Ultimate Consignee

Ultimate Consignee

Customs Brokerage & Consulting
Country of Origin
Ocean Cargo
CFS Ocean Cargo
EPA Compliance
Freight forwarding
Ocean Cargo
E-Commerce
Freight Forwarding

Who is the Ultimate Consignee?

The “ultimate consignee” refers to the person or entity that is the final recipient of a product or goods being shipped or exported from one country to another. This could be a company, an individual, or a government entity, depending on the nature of the goods being shipped and the purpose of the shipment. The ultimate consignee is typically designated on shipping documents and is responsible for receiving and using the goods in accordance with any applicable laws and regulations.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) requires to identify the ultimate consignee at the time of entry or release.  A primary purpose of the ultimate consignee requirement is to enable CBP to have knowledge of both the person to whom and the place where the imported merchandise is going in the United States.

The ultimate consignee at the time of entry or release is defined as the party in the United States to whom the overseas shipper sold the imported merchandise.

If at the time of entry or release the imported merchandise has not been sold, then the ultimate consignee at the time of entry or release is defined as the party in the United States to whom the overseas shipper consigned the imported merchandise.

If the merchandise has not been sold or consigned to a U.S. party at the time of entry or release, then the ultimate consignee at the time of entry or release is defined as the proprietor of the U.S. premises to which the merchandise is to be delivered.

In-Depth Coverage: Country of Origin

For formal entries, neither a nominal consignee, who is defined as a carrier, express consignment operator, freight forwarder, or consolidator, nor a customs broker may be listed as the ultimate consignee.

However, there are exceptions: if the customs broker owns the goods, or if there is no known U.S. buyer and the accompanying documents show that goods will be delivered to the customs broker’s premises, then the customs broker may be listed as the ultimate consignee.

The rule is similar for nominal consignees: if a nominal consignee owns the goods, or if there is no known U.S. buyer and the accompanying documents show that the goods will be delivered to the nominal consignee’s premises, then the nominal consignee may be listed as the ultimate consignee; nevertheless, a nominal consignee may not be identified as the importer of record.

A non-resident of the United States may be the ultimate consignee only for merchandise entered under subheading 9813.00.35 or 9813.00.50, HTSUS.

For merchandise which is temporarily imported under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) subheading 9813.00.35, or for merchandise which is temporarily imported under subheading 9813.00.50, a nonresident of the United States may be identified as the Ultimate Consignee.

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In-Depth Coverage: Importing Medical Device 

Example 1

In instances when a U.S. Company places a consolidated order with an overseas shipper to fill orders placed by the U.S. Company’s individual customers (i.e., direct sales/just-in-time inventory), the Ultimate Consignee for Customs purposes is the U.S. Company regardless of whether the imported merchandise will be sent to a distribution center owned by the U.S. Company or sent directly to the individual customers. This is because the U.S. Company is the party who purchased the imported merchandise from the overseas shipper.

Example 2

In instances when individual customers place their orders directly with the overseas shipper and the overseas shipper consolidates the orders and sends one shipment to a distributor in the U.S. or directly to the individual customers, for Customs purposes, the Ultimate Consignee is the individual customer. This is because the individual customer is the party who purchased the imported merchandise from the overseas shipper.

Example 3

In instances when a U.S. Company places an order with a foreign supplier who in turn places an order with another foreign supplier to be entered into the United States delivered, duty paid for the account of the U.S. Company, for Customs purposes, the Ultimate Consignee is the U.S. Company. This is because the U.S. Company is the party who purchased the imported merchandise from overseas.

In-Depth Coverage: Marketing and Advertising Compliance

In-Depth Coverage: Cosmetics Import Requirements

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Example 4

In instances when a U.S. Company places an order with an overseas shipper and then sells the goods to a second U.S. Company in a domestic transaction prior to the importation, for Customs purposes, the Ultimate Consignee is the first U.S. Company. This is because the first U.S. Company is the party who purchased the imported merchandise from the overseas shipper.

Example 5

In instances when an unsold shipment is being imported for and delivered to a trade show and the importer of record is foreign, for Customs purposes, the Ultimate Consignee is the proprietor of the trade show location. In other words, since the merchandise has not been sold or consigned to a U.S. party at the time of entry or release, the Ultimate Consignee is defined as the proprietor of the U.S. premises to which the merchandise is to be delivered.

Example 6

In instances when an entry is made listing one party as the importer of record for a consolidated shipment, the appropriate identification number for the Ultimate Consignee must be submitted for each separate and distinct shipment within the consolidated shipment (See T. D. 94-39 Examples). This is because each shipment has a different party who purchased the imported merchandise from the overseas shipper.

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In-Depth Coverage: USDA-Regulated Products

In-Depth Coverage: Trade Remedies

In-Depth Coverage: Importing Food Products 

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Design your own logistics

To move your cargo from its current location through customs to its final destination we will partner with you to find the best way for your business.

Customs Clearance and Import Requirements

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Guidance on customs & logistics solution for traditional and e-commerce importers and exporters

Ocean Cargo

Importer Security Filing (ISF)

An ISF is required when cargo (ocean only) laden on vessel at a foreign port is destined for shipment to the U.S.  Under ISF rule, some importing information and details regarding cargo must be transmitted to the CBP at least 24 hours before goods are loaded onto the vessel.

Customs Brokerage & Consulting

Customs Clearance

All goods imported into the U.S. are required to be declared to CBP. Our customs broker will help you stay in compliance with customs laws and regulations and clear your goods quickly and efficiently with our electronic Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) and Automated Broker Interface (ABI) Single Window System.

Logistics Solution

Freight Forwarding

Looking for a freight forwarding partner?  To move your cargo from its current location through customs to its final destination we will partner with you to find the best way for your business. Whatever your transportation, logistics or customs clearance needs, we will do our best to customize a solution for your needs. 

Warehousing & Logistics

Warehousing & Distribution

Our warehouse facility offers great potential for serving as a regional hub with over 145,000 SF storage capacity close to Los Angeles Airport & Los Angeles/Long Beach Sea port. With our extensive experience in freight services, your import/export cargo will be handled quickly and effectively.

Section 321 Entry

Section 321 Entry

Section 321 entry allows importing free of duty and tax for shipments imported by one person on one day having a fair retail value in the country of shipment not more than $800. We provide our resident and non-resident clients with dedicated ACE eManifest solutions for Section 321 entry of all modes of transportation. 

Compliance

Customs Binding Ruling

Taking steps to ensure compliance is very important in order to avoid potential problems during the clearance process. The Customs binding ruling program enables importers to receive a binding ruling from CBP on the treatment of your goods when entering the U.S. 

E-Commerce

E-Commerce

The Internet has made it easy to find and purchase items from almost anywhere in the world. Our e-commerce experts will help you find the right solution for your international transportation, customs clearance, and delivery to your final destination.  We also provide value-added repackaging, warehousing and distribution services. 

Country of Origin

Non-resident Importer Program

If you want to sell your products in U.S. marketplaces, but you are a business owner located outside of the U.S. and do not have an entity or presence in the U.S., you need to be established as a Foreign Importer of Record before your products can be imported into the U.S. We can help you.

FDA-Regulated Products and Import Requirements

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