New U.S. Customs Regulations

To Our Customers,  

Based on recent guidance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), we are providing an important update regarding the importation process for new railcars destined for customers in the United States.

Effective immediately, new railcars can no longer be processed under the “Instruments of International Traffic” (IIT) designation 19 CFR 10.41 (a) (1). These units must now be entered as formal imports in compliance with U.S. Customs regulations.

 Please note the following key requirements:

• New railcars are subject to Section 232 duties and must be properly declared at the time of entry.
• If the railcars are equipped with couplers manufactured in China, these components are subject to anti-dumping and countervailing duties.
• As a result, couplers must be declared as a separate line item on the entry documentation to ensure proper assessment and compliance.

Failure to follow these requirements may result in delays in customs clearance, additional duties, or compliance issues with U.S. Customs authorities.

To ensure compliance with these requirements, please work with your U.S. customs broker and internal stakeholders to confirm that all applicable shipments are properly classified under STCC 3742211, processed appropriately and accompanied by all required documentation.

For more information, please contact your U.S. Customs Broker or your CBP client representative.