Export Declaration
Definition
An export declaration is a standard government form that is submitted by an exporter at the port of export. It provides information about the goods being shipped, including the type, number and value.
The export declaration is required each time goods are exported outside of a country and the document is used by the customs authority to control exports, in addition to compiling statistical information about a country’s foreign trade.
Shipper’s Export Declaration (SED) & Electronic Export Information
In the USA, the Shipper’s Export Declaration (SED) was a United States government paper form that was required to be filed when the total value of any commodity being shipped is $2,500 USD or more per Schedule B number and for postal shipments if the value is at least $500 USD.
The paper SED is no longer used. It has been replaced by the Electronic Export Information (EEI), which can be filed online by the shipper using the U.S. Census Bureau’s Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) AESDirect filing tool to the Automated Export System (AES), or a paper SED can be printed containing the necessary information for the carrier or export broker to file electronically with ACE for the shipper for a fee.
If you have multiple commodities of the same Schedule B number that total less than $2,500, you do not need to file an export declaration unless the items require an export license or permit.
Some of the required information needed for an export declaration include:
- Consignee company name, address, and contact name
- Business nine-digit Employer Identification Number
- Schedule B number; a ten-digit code that identifies the nature of products being exported
- International Transaction Number (ITN)*
- Quantity and weight of goods being exported
- Country goods are being exported from
- Port of origin and port of arrival
- Method of transportation being used to ship the goods
- Export license number – this permits the export of specific goods to certain destinations by the license holder
*The International Transaction Number (ITN) is obtained from US Customs via the Automated Export System (AES).
Although many shipping documents travel with the shipment to its destination, the export declaration remains in the country of origin. The shipper or freight forwarder will deliver the form to the airline or ocean carrier, which will then pass or email the form to the customs authority at the port of export.
Digitally Generated Export Declarations
It is possible to manually fill out export declaration forms, however, this approach is time-consuming and has a high risk of error. A better approach is to produce these forms electronically and automatically with a multi-carrier shipping software system such as InfoShip®/Vx.
InfoShip/Vx also offers an extensive Document Library with includes many industry standard and carrier-compliant shipping labels, domestic and international shipping documents that can be automatically selected and produced during shipment processing.
- Visit our Carrier Library to learn more about international shipping options.
- CLS blog: “Seven Important Steps to an Efficient International Parcel Shipping Program.”
- Learn How to Export by the International Trade Administration
CLS is happy to discuss your export shipping documents and requirements with you. Please contact us for examples of our export shipping documents and a complimentary consultation.
