Rules and Regulations. 30-Day notice and request for comments

Agency: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Department of Homeland Security
Action: 30-Day notice and request for comments
Citation: FR Doc. 2026-09106 · OMB Control Number 1651-0105

Summary

The Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will be submitting the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA). The information collection is published in the Federal Register to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies.

Dates

Comments are encouraged and must be submitted (no later than June 8, 2026) to be assured of consideration.

Supplementary Information

CBP invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on the proposed and/or continuing information collections pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. ). This proposed information collection was previously published in the Federal Register (90 FR 25065) on June 13, 2025, allowing for a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments. This process is conducted in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.8. Written comments and suggestions from the public and affected agencies should address one or more of the following four points: (1) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) suggestions to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) suggestions to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses. The comments that are submitted will be summarized and included in the request for approval. All comments will become a matter of public record. Overview of This Information Collection Title: Application to Use Automated Commercial Environment (ACE). OMB Number: 1651-0105. Form Number: N/A. Current Actions: Extension. Type of Review: Extension (with change). Affected Public: Businesses. Abstract: The Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) is a trade data processing system that replaced the Automated Commercial System (ACS), as the import system for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operations. ACE is authorized by Executive Order 13659 which mandates the implementation of a Single Window through which businesses will transmit data required by participating agencies for the importation or exportation of cargo. See 79 FR 10655 (February 25, 2014). ACE supports government agencies and the trade community with border-related missions with respect to moving goods across the border efficiently and securely. Once ACE is fully implemented, all related CBP trade functions and the trade community will be supported from a single common user interface. To establish an ACE Portal account, participants submit information such as their name, their employer identification number (EIN) or social security number (SSN), and if applicable, a statement certifying their capability to connect to the internet. This information is submitted through the ACE Secure Data Portal which is accessible at: http://www.cbp.gov/trade/automated. Please Note: A CBP-assigned number may be provided in lieu of your SSN. If you have an EIN, that number will automatically be used and no CBP number will be assigned. A CBP-assigned number is for CBP use only. There is a standalone capability for electronically filing protests in ACE. This capability is available for participants who have not established ACE Portal Accounts for other trade activities, but desire to file protests electronically. A protest is a procedure whereby a private party may administratively challenge a CBP decision regarding imported merchandise and certain other CBP decisions. Trade members can establish a protest filer account in ACE through a separate application and the submission of specific data elements. See 81 FR 57928 (August 24, 2016). Previously approved changes for this collection include, adding a new ACE account type for Import Trade Carriers. This enables users to file vessel entrance, clearance, and related data to CBP electronically through the new Vessel Entrance and Clearance System (VECS). The account application will be changed to collect identifying information such as name, employer identification number (EIN), company address, and phone numbers, to be used to set up the Vessel Agency accounts. Users who create a Vessel Agency Account are automatically enrolled into the VECS public pilot. Additionally, unrelated to the Vessel Agency account type creation, CBP removed account types “Cartman” and “Lighterman” from the ACE Account Application. These account types were never used and are being removed due to that lack of use. Proposed Changes Section four of the application entitled “Air Carrier/Rail Carrier/Sea Carrier/Truck Carrier/Driver/Crew” was updated on February 6, 2025, to change the word “gender” to “sex”. The change was made to comply with the Executive Order issued on January 20, 2025: “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government”. Type of Information Collection: Application to ACE (Import). Estimated Number of Respondents: 21,571. Estimated Number of Annual Responses per Respondent: 1. Estimated Number of Total Annual Responses: 21,571. Estimated Time per Response: 20 minutes (0.33 hours). Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 7,118. Type of Information Collection: Application to ACE (Export). Estimated Number of Respondents: 9,000. Estimated Number of Annual Responses per Respondent: 1. Estimated Number of Total Annual Responses: 9,000. Estimated Time per Response: 4 minutes (0.066 hours). Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 594. Type of Information Collection: Application to Establish an ACE Protest Filer Account. Estimated Number of Respondents: 3,750. Estimated Number of Annual Responses per Respondent: 1. Estimated Number of Total Annual Responses: 3,750. Estimated Time per Response: 4 minutes (0.066 hours). Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 248. Seth D. Renkema, Branch Chief, Economic Impact Analysis Branch, U.S. Customs and Border Protection. [FR Doc. 2026-09106 Filed 5-6-26; 8:45 am]