Census to Update AES With Expanded FTZ Identifier

The Census Bureau will soon update the Automated Export System and its Trade Interface Requirements to reflect CBP’s expansion of the Foreign-Trade Zone Identifier from seven to nine characters, the agency said in a May 11 email. Census also said software vendors should update their software to send the correct Foreign-Trade Zone Identifier. The update is effective May 17.

The agency said the length of the alpha-numeric zone identification number will be expanded to “accommodate additional Subzones and sets of General Purpose (GP) Zone Acreage, as well as additional FTZ site locations associated with a Subzone or a set of GP Zone Acreage.”

CBP amended Response Code 15A on May 11 “to facilitate this implementation,” Census said. The amended response code occurs when the reported FTZ Indicator “does not have the required format of 3 numeric characters which is a valid zone followed by 6 alphanumeric characters,” Census said. When they see the response code, filers should verify the FTZ Indicator to make sure it matches the new “required format,” correct the record and retransmit.