An internal transaction number is the automated export system(AES) generated number assigned to a shipment confirming that an electronic export information transaction was accepted and is on file in the AES. Evidently, the automated export system has taken over the US market. So it’s a quite common term for businesses nowadays. So if you are a trader without an ITN in the US, you are bound to face countless problems.
- Significance of ITN
- The ITN plays a significantly vital role as proof of filing. Once the EEI has been filed, acquisition of the ITN will be your only proof of filing. And this small proof can help you and your business notably.
- Further, in certain documents, having an ITN is mandatory for the processing of the shipment. Having a Canadian ITN for instance is important for importing into Canada. Without the ITN, goods can get held at the customs.
So this number is important for business.
Tips for acquiring the ITN:
- Contacting the broker
The customs broker plays a pivotal role here as he/she is quite experienced in the field. So if you haven’t hired a broker yet, it’s time you do because otherwise, you may end up paying excessively. So the foremost thing to do is to tell your broker your need for the ITN, upon which, he may ask you to provide all the necessary documents and their copies. If you want to import a car for instance, for private use, you may have to provide documents such as the bill of sale, a copy of the vehicle’s title, and so on. Further, if you want to import your car into Canada from the US, you’ll have to produce documents such as the Kelley Blue Book value.
- Declare the crossing information
One major thing that will help you, in the long run, is by letting your broker know your products, in this case, the vehicle. So the broker needs to know the exact date you plan to cross. Or if you are using a transport company, your broker must know things like the name of the company, contact information, or the standard carrier alpha code, etc.
- The 72-hour long wait
After submitting the paperwork, your broker will then wait for the next 72 hours to hear back from the US customs for the ITN. The ITN will then be e-mailed to you. If you are importing a vehicle, you may decide whether you want to proceed with a full import by your broker or self declare your vehicle.
You can see that the involvement of a customs broker can smoothen the process as well as your experience and the Clearit ITN number can be acquired with the least efforts on your part.