Public Law 119-87 (04/30/2026)

19 U.S.C. § 1551

Bonding of carriers

Under such regulations and subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary of the Treasury shall prescribe—
(1)
any common carrier of merchandise owning or operating a railroad, steamship, or other transportation line or route for the transportation of merchandise in the United States,
(2)
any contract carrier authorized to operate as such by any agency of the United States, and
(3)
any freight forwarder authorized to operate as such by any agency of the United States,
upon application, may, in the discretion of the Secretary, be designated as a carrier of bonded merchandise for the final release of which from customs custody a permit has not been issued. A private carrier, upon application, may, in the discretion of the Secretary, be designated under the preceding sentence as a carrier of bonded merchandise, subject to such regulations and, in the case of each applicant, to such special terms and conditions as the Secretary may prescribe to safeguard the revenues of the United States with respect to the transportation of bonded merchandise by such applicant.

June 17, 1930, ch. 497 46 Stat. 742 Dec. 28, 1945, ch. 605 59 Stat. 667 Pub. L. 87–59876 Stat. 400 Pub. L. 87–85476 Stat. 1130 Pub. L. 90–240, § 381 Stat. 776 (, title IV, § 551, ; , ; , , ; , , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 551 42 Stat. 975 Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in , . That section was superseded by section 551 of act , comprising this section, and repealed by section 651(a)(1) of the 1930 act.

Act of June 10, 1880, ch. 190 21 Stat. 173 act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 643 42 Stat. 989 Prior provisions concerning transportation of merchandise in bond without appraisement to another port of entry were contained in the Immediate Transportation , , as amended, section 3 of which required the merchandise to be transported by carriers designated by the Secretary of the Treasury, and required them to give bonds as the Secretary should require. That act was repealed by , .

Amendments

Pub. L. 90–2401968— provided that a private carrier, upon application, could, in the discretion of the Secretary, be designated as a carrier of bonded merchandise, subject to regulations, terms, and conditions prescribed by the Secretary, safeguard the revenues of the United States with respect to the transportation of bonded merchandise by such applicant.

Pub. L. 87–8541962— amended section catchline and text generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “Under such regulations and subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary of the Treasury shall prescribe, any common carrier of merchandise owning or operating a railroad, steamship, or other transportation line or route for the transportation of merchandise in the United States, or any freightforwarder authorized to operate as such by any agency of the United States, upon application, may, in the discretion of the Secretary, be designated as a carrier of bonded merchandise for the final release of which from customs custody a permit has not been issued.”

Pub. L. 87–598section 1002(5) of title 49 substituted “authorized to operate as such by any agency of the United States,” for “, as defined in .”

section 1002(5) of title 491945—Act , substituted “Under such regulations and subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary of the Treasury shall prescribe, any common carrier of merchandise owning or operating a railroad, steamship, or other transportation line or route for the transportation of merchandise in the United States, or any freight forwarder, as defined in , upon application, may, in the discretion of the Secretary” for “Any common carrier of merchandise owning or operating railroad, steamship, or other transportation lines or routes for the transportation of merchandise in the United States, upon application and the filing of a bond in a form and penalty and with such sureties as may be approved by the Secretary of the Treasury, may”.