19 U.S.C. § 58c Fees For Certain Customs Services

• Library: United States Statutes
• Edition: 2023
• Currency: Current through P.L. 118-34 (published on www.congress.gov on 12/26/2023), except for [P. L. 118-31]
• Year: 2023
• Citation: 19 U.S.C. § 58c

(a) Schedule of fees

In addition to any other fee authorized by law, the Secretary of the Treasury shall charge and collect the following fees (subject to adjustment under subsection (l)) for the provision of customs services in connection with the following:

(1) For the arrival of a commercial vessel of 100 net tons or more, $397.

(2) For the arrival of a commercial truck, $5.

(3) For the arrival of each railroad car carrying passengers or commercial freight, $7.50.

(4) For all arrivals made during a calendar year by a private vessel or private aircraft, $25.

(5)

(A) Subject to subparagraph (B), for the arrival of each passenger aboard a commercial vessel or commercial aircraft from a place outside the United States (other than a place referred to in subsection (b)(1)(A)(i) of this section), $5.

(B) For the arrival of each passenger aboard a commercial vessel from a place referred to in subsection (b)(1)(A)(i) of this section, $1.75.

(6) For each item of dutiable mail for which a document is prepared by a customs officer (other than an item subject to a fee under subsection (b)(9)(D)), $5.

(7) For each customs broker permit held by an individual, partnership, association, or corporate customs broker, $125 per year.

(8) For the arrival of a barge or other bulk carrier from Canada or Mexico, $100.

(9)

(A) For the processing of merchandise that is formally entered or released during any fiscal year, a fee in an amount equal to 0.21 ¹ percent ad valorem, unless adjusted under subparagraph (B).

(B)

(i) The Secretary of the Treasury may adjust the ad valorem rate specified in subparagraph (A) to an ad valorem rate (but not to a rate of more than 0.21 ¹ percent nor less than 0.15 percent) and the amounts specified in subsection (b)(8)(A)(i) (but not to more than $485 nor less than $21) to rates and amounts which would, if charged, offset the salaries and expenses that will likely be incurred by the Customs Service in the processing of such entries and releases during the fiscal year in which such costs are incurred.

(ii) In determining the amount of any adjustment under clause (i), the Secretary of the Treasury shall take into account whether there is a surplus or deficit in the fund established under subsection (f) with respect to the provision of customs services for the processing of formal entries and releases of merchandise.

(iii) An adjustment may not be made under clause (i) with respect to the fee charged during any fiscal year unless the Secretary of the Treasury-

(I) not later than 45 days after the date of the enactment of the Act providing full-year appropriations for the Customs Service for that fiscal year, publishes in the Federal Register a notice of intent to adjust the fee under this paragraph and the amount of such adjustment;

(II) provides a period of not less than 30 days following publication of the notice described in subclause (I) for public comment and consultation with the Committee on Finance of the Senate and the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives regarding the proposed adjustment and the methodology used to determine such adjustment;

(III) upon the expiration of the period provided under subclause (II), notifies such committees in writing regarding the final determination to adjust the fee, the amount of such adjustment, and the methodology used to determine such adjustment; and

(IV) upon the expiration of the 15-day period following the written notification described in subclause (III), submits for publication in the Federal Register notice of the final determination regarding the adjustment of the fee.

(iv) The 15-day period referred to in clause (iii)(IV) shall be computed by excluding-

(I) the days on which either House is not in session because of an adjournment of more than 3 days to a day certain or an adjournment of the Congress sine die; and

(II) any Saturday and Sunday, not excluded under subclause (I), when either House is not in session.

(v) An adjustment made under this subparagraph shall become effective with respect to formal entries and releases made on or after the 15th calendar day after the date of publication of the notice described in clause (iii)(IV) and shall remain in effect until adjusted under this subparagraph.

(C) Any fee charged under this paragraph, whether or not adjusted under subparagraph (B), is subject to the limitations in subsection (b)(8)(A).

(10) For the processing of merchandise that is informally entered or released, other than at-

(A) a centralized hub facility,

(B) an express consignment carrier facility, or

(C) a small airport or other facility to which section 58b of this title applies, if more than 25,000 informal entries were cleared through such airport or facility during the fiscal year preceding such entry or release (other than Inbound EMS items described in subsection (b)(9)(D)),

a fee of-

(i) $2 if the entry or release is automated and not prepared by customs personnel;

(ii) $6 if the entry or release is manual and not prepared by customs personnel; or

(iii) $9 if the entry or release, whether automated or manual, is prepared by customs personnel.

For provisions relating to the informal entry or release of merchandise at facilities referred to in subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C), or of Inbound EMS items described in subsection (b)(9)(D), see subsection (b)(9).

(b) Limitations on fees

(1)

(A) Except as provided in subsection (a)(5)(B) of this section, no fee may be charged under subsection (a) of this section for customs services provided in connection with-

(i) the arrival of any passenger whose journey-

(I) originated in a territory or possession of the United States; or

(II) originated in the United States and was limited to territories and possessions of the United States;

(ii) the arrival of any railroad car the journey of which originates and terminates in the same country, but only if no passengers board or disembark from the train and no cargo is loaded or unloaded from such car while the car is within any country other than the country in which such car originates and terminates;

(iii) the arrival of a ferry, except for a ferry whose operations begin on or after August 1, 1999, and that operates south of 27 degrees latitude and east of 89 degrees longitude; or

(iv) the arrival of any passenger on board a commercial vessel traveling only between ports which are within the customs territory of the United States.

(B) The exemption provided for in subparagraph (A) shall not apply in the case of the arrival of any passenger on board a commercial vessel whose journey originates and terminates at the same place in the United States if there are no intervening stops.

(C) The exemption provided for in subparagraph (A)(i) shall not apply to fiscal years 1994, 1995, 1996, and 1997.

(2) No fee may be charged under subsection (a)(2) for the arrival of a commercial truck during any calendar year after a total of $100 in fees (subject to adjustment under subsection (l)) has been paid to the Secretary of the Treasury for the provision of customs services for all arrivals of such commercial truck during such calendar year.

(3) No fee may be charged under subsection (a)(3) for the arrival of a railroad car whether passenger or freight during any calendar year after a total of $100 in fees (subject to adjustment under subsection (l)) has been paid to the Secretary of the Treasury for the provision of customs services for all arrivals of such passenger or freight rail car during such calendar year.

(4)

(A) No fee may be charged under subsection (a)(5) with respect to the arrival of any passenger-

(i) who is in transit to a destination outside the customs territory of the United States, and

(ii) for whom customs inspectional services are not provided.

(B) In the case of a commercial vessel making a single voyage involving 2 or more United States ports with respect to which the passengers would otherwise be charged a fee pursuant to subsection (a)(5), such fee shall be charged only 1 time for each passenger.

(5) No fee may be charged under subsection (a)(1) for the arrival of-

(A) a vessel during a calendar year after a total of $5,955 in fees (subject to adjustment under subsection (l)) charged under paragraph (1) or (8) of subsection (a) has been paid to the Secretary of the Treasury for the provision of customs services for all arrivals of such vessel during such calendar year,

(B) any vessel which, at the time of the arrival, is being used solely as a tugboat, or

(C) any barge or other bulk carrier from Canada or Mexico.

(6) No fee may be charged under subsection (a)(8) for the arrival of a barge or other bulk carrier during a calendar year after a total of $1,500 in fees (subject to adjustment under subsection (l)) charged under paragraph (1) or (8) of subsection (a) has been paid to the Secretary of the Treasury for the provision of customs services for all arrivals of such barge or other bulk carrier during such calendar year.

(7) No fee may be charged under paragraph (2), (3), or (4) of subsection (a) for the arrival of any-

(A) commercial truck,

(B) railroad car, or

(C) private vessel,

that is being transported, at the time of the arrival, by any vessel that is not a ferry.

(8)

(A)

(i) Subject to clause (ii), the fee charged under subsection (a)(9) for the formal entry or release of merchandise may not exceed $485 or be less than $25, unless adjusted pursuant to subsection (a)(9)(B) or (l).

(ii) A surcharge of $3 (subject to adjustment under subsection (l)) shall be added to the fee determined after application of clause (i) for any manual entry or release of merchandise.

(B) No fee may be charged under subsection (a)(9) or (10) for the processing of any article that is-

(i) provided for under any item in chapter 98 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, except subheading 9802.00.60 or 9802.00.80,

(ii) a product of an insular possession of the United States, or

(iii) a product of any country listed in subdivision (c)(ii)(B) or (c)(v) of general note 3 to such Schedule.