By Los Angeles Customs Broker · Import & Customs Guides
If you import by ocean, ISF is the rule most likely to cost you money before your goods even leave the origin port. The good news: it is entirely manageable when you know the deadline and the data.
What ISF Is
Importer Security Filing, often called 10+2, is a set of data elements CBP requires for ocean shipments. Ten come from the importer (manufacturer, seller, buyer, ship-to, country of origin, and more) and two from the carrier. It is a security measure, filed electronically before your cargo is loaded.
The Deadline That Matters
Your ISF must be submitted at least 24 hours before your cargo is loaded onto the vessel at the foreign port. Not when it arrives in LA, when it loads overseas. That means coordinating with your supplier and carrier early.
The Penalty
A late, inaccurate, or missing ISF can bring a penalty of up to $5,000 per shipment. Repeated problems can also flag your cargo for exams, adding cost and delay down the line.
How to Get It Right
The two failure modes are timing and accuracy. We manage the timing by coordinating with your supplier and carrier to hit the 24-hour window, and we carry the ISF data straight into your entry so everything is consistent. See our ISF filing service for details.