CBP Form 3461: Entry/Immediate Delivery Explained

CBP Form 3461, Entry/Immediate Delivery, is the filing that gets imported goods released from CBP custody. It tells CBP what is arriving, who is importing it, and which bond covers it. Today it is almost always transmitted electronically through ACE, and your customs broker usually files it.

What the 3461 declares

• The importer of record number and the ultimate consignee
• The entry type and the port of entry
• The carrier and the bill of lading or air waybill
• A description of the goods with their HTS numbers, country of origin, and value
• The customs bond that secures the entry

How the 3461 relates to the 7501

The 3461 gets the goods released. The CBP Form 7501 entry summary follows, generally within 10 working days of release, and it is where classification, value, and duty are declared in full and duty is paid. The two can also be transmitted together. CBP liquidates the entry from the 7501, so an error made at release that carries into the summary lands in the duty you pay.

Why release-stage data matters

Speed is the priority at release, and the classification, value, and origin chosen there often carry straight into the entry summary. That makes the entry the right place to catch mistakes before they cost you. Caspian's pre-entry audit checks each entry before your broker files it, and the post-entry audit reviews filed entries while a Post-Summary Correction can still fix them.

Who files it

The importer of record, or a licensed customs broker acting for the importer. Most importers rely on their broker. Caspian audits what the broker files, and the filing itself stays with the broker.