With the holiday season behind us, many are now enjoying their gifts. If you were lucky enough to be given a big-ticket item like a car, you may not care if it’s new or used. But the difference is key when it comes to reporting vehicles in the Automated Export System (AES).

What is a used vehicle for AES purposes?  

Customs and Border Protection CFR 192.1​ defines it as “any self-propelled vehicle the equitable or legal title to which has been transferred by a manufacturer, distributor or dealer to an ultimate purchaser.”

If you’re exporting a car, it is considered used unless you are buying it directly from the manufacturer. That means it should be listed as “used” even if you never stepped foot in it or bought it “new” from a dealer.  

What else do you need to complete the Electronic Export Information (EEI) for your car?

First, you need to verify if your commodity classification code requires or allows you to complete additional used vehicle fields. Refer to the AES Trade Interface Requirements’ Appendix U: HTS/Schedule B Classifications Requiring Used Vehicle Reporting. 

If your commodity classification code is not listed in Appendix U, ACE AESDirect will not display the additional fields when you enter your Schedule B or Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) code. If you type in a code that requires or allows you to enter the information, the system will display the necessary fields in the commodities section that you need to complete:

• VIN/PIN: Identify the type of identification number – vehicle identification number (VIN) or product identification number (PIN) – reported.
• VIN/PIN number: Provide the vehicle’s VIN number. If not available, submit its PIN number.
• Vehicle title number: Report the vehicle’s title number.
• Vehicle title state: List the state where the title was issued.

We strongly recommend that you also enter the vehicle’s year, make and model in the commodity description field. When you complete all required fields in ACE AESDirect, you can submit your EEI. After it’s successfully filed and processed, you will receive an Internal Transaction Number (ITN) to put on the shipping documents. Every AES shipment must have a unique ITN.

Have questions or want more information? Contact the Trade Data Collection Branch at 1-800-549-0595 (Option 1) or at askaes@census.gov.