In 2015, former President Obama signed the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) into law. The FAST Act was the first in over ten years to provide long-term funding for infrastructure projects, authorizing $305 billion over the course of 2016-2020. Looking to improve the infrastructure of “highway, highway and motor vehicle safety, public transportation, motor carrier safety, hazardous materials safety, rail, and research, technology, and statistics programs,” the FAST Act now has some changes that need to be made.
This year, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will adjust the user fees and corresponding limitations established by the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) for 2023 that will take effect Oct. 1st. These changes are being made to account for inflation that’s been increasing as of late.
The Merchandise Processing Fee (MPF) ad valorem rate of 0.3464% will not be changing, however, the MPF minimum and maximum for formal entries (class code 499) will be changing, according to the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA). It will change from the minimum of $27.75 to $29.66, and the maximum of $538.40 to $575.35.
Here are a list of fees that will also be changing according to the NCBFAA:
- Fee for Informal Entry/Release, automated and not prepared by CBP personnel (class code 311a), will change to $2.37.
- Surcharge for Manual Entry/Release (class code 500) will change to $3.56.
- Dutiable Mail fee (class code 496) will change to $6.52.
- Express Consignment Carrier/Centralized Hub Facility fee will change to $1.19 per individual waybill/bill of lading. An individual air waybill is the bill at the lowest level and is not a master bill or other consolidated document. See 82 FR 50523 (Nov. 1, 2017).
- Commercial Truck Arrival fee will change to $6.50. The Commercial Truck Arrival Fee is the CBP fee only; it does not include the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Agricultural and Quarantine Inspection (AQI) Services Fee (currently $7.55) that is collected by CBP on behalf of USDA to make a total single crossing fee of $14.05.
Here at Sobel, we will keep you up to date with the changes made to the FAST Act and how it affects you. Should you have any questions please contact your Sobel representative today and let us get you the answers you need.
