District Permitting Status Quo for Brokers 'Not an Option,' Says NCBFAA of Coming Changes

Coming regulatory changes at CBP will soon make the notion of district permits "a wholly irrelevant artifact," the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA) said on its website. The NCBFAA recently made a point to make clear to its members that revisions to the broker permitting structure were in the works and industry engagement would be important (see 14042116) "While there appears to be strong sentiment to keep the current [district permitting system], that really is not an option," the group said.

The current requirements that provide for both district and national permits will be largely upended as the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) allows for Remote Location Filing for all entries, it said. "Soon, very soon, in less than two years the district permit will become a wholly irrelevant artifact in the regulations," the brokers groups said. "Without some change to what is on the books, by November 2015 a customs brokerage firm will be able to operate nationally on the basis of one permit and one individually licensed customs broker. That will be the benchmark for permits." Still unclear is what it will mean for individual brokers, CBP, importers and other stakeholders " when all that is required by law and regulation to offer national customs brokerage services is a single permit supported by a single licensee," said the NCBFAA.