Is a bill of lading number required at the time of an ISF filing?
Yes. The ISF Importer, or its agent, must obtain this information and provide it to CBP as part of the ISF filing. The ISF needs to be submitted at the lowest bill of lading level (i.e., house bill or regular bill) that is transmitted into the Automated Manifest System (AMS). The bill of lading number is the only common “link” between the ISF and the customs manifest data. 2. Please advise what to do if you do not have a bill of lading number at the time you submit the ISF. Most times the bill of lading numbers are not issued until after sailing. The ISF Importer must obtain the bill of lading number. The bill of lading number is an integral part of the security filing. Without the bill of lading number, the ISF cannot be matched to a customs manifest. The bill of lading number is part of the customs manifest information that is already required to be presented to CBP by the carrier or automated NVOCC 24 hours prior to vessel lading of cargo destined to enter the United States.
