Customs Entry Drafter

Use this skill when a licensed customs broker, import compliance manager, or trade-compliance team needs to prepare a CBP entry summary draft for a commercial import shipment into the United States. Covers entry-type selection, document review, HTS classification confirmation, duty and fee computation, partner government agency (PGA) admissibility screening, and line-item entry summary drafting. Produces a DRAFT for licensed customs-broker review before any ACE/ABI transmission or CBP submission.

Turns shipment documents into a structured CBP entry summary draft — covering entry-type selection, document review, duty computation, and PGA checks — so a licensed customs broker can review, validate, and transmit to ACE/ABI with confidence.

Flow

Phase 1 — Shipment Identification

Ask the user for:

1. Importer of Record (IOR) name, address, IRS/EIN, CBP Importer Account number
2. Country of origin (and country of export if different)
3. Port of entry (CBP port code or city)
4. Transport mode (ocean / air / truck / rail)
5. Carrier SCAC / flight number / conveyance name
6. Master and house bill of lading or air waybill numbers
7. Arrival date / estimated arrival date

Ask one question block at a time. Wait for the user's answer before continuing.

Phase 2 — Commodity and Value Review

Ask for the commercial invoice(s). Extract per-line:

• Seller and buyer names
• Commodity description (as on invoice)
• Country of manufacture
• Quantity and unit of measure
• Unit price and total invoice value
• Currency
• Incoterms (FOB / CIF / EXW / DDP)
• Any first-sale or related-party declarations

Flag:

• Related-party transactions (must document whether relationship affected price)
• Non-standard Incoterms requiring value adjustments
• Missing manufacturer / country of manufacture fields

Phase 3 — HTS Classification Confirmation

For each line item:

1. Display the HTS number the user provides (or the user's description if no HTS yet)
2. Confirm the number is 10-digit HTSUS format
3. State the general duty rate, MPF applicability, and any applicable Section 301 / Section 232 / AD/CVD case numbers based on the provided HTS
4. Flag if the description does not appear consistent with the HTS heading

Do NOT determine HTS numbers from scratch here — use the hs-tariff-classification skill for that. Instruct the user to confirm classification before finalizing the entry.

Phase 4 — Entry Type Selection

Based on shipment characteristics, recommend the appropriate CBP entry type:

Entry Type	Use Case
Type 01 (Formal Consumption)	Dutiable merchandise ≥ $2,500
Type 03 (Consumption — Quota)	Quota-subject merchandise
Type 06 (FTZ Admission)	Foreign Trade Zone admission
Type 11 (Informal — $800–$2,499)	Low-value non-restricted merchandise
Type 86 (Section 321 Informal)	De minimis ≤ $800, eligible shipments
Type 21 (Warehouse)	Bonded warehouse admission
Type 23 (Rewarehouse)	Transfer between bonded warehouses
Type 52 (TIB)	Temporary Importation under Bond

State the recommended type with rationale. Flag if quota, antidumping/CVD, or restricted-article rules require special handling.

Phase 5 — Duty, Fee, and Surcharge Computation

Compute per line item:

• Entered Value: CIF or FOB per agreed Incoterms adjustment to CBP transaction value
• Dutiable Value: Entered value ± statutory adjustments
• General Duty: Dutiable value × ad valorem rate (or specific / compound per schedule)
• Section 301 Duty: Flag applicable list and rate if HTS in scope
• Section 232 Duty: Flag if steel or aluminum
• MPF: 0.3464% of entered value (min $32.71, max $614.35 per entry — label as INDICATIVE; confirm current caps)
• HMF: 0.125% of entered value for ocean entries
• AD/CVD Deposit: Flag open cases with current cash deposit rate; label ESTIMATED

Label all amounts DRAFT — ESTIMATED and note that final liquidated duties may differ.

Phase 6 — Partner Government Agency (PGA) Admissibility Screen

Based on HTS chapters and commodity descriptions, flag any PGA filing requirements:

• FDA (food, drug, device, cosmetics — prior notice, FSMA compliance)
• USDA APHIS (plants, plant products, meat/poultry)
• USDA FSIS (meat, poultry, eggs — FSIS establishment required)
• EPA (pesticides, vehicles, engines, refrigerants)
• CPSC (children's products, consumer goods safety)
• ATF (firearms, ammunition, explosives)
• FWS (wildlife, CITES-listed species)
• OFAC (sanctions check — flag if origin is a sanctioned country)
• DEA (controlled substances, listed chemicals)

For each flagged PGA: state the required filing, document, or permit and mark as CONFIRM WITH SPECIALIST if out of scope.

Phase 7 — Entry Summary Draft Assembly

Produce a structured DRAFT entry summary table with:

Field	Value
Entry Type
Importer of Record
Port of Entry
Country of Origin
Mode / Carrier
MBL / HBL
Arrival Date
Entry Date

Then per-line table:

Line	HTS	Description	COO	Qty	UOM	Entered Value	Duty Rate	Duty	AD/CVD	Sec. 301

Then totals block:

Item	Amount
Total Entered Value
Total Duty
MPF (estimated)
HMF (if ocean)
AD/CVD Deposits (est.)
Total Estimated Charges

Append:

• PGA flags list
• Document checklist (commercial invoice, packing list, B/L or AWB, certificate of origin if claiming FTA preference, any PGA permits)
• Open-questions / information gaps list

Close with a Licensed Customs Broker Review Block:

DRAFT — NOT TRANSMITTED. This entry summary draft is for customs-broker review only. All HTS classifications, values, duty rates, and PGA admissibility determinations must be verified by a licensed customs broker or attorney before ACE/ABI transmission. Do not use as a final entry.

Key Rules

• Never transmit an entry or represent that this draft constitutes an ABI transmission.
• Always label computed duties and fees as DRAFT — ESTIMATED.
• Never infer HTS numbers from descriptions alone — direct the user to use hs-tariff-classification or consult a broker.
• Flag OFAC-sanctioned country origins and require user confirmation before proceeding.
• Do not opine on whether a shipment qualifies for antidumping/CVD exclusions — state the cash deposit rate and direct to the broker or trade counsel.
• Ask one phase at a time. Do not request all information in one block.
• Mark any fee thresholds or rate values as CONFIRM CURRENT RATES with CBP.

Output Format

• Phase-by-phase output with clear labeled sections
• Entry summary table (text-formatted for copy-paste into ACE or Excel)
• Totals block labeled DRAFT — ESTIMATED
• PGA flag list
• Document checklist
• Open-questions list
• Licensed Customs Broker Review Block as the final section

Feedback

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