As of March 6, 2020, the United States Postal Service® will no longer accept any article bearing a handwritten customs declaration form. Customers must use PS Form 2976-R, USPS Customs Declaration and Dispatch Note, instead.
Note: Only military mail items that originate at Military Post Offices destined to international, non-U.S. addresses are allowed as a temporary exception to this rule (pending software updates).
This new policy halts the past practice of accepting pre-printed, hard copy PS Forms 2976, PS Form 2976-A, PS Form 2976-B, and other hard copy customs declaration forms. All packages found in the mail stream bearing handwritten customs declaration forms will be returned to the sender. Packages bearing handwritten customs forms are not to be tendered to:
n International mail processing centers;
n U.S. Customs;
n International transportation; or
n Foreign posts for delivery.
Handwritten forms are no longer acceptable. Commercial and Bulk Mailers tendering items to USPS® for acceptance must submit Advance Electronic Data for each package.
Both customers and Postal Service™ employees need to become familiar with PS Form 2976-R, USPS Customs Declaration and Dispatch Note. Customers at Post Offices will submit each package with a handwritten PS Form 2976-R. Accepting personnel must obtain an accurate and complete description of the contents, names, and addresses to be entered into the system (Customs and Border Protection Manifest) to ensure USPS compliance with federal import/export laws.
Former customs declaration forms must not be used in USPS retail transactions:
n PS Form 2976, Customs Declaration CN 22,
n PS Form 2976-A, Customs Declaration and Dispatch Note CP 72, and
n PS Form 2976-B, Priority Mail Express International Shipping Label and Customs Form.
Retail Software System (RSS), Customs Forms Online (CFOL), Click-n-Ship®, or any other USPS partner system will print the appropriate customs declaration form based on the destination country and mail class/product selected. All former customs declarations forms must be removed from USPS offices by March 6, 2020.
Employees in retail Post Offices are instructed to do the following:
n Keep a sufficient supply of PS Form 2976-R on hand to replenish supplies in the retail lobby. Retail unit employees may order PS Form 2976-R from the Material Distribution Center using Postal Service Identification Number 7530-17-000-7992.
n Educate customers with international or domestic mailpieces that require a customs form, including mailpieces destined for Army Post Offices/Fleet Post Offices/Diplomatic Post Offices and U.S. Possessions, Territories, and Freely Associated States. These customers are required to fill out customs information worksheet PS Form 2976-R.
n Enter the data into RSS as the customer has written it on PS Form 2976-R. The system will print out the appropriate electronic customs form, barcodes, and postage. Apply the label(s) on the customer’s mailpiece, and ask the customer for a signature on the electronically generated customs form. Apply the barcodes to PS 2976-R plies, place PS Form 2976-R into plastic envelope PS Form 2976-E, Customs Declaration Envelope, and apply the envelope to the package.
n Non-RSS offices will use CFOL at usps.com/international/customs-forms.htm to generate electronically printed customs forms to affix to customers’ packages.
n Remove all pre-printed hard copies of PS Form 2976, PS Form 2976-A, and PS Form 2976-B at retail service counters and replace them with PS Form 2976-R. Include directions for disposal or destruction by March 6, 2020.
In the event there is a power outage or the retail system is down at Post Offices, the customer must do one of the following:
1. Bring the article to a nearby Post Office where the system is functioning, or
2. Complete the CFOL at usps.com/international/customs-forms.htm, so the customs data is sent electronically to Customs and Border Patrol when the article is transacted.
Thank the customer for having come prepared to ship internationally. Inform the customer that U.S. export regulations require electronic submission of customs data, and that USPS now exclusively uses PS Form 2976-R. Ask the customer to complete PS Form 2976-R. Let customers know that they can also go online to fill out and print the appropriate customs form at usps.com/international/customs-forms.htm.
A mailpiece bearing an unacceptable handwritten form will be returned to the sender. If a mailpiece has incomplete or inaccurate customs data, the Postal Service may not be able to detect and prevent potential violations of federal export laws, and such a mailpiece will be returned to the sender.
Note: Retail associates should encourage customers to use computer-generated customs forms to expedite shipping and avoid spending time in line at the retail window. Postal Service customers may fill out customs declaration forms online at usps.com/international/customs-forms.htm. For customers who select CFOL, their customs data will be pre-populated in RSS. Mail with customs declaration forms generated by CFOL must be brought to the Post Office for payment. Customers who complete their international transaction online using Click-N-Ship can use carrier pickup, drop their package in a collection box, or bring it to the Post Office.
— Trade Policy and Process,
International Processing Operations, 1-16-20
