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Title 19

Displaying title 19, up to date as of 8/06/2026. Title 19 was last amended 7/24/2026.
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Import Requirements

§ 10.723 Filing of claim for preferential tariff treatment upon importation.

(a) Claim. An importer may make a claim for AFTA preferential tariff treatment, including an exemption from the merchandise processing fee, based on the importer's knowledge or information in the importer's possession that the good qualifies as an originating good. The claim is made by including on the entry summary, or equivalent documentation, the letters “AU” as a prefix to the subheading of the HTSUS under which each qualifying good is classified, or by the method specified for equivalent reporting via an authorized electronic data interchange system.

(b) Corrected claim. If, after making the claim required under paragraph (a) of this section, the importer becomes aware that the claim is invalid, the importer must promptly and voluntarily correct the claim and pay any duties that may be due. The importer must submit a statement either in writing or via an authorized electronic data interchange system to the CBP office where the original claim was filed specifying the correction (see §§ 10.746 and 10.747 of this subpart).

§ 10.724 Supporting statement.

(a) Contents. An importer who makes a claim under § 10.723(a) of this subpart must submit, at the request of the port director, a supporting statement setting forth the reasons that the good qualifies as an originating good, including pertinent cost and manufacturing data. A statement submitted to CBP under this paragraph:

(1) Need not be in a prescribed format but must be in writing or must be transmitted electronically pursuant to any electronic means authorized by CBP for that purpose;

(2) Must include the following information:

(i) The legal name, address, telephone, and email address of the importer of record of the good;

(ii) The legal name, address, telephone, and email address of the responsible official or authorized agent of the importer signing the supporting statement (if different from the information required by paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section);

(iii) The legal name, address, telephone, and email address of the exporter of the good (if different from the producer);

(iv) The legal name, address, telephone, and email address of the producer of the good, if known;

(v) A description of the good for which preferential tariff treatment is claimed, which must be sufficiently detailed to relate it to the invoice and the HS nomenclature;

(vi) The HTSUS tariff classification, to six or more digits, as necessary for the specific change in tariff classification rule for the good set forth in General Note 28(n), HTSUS;

(vii) The applicable rule of origin set forth in General Note 28, HTSUS, under which the good qualifies as an originating good; and

(3) Must include a statement, in substantially the following form:

I certify that:

The information on this document is true and accurate and I assume the responsibility for proving such representations. I understand that I am liable for any false statements or material omissions made on or in connection with this document;

I agree to maintain and present upon request, documentation necessary to support these representations;

The goods originated or are considered to have originated in the territory of one or more of the Parties, and comply with the origin requirements specified for those goods in the United States-Australia Free Trade Agreement; there has been no further production or any other operation outside the territories of the parties, other than unloading, reloading, or any other operation necessary to preserve the goods in good condition or to transport the goods to the United States; and

This document consists of ______ pages, including all attachments.

(b) Responsible official or agent. The supporting statement required to be submitted under paragraph (a) of this section must be signed and dated by a responsible official of the importer or by the importer's authorized agent having knowledge of the relevant facts.

(c) Language. The supporting statement required to be submitted under paragraph (a) of this section must be completed in the English language.

(d) Applicability of supporting statement. The supporting statement required to be submitted under paragraph (a) of this section may be applicable to:

(1) A single importation of a good into the United States, including a single shipment that results in the filing of one or more entries and a series of shipments that results in the filing of one entry; or

(2) Multiple importations of identical goods into the United States that occur within a specified blanket period, not exceeding 12 months, set out in the statement. For purposes of this paragraph, “identical goods” means goods that are the same in all respects relevant to the particular rule of origin that qualifies the goods as originating.

§ 10.725 Importer obligations.

(a) General. An importer who makes a claim under § 10.723(a) of this subpart:

(1) Is responsible for the truthfulness of the claim and of all the information and data contained in the supporting statement provided for in § 10.724 of this subpart; and

(2) Is responsible for submitting any supporting documents requested by CBP and for the truthfulness of the information contained in those documents. If CBP requests the submission of supporting documents, CBP will allow for the direct submission by the exporter or producer of business confidential or other sensitive information, including cost and sourcing information.

(b) Information provided by exporter or producer. The fact that the importer has made a claim or submitted a supporting statement based on information provided by an exporter or producer will not relieve the importer of the responsibility referred to in the first sentence of paragraph (a) of this section.

(c) Exemption from penalties. An importer will not be subject to civil or administrative penalties under 19 U.S.C. 1592 for making an invalid claim for preferential tariff treatment or submitting an incorrect supporting statement, provided that the importer promptly and voluntarily corrects the claim or supporting statement and pays any duty owing pursuant to §§ 10.746 and 10.747 of this subpart.

[CBP Dec. 15-03, 80 FR 7308, Feb. 10, 2015, as amended by CBP Dec. 16-1, 81 FR 2086, Jan. 15, 2016]

§ 10.726 Supporting statement not required.

(a) General. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of this section, an importer will not be required to submit a supporting statement under § 10.724 for:

(1) A non-commercial importation of a good; or

(2) A commercial importation for which the value of the originating goods does not exceed U.S. $2,500.

(b) Exception. If the port director determines that an importation described in paragraph (a) of this section may reasonably be considered to have been carried out or planned for the purpose of evading compliance with the rules and procedures governing claims for preference under the AFTA, the port director will notify the importer that for that importation the importer must submit to CBP a supporting statement. The importer must submit such a statement within 30 days from the date of the notice. Failure to timely submit the supporting statement will result in denial of the claim for preferential tariff treatment.

§ 10.727 Maintenance of records.

(a) General. An importer claiming preferential tariff treatment for a good imported into the United States under § 10.723(a) of this subpart must maintain, for five years after the date of importation of the good, records and documents necessary to demonstrate that the good qualifies as an originating good, including records and documents associated with:

(1) The purchase of, cost of, value of, and payment for, the good;

(2) Where appropriate, the purchase of, cost of, value of, and payment for, all materials, including recovered goods and indirect materials, used in the production of the good; and

(3) Where appropriate, the production of the good in the form in which the good was exported.

(b) Applicability of other recordkeeping requirements. The records and documents referred to in paragraph (a) of this section are in addition to any other records that the importer is required to prepare, maintain, or make available to CBP under part 163 of this chapter.

(c) Method of maintenance. The records and documents referred to in paragraph (a) of this section must be maintained by importers as provided in § 163.5 of this chapter.

§ 10.728 Effect of noncompliance; failure to provide documentation regarding third country transportation.

(a) General. If the importer fails to comply with any requirement under this subpart, including submission of a complete supporting statement prepared in accordance with § 10.724 of this subpart, when requested, the port director may deny preferential treatment to the imported good.

(b) Failure to provide documentation regarding third country transportation. Where the requirements for preferential treatment set forth elsewhere in this subpart are met, the port director nevertheless may deny preferential treatment to an originating good if the good is shipped through or transshipped in a country other than a Party to the AFTA, and the importer of the good does not provide, at the request of the port director, evidence demonstrating to the satisfaction of the port director that the conditions set forth in § 10.741 of this subpart were met.