The request, drafted
The product, the classification we believe is right and why, and the rulings that support it. Written the way CBP reads.
$449flat · CBP charges no fee
Binding ruling preparation
A CBP binding ruling, prepared and filed for you
When the classification has to be settled by CBP itself, Borderless writes the request, files it through eRulings, answers CBP's questions and delivers the ruling. A licensed broker prepares every request. You pay once, for the work.
What happens
A ruling, day by day
Drag the day or press play. Typical timing for a New York ruling on a complete request.
Day by day
Day 0
The facts, assembled
What CBP will ask about: material, construction, use, photos or a sample, and the headings in play.
What you get
The whole request, handled
Filed with CBP
Through CBP's eRulings portal to the National Commodity Specialist Division, with the photos or samples the case needs.
Follow-up until it issues
CBP sometimes asks for more. We answer, and we tell you the moment the ruling posts.
A code that holds
The ruling binds CBP at every port for the goods described. The number goes on every entry.
Ruling or determination?
Is a ruling worth it for this product?
Three questions, one answer.
1Is the duty difference between the two possible codes more than a few thousand dollars a year?
2Has CBP, a marketplace or a supplier questioned the code?
3Will you import this product for years?
0 of 3 answered
Answer the three and we say which one fits.
Most products need the written determination. A binding ruling is for the ones where a lot rides on the code.
Start a request
Tell us about the product.
Borderless confirms the facts and the timeline by call or email before anything is charged.
- Photos, a spec sheet or a sample make the request stronger.
- If CBP or a broker has already said something about the code, tell us.
- One request per product; a family of near-identical products can often go in one.
Questions people ask first
What does a binding ruling actually do?
It is CBP's own written decision on how your goods are classified, issued under 19 CFR Part 177. It binds CBP at every port for the goods described, so the code is not reopened at entry. It also becomes public on CROSS, where other importers can read it.
How long does it take?
CBP's New York office aims to issue within about 30 days of a complete request. A request that raises a novel question, or one CBP refers to Headquarters, takes longer. The drafting on our side takes a few days once the facts are in.
Does CBP charge for a ruling?
No. CBP charges nothing for a binding ruling. The $449 covers the preparation, filing and follow-up. If all you need is a written opinion for your own records, a determination is $49 and takes two business days.
When is a ruling worth it?
When the duty difference between two headings is large, when a shipment has been questioned at the port, when a supplier or a marketplace demands certainty, or when you plan to import the same product for years. For a one-off shipment of ordinary goods, a determination is usually enough.
A binding ruling binds CBP for the goods described in the request and the company that asked. Read the rulings CBP has already issued on goods like yours in the rulings library; a similar one often answers the question before a request is needed.