assign by U.S. Customs.
12. What
is a Carnet?
A Carnet is an international customs document
used for temporary (less than 1 year) duty-free
exports. It is currently honored in 75 countries.
Items entered under Carnet are not to be sold.
For more information contact the U.S. Council
of International Business at 1-800-538-8937.
The
posted information was provided by:
Foreign
Trade Division
Shipper's Export Declaration Requirements
US Census Bureau
For
further assistance please direct your questions
to 301-457-2238 or visit the following website
at www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/ |
