These are the messages the person who files your ISF sees, usually your customs broker or freight forwarder. They come from CBP’s ACE system, and the wording below follows CBP’s FAQ and its technical documents. For what an ISF contains, see ISF filing requirements and the checklist ; for what a late or unmatched filing can cost, see ISF late filing penalty .
The order of events
- Submission. CBP answers at once: accepted or rejected. An accepted ISF gets a unique ISF transaction number. A rejection comes with a reason code (the error codes below) (FAQ ).
- Match to a bill of lading. Every ISF must reference at least one bill of lading at the lowest level sent to ACE (house bill, or regular bill). The bill comes from the carrier’s or NVOCC’s manifest data. When ISF and bill agree on number and bill type, CBP sends the filer S1 “Bill on File” and the carrier 3Z. CBP does not send an “okay to load” message.
- Timing. The initial ISF must be on time, and it must match the bill of lading no later than 24 hours before arrival at the first US port; otherwise CBP considers it inaccurate. Timeliness does not depend on receiving the S1 message.
“Accepted” does not mean the ISF is finalized or accurate, in CBP’s words.
Messages to the filer
| Message | Meaning, as CBP defines it | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Accepted | CBP received the data and returned an ISF transaction number | Keep the number; wait for the bill match |
| Rejected | The data failed a check; no ISF record exists | Correct and send as a new “add”, not a replacement (FAQ). No transaction number is issued for a rejected filing |
| Accepted with warning | Another filer has already sent an ISF for the same shipment (same bill and importer of record), or the filer used the flexible option (code 141) | Contact the importer; one of the duplicate filings must be deleted. Update the filing when complete data exists |
| S1 Bill on File | The ISF matched a bill of lading in AMS | Nothing; the match is in place |
| S2 No Bill Match (Not on File) | The ISF’s bill is not in AMS immediately after filing | Normal if the manifest has not arrived; check again |
| S3, S4, S5 No Bill Match (Not on File) | Same, 5, 20 and 30 days after filing | Check the bill number, then ask the carrier or NVOCC whether it sent the manifest |
| S6, SA, SB, SC No Bill Match (Wrong Type) | The bill is on file as a different bill type, immediately and 5, 20, 30 days after filing | Correct the bill type on the ISF |
| S7 Duplicate ISF by Another Filer | An ISF with the same bill number and importer of record was filed by another filer | Agree with the other party which filing stays |
| 3Z Security Filing On File | Sent to the carrier: an ISF is on file for this bill | Nothing |
| 3U Security Filing Deleted | No ISF is on file for this bill any longer | Check whether the deletion was intended |
The S-codes and 3Z/3U text is from ACE Appendix N . The “Accepted”, “Rejected” and warning behavior is from the FAQ.
“Bill not on file” after “Accepted”
CBP’s FAQ gives this order of work when you see “Accepted, No Bill on File”:
- The ISF may have come before the manifest. CBP’s FAQ says a match message for an ISF filed before the bill should come shortly after the bill is filed and the match occurs.
- The bill number may have a typing error. ABI has a query that confirms whether a bill number exists in ACE.
- The bill type on the ISF may differ from the type in ACE.
- If the bill is on file and the ISF still does not match, contact your CBP client representative. If the bill is not on file, the filer coordinates with the carrier or NVOCC.
Do not send a replacement ISF to try to force a match; CBP says that could affect your compliance profile. If a bill is split or diverted, the original ISF should be amended with the new bills (not deleted: a deletion removes the timely-filing time stamp), on the same conveyance.
“ISF not on file” is a different thing
The phrase is used for two situations. When CBP has no ISF for a bill of lading, it can place a hold on the cargo at the port: code 2O, “CBP hold for no ISF on file”. Code 2P is the hold for an ISF compliance issue. In both the bill’s status is held and the cargo cannot be released until CBP removes the hold. 2Q and 2R are the matching “Do Not Load” messages to carriers. See ISF late filing penalty for how holds are handled.
When the filer tries to replace or delete an ISF, error code 108, “ISF Transaction Number not on file”, means the transaction number sent matches no active ISF.
Reason codes on rejections
CBP’s FAQ points to CATAIR Appendix S for the full list of ISF error codes. A few examples from the copy on cbp.gov, which is dated October 2012 and marked draft in its footer (check the current CATAIR before relying on a code): 108 ISF Transaction Number not on file; 117 Duplicate ISF Transaction; 153 Missing Bill of Lading; 154 Invalid Bill of Lading format; 404 HTS Code not on file. We do not list the rest.
What we have not found: CBP publishes no plain-language meaning for a code beyond these documents, and we do not add one.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'Accepted, No Bill on File' mean?
The ISF was accepted but its bill of lading number did not match a house or regular bill of lading in ACE. CBP's FAQ lists three common causes: the ISF came before the manifest data, a typing error in the bill number, or a different bill type.
Should I send a replacement ISF to force the match?
CBP asks you not to. Its FAQ says replacing an ISF to try to force a match message could affect your compliance profile. Check the bill number, the bill type and whether the carrier has transmitted the manifest first.
Where is the list of ISF error codes?
CBP publishes it as ACE CATAIR Appendix S, ISF Error Codes. The bill status messages (S1 to SC, 3Z, 3U, 2O to 2R) are in Appendix N, disposition codes. Both are linked below.
Sources
- CBP, Importer Security Filing '10+2' FAQs, May 2023
- CBP, ACE Appendix N, disposition codes (PDF dated 06/08/2023)
- CBP, ACE CATAIR Appendix S, ISF error codes
- 19 CFR 149.2, Requirement and time of transmission
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