Benefits of ACH

• Obtain up to an additional 10 days to pay duties, taxes, and fees on quota and other special merchandise classes.
• Reduce administrative processing and costs.
• Reduce administrative errors related to check processing.
• Eliminate lost or stolen check problems.
• Control cash flow by identifying the exact day to allocate funds.

ACH Debit Process

Step 1: The Filer, which in most cases will be the broker receives the Preliminary Statement. CBP generates a preliminary statement of entry summaries scheduled for payment and transmits it to the filer through ABI. The filer prints and reviews the statement. If the filer deletes an entry summary from the statement through ABI, a new statement amount is transmitted to the filer.

Step 2: The Filer Transmits ACH Payment Authorization. The filer transmits the payment authorization to CBP through ABI. The filer sends one ACH payment authorization per statement, usually the same day the statement and entry summaries are submitted to CBP. All ACH payment authorizations are initiated by the filer--CBP takes no payment steps until the ACH payment authorization is received and accepted.

Step 3: The Filer Receives A Confirmation Message. If the ACH payment authorization transmission is error free, the filer receives a message that the authorization has been accepted. If transmission errors occur, the filer receives an error message for each incorrect transmission until the problem is corrected and authorization is properly transmitted.

Step 4: The Filer Receives the Final Statement. CBP transmits a final statement to the filer, usually on the first business day after the payment authorization is received, accepted, and processed by CBP. The final statement lists all paid summaries and serves as a payment receipt.

Step 5: All Accounts are Credited and Debited. After ACH payment authorization is approved, funds transfer begins. CBP transmits payment information to the ACH processor bank and the Treasury account is credited. The ACH processor bank then transmits the data to the payer's bank. The payer's account is debited usually two business days after CBP accepts the initial payment authorization.

ACH Security Measures

ACH is secure. There are measures to safeguard the payer's account information and ensure the correct amount is debited.

• A unique payer unit number is assigned to each payer and is used for all ACH transactions. CBP does not maintain on-line files of payer bank account information -- all transactions are designated by the payer unit number.
• The filer determines when the payment process begins. CBP cannot begin the transfer of funds until the filer transmits payment authorization.
• Only the filer who originally transmitted the entries to CBP can transmit the payment authorization. An importer's designated broker can use the importer's payer unit number to pay only that importer's statements.
• Payment authorization is not accepted unless the payer's statement total equals the total recorded by ACS for the statement. If they differ, authorization is not accepted and an error message is transmitted to the filer so that the problem can be corrected.

Signing up for ACH

To participate, you must file entries through ABI using statement processing, and your financial institution must be a U.S. bank NACHA participant with Electronic Data Interchange capability. Importer payers must also have a federal identification number (tax ID number or social security number).

Please confirm with your bank, the banks transit routing number and your account number to avoid transactional errors. The payer will be held responsible for any errors that result from incorrect account information.

Complete an ACH debit application form. If multiple accounts are to be used, complete a separate application for each account. If you use more than one broker, only one broker needs to be identified on the application. Be sure all bank information on the application matches the information on the check specification sheet.

You can obtain a copy of the ACH application at the U.S. Customs and border Protection site (link located on the top right of this page). 

Mail or fax the application to the U.S.Customs and Border Protection National Finance Center at:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection
National Finance Center
ACH Debit Applications
6026 Lakeside Boulevard
Indianapolis, IN 46278

Phone: (317) 298-1200 x1098
FAX: (317) 298-1259
E-mail: ACH-CUSTOMS@customs.treas.gov

The usual application processing time is 7 to 10 business days. The NFC will contact you in writing to inform you of your payer unit number and the effective date of your ACH participation.

Answers to your ACH Questions:

Q: Does my bank have to be an ACH participant?
 
A: Yes. Your bank must belong to the National Automated Clearinghouse Association (NACHA).
 

Q: Do I have to have a specific type of bank account to participate?
 
A: No. As long as your account is a transaction account, such as checking, savings, or disbursement, it can be used for ACH.
 

Q: Will my bank charge me for using ACH?
 
A: You will need to check with your financial institution about any costs. Be sure to specify that the transaction is a next day transaction, not a wire transfer.
 

Q: Is my bank account information stored in the CBP system?
 
A: No. For security reasons, CBP does not store bank account information in ACS. CBP keeps only your ACH payer number. The National Finance Center and the ACH processor bank have your account information.
 

Q: I am an importer who uses several brokers. Do I need an ACH payer number for each broker?
 
A: No. The same payer number can be given to each broker. Each broker's payment will be noted separately on your bank statement. There are no consolidated debits.
 
Q: Can I use the same ACH payer number for more than one bank account?
 
A: No. Each bank account must have a unique ACH payer number.
 

Q: How soon after my ACH payment authorization is accepted will my bank account be debited?
 
A: ACH transactions will usually, but not necessarily always, be debited from the payer's account two business days from the date the ACH payment transmission is accepted. Business days now include federal holidays and bank holidays. Because banking institutions perform "electronic sweeps" at different times, it is not possible to guarantee that exactly two business days will elapse between the time of ACH payment authorization and the actual debit. The precise timing of an individual debit is determined solely by the ACH payer's bank. Certain payers' banks have been found, although infrequently, to debit accounts on Saturdays and Sundays. To avoid potential problems, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection National Finance Center very strongly urges all ACH payers to ensure that sufficient funds are available at the time each and every ACH payment transaction is authorized.
 

Q: How will I recognize the ACH debit on my bank statement?
 
A: The debit amount on your statement will have a U.S. Customs and Border Protection notation. If your bank uses the CCD+ format, your statement will include the CBP statement number.