CBP Seeks Comments on Lien Notice Info Collection

April 11, 2012 by Tim Warren|Customs and Ports

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is seeking comments by June 11, 2012, on an existing information collection on lien notices for freight. CBP is proposing to extend this information collection with a change to the burden hours or information collected.

Info Collection Used for Informing CBP of Lien Notices on Freight

Claimants of a lien for freight can notify CBP in writing of the existence of a lien, and CBP shall not permit delivery of the merchandise from a public store or a bonded warehouse until the lien is satisfied or discharged. The claimant shall file the notification of a lien on CBP Form 3485, Lien Notice. This form is usually prepared and submitted to CBP by carriers, cartmen and similar persons or firms. The data collected on this form is used by CBP to assure that liens have been satisfied or discharged before delivery of the freight from public stores or bonded warehouses, and to ensure that proceeds from public auction sales are duly distributed to the lienholder In accordance with 19 CFR 19.42, the container station operator may make a request for the transfer of a container to the station by submitting to CBP an abstract of the manifest for the transferred containers including the bill of lading number, marks, numbers, description of the contents and consignee.

CBP Estimates 112,000 Respondents and 28,000 Annual Burden Hours

CBP estimates there will be 112,000 respondents who will each file 1 responses annually. CBP estimates the time per respondent to be 15 minutes, up from the previous estimate of 5 minutes. CBP estimates the total annual burden hours will be 28,000.

Comments Requested on Ways to Minimize Burden, Etc.

CBP is asking for comments from the general public and other Federal agencies on (a) whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimates of the burden of the collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden including the use of automated collection techniques or the use of other forms of information technology; and (e) the annual cost burden to respondents or record keepers from the collection of information (total capital/startup costs and operations and maintenance costs).

(This notice was published in the 04/10/12 Federal Register.)