Truck Export Rules are set for a significant test as U.S. Customs and Border Protection prepares to require participating carriers to submit export manifest information electronically through the Automated Commercial Environment.
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Truck Export Rules Update
The voluntary Electronic Export Manifest for Truck Cargo Test will begin October 23, 2026, and is expected to continue for approximately two years.
For carriers, the truck export rules test will provide a limited opportunity to use the new filing process before any possible broader agency action.
CBP announced the program in a notice published September 23, 2026, in the Federal Register.
The test is designed to determine whether truck carriers can provide advance cargo information early enough for CBP to assess risk, identify shipments for inspection and improve coordination before goods leave the United States.
What CBP’s truck export test will change
Under current Truck Export Rules, truck carriers generally are not required to file a separate export manifest for cargo leaving the United States by truck.
Instead, the U.S. Principal Party in Interest, or an authorized agent, generally files required Electronic Export Information through the Automated Export System before the truck reaches the border.
The new test would add a carrier-submitted manifest containing information about the shipment, parties involved, the driver, the vehicle and the planned export movement.
Participants must submit seven initial data elements at least 24 hours before departure from the United States.
They must then complete the export manifest no later than two hours before the truck arrives at the final port of export.
CBP said the schedule is intended to give the agency time to connect the carrier’s manifest with the export information filed by the shipper or exporter.
The advance review could allow CBP to identify potentially high-risk cargo before loading, although an inspection may occur at any point before the truck leaves the country.
The seven advance data elements carriers must provide
The initial filing will include information CBP considers necessary to begin reviewing the shipment.
These truck export rules therefore focus first on data needed for advance risk assessment.
- Bill of lading number.
- Cargo quantity and the applicable unit of measure.
- Total cargo weight in pounds or kilograms.
- A precise cargo description and, when available from the shipper, the six-digit Harmonized Tariff Schedule number.
- The shipper’s complete name and address.
- The consignee’s complete name and address.
- The applicable Automated Export System exemption statement.
CBP said generic descriptions such as “freight of all kinds,” “general cargo” and “said to contain” will not be acceptable descriptions for the test.
For consolidated shipments, the shipper information generally must identify the vendor, supplier, manufacturer or comparable commercial party rather than only naming the carrier, freight forwarder, consolidator or broker.
For cargo shipped to the order of a named party, the named party must be reported as the consignee.
Additional information required in the complete filing
The full manifest filing will include the initial data as well as additional information about the truck, carrier and cargo.
Mandatory information includes the shipper and consignee, driver details, the U.S. port of export, the foreign port of unlading and the carrier’s Standard Carrier Alpha Code.
Carriers must also report the vehicle identification number or license plate information, a unique manifest number and the estimated departure date.
The filing must identify whether the truck is empty or loaded and provide the bill of lading number, cargo description, cargo quantity, cargo weight and bill of lading type.
Conditional data may be required when it applies to the shipment.
That information includes a notify party, crew members, equipment or container numbers, seal numbers, hazardous-material codes, Chemical Abstract Service identification numbers, marks and numbers, an Internal Transaction Number or exemption code, an in-bond number and a Mexican Pedimento number for shipments headed to Mexico.
The test also includes an optional field for the place where the carrier takes possession of the cargo or an empty container.
Who can participate in the CBP test
CBP is limiting participation to nine truck carriers.
The notice does not restrict participation based on company size, location or the type of goods transported.
Applicants must have the technical ability to send data to CBP through ACE.
Carriers evaluating the truck export rules test may use the ACE Export Truck Manifest Trade Portal or an electronic data interchange connection.
The nine-position limit makes the truck export rules test a controlled trial rather than a broad enrollment program.
Carriers choosing EDI must be able to receive response messages through Cargo-ANSI X12 or Unified XML and must complete certification testing with their CBP client representative.
CBP said applications will generally be considered in the order received, while applicants using EDI must first demonstrate that their transmissions use the required format.
Applications are accepted until CBP has received nine applications from parties that meet the test requirements.
Interested carriers must email their applications to [email protected] with “Electronic Export Manifest for Truck Cargo Test Application” in the subject line.
What happens when CBP identifies a concern
Test participants must establish operational security procedures for responding to CBP hold messages.
A shipment may be placed on hold when CBP needs more information, identifies inaccurate or incomplete data, requires a physical inspection or determines that another action is appropriate.
Participants must respond promptly to CBP questions and provide complete and accurate information.
They must also comply with any Do Not Load instruction issued during the test.
After CBP clears the cargo for loading, the agency expects a release message to be sent to the filer.
The filing process is intended to move risk assessment earlier in the supply chain, but the notice does not guarantee that every inspection will occur before loading or that every shipment will receive an immediate release.
The test is voluntary and does not yet create a nationwide mandate
The new Truck Export Rules test is voluntary for participating carriers and does not immediately require every truck carrier to file an electronic export manifest.
CBP stated that participation does not impose legally binding obligations on the agency or the participant.
The agency also said it generally does not intend to impose punitive measures when a participant fails to meet the test’s participation conditions.
That flexibility does not eliminate the operational importance of responding to holds, Do Not Load messages and requests for corrected information.
The notice is intended to evaluate whether the filing system works and whether advance manifest information improves cargo targeting and export processing.
Any later move toward broader use, additional data elements or mandatory filing would require further agency action and notice.
How the test fits with existing export filings
The test does not replace the existing Electronic Export Information requirements that apply to qualifying exports.
Exporters and their authorized agents must continue to follow the applicable rules for filing EEI, obtaining an Internal Transaction Number or using an authorized exemption or exclusion citation.
The carrier’s new manifest would complement, rather than substitute for, the export information transmitted through the Automated Export System.
CBP’s ACE platform serves as the electronic system for multiple trade-processing functions, including manifest and export data.
Carriers should therefore review their existing ACE access, data connections, account permissions and internal procedures before applying under the truck export rules test.
Companies using an EDI connection should allow time for development, certification and message-response testing before attempting live participation.
What truck carriers should do next
- Confirm that the company can access ACE through the portal or an approved EDI connection.
- Review bills of lading and determine whether the company can obtain precise cargo descriptions, quantities, weights and party information early in the shipping process.
- Map the required driver, vehicle, equipment and shipment data to the company’s transportation and customs systems.
- Establish procedures for meeting both the 24-hour advance filing deadline and the two-hour final filing deadline.
- Create a response process for CBP holds, Do Not Load instructions and requests for additional information.
- Submit an application by email if the carrier wants to be considered for one of the nine participant positions.
CBP will accept comments about the program, its policy and technical issues during the test period through the email address listed in the Federal Register notice.
The agency may expand the test’s data or processing capabilities, but any such enhancement will be announced in a future Federal Register notice.
For now, the program is best understood as a limited operational test that could inform future truck export filing policy rather than as a new requirement for all cross-border carriers.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the CBP electronic export manifest test begin?
The voluntary test is scheduled to begin October 23, 2026, and run for approximately two years unless CBP extends, modifies or ends it earlier.
How many truck carriers can participate?
CBP is limiting the test to nine eligible truck carriers. Applications will be accepted until nine qualifying participants are selected.
Is the electronic export manifest filing mandatory for all truck carriers?
No. The Federal Register notice announces a voluntary test and does not create an immediate nationwide electronic manifest requirement for every truck carrier.
When must participating carriers submit manifest information?
Participants must submit limited advance data at least 24 hours before departure from the United States and complete the manifest no later than two hours before arrival at the final port of export.
Where should carriers apply for the test?
Applications should be emailed to [email protected] with “Electronic Export Manifest for Truck Cargo Test Application” in the subject line.
Fact-Checked: Reported from the September 23, 2026, Federal Register notice and current CBP ACE and export-information guidance reviewed on September 24, 2026.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information and does not replace CBP instructions, Federal Register notices or professional customs advice.
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