ISF Data Collection
We work from your booking data, commercial invoice, bill of lading, and shipper information to gather all required 10+2 data elements before the deadline.
ISF Filing
ISF Filing Support for NVOCCs, Freight Forwarders, and Importers
AP Customs manages ISF data collection, filing, confirmation, amendments, and deadline control — so your cargo arrives with the right filings already in place.
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Why ISF Filing Needs to Be Controlled
The Importer Security Filing (ISF 10+2) applies to ocean shipments — it does not apply to air cargo. Most ISF data must generally be submitted no later than 24 hours before the cargo is laden aboard the vessel at the foreign port. A few elements, such as container stuffing location and the consolidator/stuffer, follow different timing and must be submitted as early as possible.
Late, inaccurate, or incomplete filings can draw liquidated damages of up to $5,000 per violation, and they can create holds that delay cargo even after it arrives. Not every deficiency draws a claim, but the exposure is real and it compounds across shipments.
For NVOCCs and freight forwarders managing multiple importer accounts, ISF is particularly exposed. Data comes from shippers, agents, importers, and co-loaders in different time zones and inconsistent formats. A weak ISF process creates risk across every shipment.
AP Customs treats ISF as a controlled filing — not routine data entry. Every ISF goes through a structured data collection, review, and confirmation workflow before submission, under the oversight of a licensed U.S. customs broker (Mauricio Larenas, CHB #42750).
What Our ISF Filing Support Covers
Deadline Tracking
We track vessel schedules and ETDs to ensure ISF is submitted on time — and flag issues early when data is missing or delayed.
Filing Confirmation
Every ISF submission is confirmed with the importer or forwarder so there is no ambiguity about whether the filing is in place.
Amendment Management
When data changes after initial filing — shipper, manufacturer, HTS updates — we manage amendments cleanly and on time.
Multi-Importer Management
For NVOCCs and forwarders, we maintain separation between importer accounts and manage ISF across multiple customers without data mixing.
ISF Process Review
We can review your current ISF data flow to identify gaps in data collection, confirmation timing, amendment handling, or importer authorization.
Who Owns What on an ISF
ISF is filed on behalf of the importer of record, who remains the responsible party for its accuracy. A clear split of ownership is what keeps a filing on time when data is coming from several parties at once.
You / the importer
- Remain the responsible party for the ISF as importer of record, and hold the bond under which it is filed.
- Authorize AP Customs to file (power of attorney), and provide or confirm the underlying data elements — seller, buyer, manufacturer, ship-to, and so on.
- Provide booking data, the commercial invoice, and the bill of lading, and pass along corrections from shippers or overseas agents.
- Pay any duties, fees, and any liquidated damages CBP ultimately assesses.
AP Customs
- Collect and review the 10+2 data elements against your documents before filing.
- Transmit the ISF to CBP through ABI and confirm it is on file.
- Track vessel schedules and flag missing or late data before the deadline.
- Prepare and file amendments cleanly when data changes after the initial filing.
What neither side controls: CBP's decision to issue a hold, do-not-load instruction, or liquidated-damages claim, and the timing of data arriving from overseas shippers, agents, or co-loaders. We can chase missing data and file on the information available, but we cannot create data we have not been given.
What We Need to File Your ISF
The sooner these reach us, the more buffer there is before the 24-hour deadline. Missing pieces are the most common reason an ISF slips.
- Power of attorney Authorizes AP Customs to file on the importer's behalf. Importer of record
- Booking confirmation Vessel, voyage, and ETD used to work back to the ISF deadline. Forwarder / NVOCC / carrier
- Commercial invoice Seller, buyer, and merchandise detail for the data elements. Shipper / seller
- Bill of lading House and master bill numbers tying the filing to the shipment. Forwarder / NVOCC
- Manufacturer and supplier details Manufacturer, ship-to, and country of origin information. Shipper / overseas agent
- Container stuffing / consolidator info Follows separate ISF timing; needed as early as possible. Consolidator / stuffer
If an element isn't available yet, tell us — we can often file on confirmed data and amend, rather than let the whole ISF run late.
ISF penalty exposure: CBP can assess liquidated damages of up to $5,000 per violation for late, inaccurate, or incomplete filings. Not every deficiency draws a claim, but for NVOCCs and freight forwarders managing multiple shipments, an uncontrolled ISF process creates compounding exposure across every booking.
ISF Issues in Your Current Process?
If your ISF process relies on informal coordination, last-minute data collection, or unclear confirmation steps, a process review can identify where the exposure is and what needs to be tightened.
Related Resources
- ISF Filing Guide for NVOCCs and Freight Forwarders A step-by-step breakdown of the 10+2 data elements, timing rules, and responsibility.
- What Happens If ISF Is Filed Late? CBP penalty exposure, holds, and how to manage late ISF situations.
- What NVOCCs Should Look for in a Customs Broker How to evaluate whether your broker's ISF process is controlled and scalable.