How to Fill Out AES: Complete AESDirect Filing Guide

Your forwarder says the AES filing is done. You move on. But six months later, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) sends a penalty notice — to you, not the forwarder. The fine starts at $1,100 per day.

This guide walks through how to file Electronic Export Information (EEI) through the Automated Export System (AES), what each screen requires, and why the exporter — not the forwarder — carries the legal risk.

What is AES and who needs to file?

The Automated Export System (AES) is the U.S. government's electronic system for collecting export shipment data. Any U.S. exporter shipping goods valued over $2,500 per Schedule B number must file Electronic Export Information (EEI) through AES before the shipment leaves the country. According to the Foreign Trade Regulations (15 CFR 30.2), filing is also required regardless of value when an export license is needed, or when goods are controlled under ITAR or the EAR "600 series."

There is one major exception. According to 15 CFR 30.36, shipments from the United States to Canada do not require EEI filing unless an export license or license exception applies.

The filing tool is called AESDirect, hosted on the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) portal. It is free to use. You access it at ace.cbp.gov. Once you submit your EEI, the system returns an Internal Transaction Number (ITN). That ITN must appear on your bill of lading or air waybill before the carrier can load your cargo.

How do you register for AESDirect?

To file EEI, you need an ACE Exporter Account. Registration is free and done through the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website. You will need your company's Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS. If your company does not have an EIN, you must obtain one before you can file.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the registration steps are:

Go to ace.cbp.gov and create an account
Select "Exporter" as your account type
Complete the ACE Exporter Account application
Accept the AESDirect certification statements
Access the AESDirect Shipment Manager to begin filing

The Census Bureau also offers a free video walkthrough series on its website that covers each step from registration to submission.

What data does each AESDirect screen require?

AESDirect has four main screens to complete for each filing: Shipment, Parties, Commodities, and Transportation. According to the AESDirect User Guide published by the U.S. Census Bureau, all mandatory fields must be filled before the system will accept your submission.

Screen 1: Shipment

This screen captures the basic export details. You enter the date of export, which is the date goods are scheduled to leave the U.S. port. You also select the U.S. state of origin — the state where the goods begin their journey to the port. According to 15 CFR 30.6, if goods ship from a warehouse in Georgia to a port in Florida, Georgia is the state of origin.

Screen 2: Parties

This screen identifies the people and companies involved. The key fields are:

USPPI (U.S. Principal Party in Interest): The U.S. person who receives the primary benefit from the export. This is usually the seller or manufacturer.
USPPI EIN: Your company's Employer Identification Number.
Ultimate Consignee: The foreign person who receives the goods abroad. According to 15 CFR 30.6, if the end user is known, report the end user. If the buyer is a reseller and the end user is unknown, report the buyer.

Screen 3: Commodities

This is where classification errors happen most often. You must enter:

Schedule B number: The 10-digit commodity classification code. You can also use an HTS number in most cases. The U.S. Census Bureau provides a free Schedule B search tool and a helpline at 1-800-549-0595, option 2.
Export value: The selling price at the U.S. port of export, including inland freight and insurance to the port.
ECCN or license information: Required when an export license applies.
Quantity and unit of measure

Getting the Schedule B number wrong is one of the most common filing errors. According to the Census Bureau, the AES will return a fatal error message if the code format is invalid, but it cannot catch a valid-format code that describes the wrong product.

Screen 4: Transportation

This screen captures how the goods leave the United States. Key fields include:

Mode of transport: Vessel, air, truck, rail, or mail
Carrier SCAC/IATA code: The carrier's identification code
Port of export: The U.S. port where goods are loaded onto the exporting carrier
Booking number or air waybill number: Required for vessel shipments, optional for air

What are the filing deadlines by transport mode?

EEI must be filed and the ITN received before the shipment departs. The exact deadline depends on how the goods are being transported. According to 15 CFR 30.4(b)(2), the predeparture filing deadlines for non-USML shipments are:

Vessel: 24 hours before loading cargo at the U.S. port
Air: 2 hours before the aircraft's scheduled departure
Truck: 1 hour before the truck arrives at the U.S. border
Rail: 2 hours before the train arrives at the U.S. border
Mail: 2 hours before exportation

For used self-propelled vehicles, the deadline is stricter: 72 hours before export, according to 15 CFR 30.4(b)(4).

For USML (U.S. Munitions List) items, separate predeparture requirements apply under ITAR (22 CFR 123.22).

What happens if you file late or make errors?

Filing late or filing incorrect EEI is a violation of the Foreign Trade Regulations. Penalties are enforced by CBP and can be both civil and criminal. According to 15 CFR 30.71, the penalty structure is:

Late filing: Civil penalty of up to $1,100 for each day of delinquency, with a maximum of $10,000 per violation
Failure to file: Civil penalty of up to $10,000 per violation. Any filing submitted more than 10 calendar days after the due date is treated as failure to file, regardless of whether CBP discovered it first
False or misleading information: Criminal penalty of up to $10,000, imprisonment for up to 5 years, or both, for each knowing violation

Under the ITAR and EAR, penalties for export violations are significantly higher. Criminal fines can reach $1,000,000 per violation, and civil penalties range from $300,000 to over $1,000,000 per violation.

CBP and the Census Bureau require exporters, carriers, and agents to retain ITNs and export documents for five years from the date of export. Failure to retain records is itself a violation.

Who is legally responsible — the exporter or the forwarder?

The U.S. Principal Party in Interest (USPPI) is ultimately responsible for the accuracy and timeliness of the EEI filing, even when a freight forwarder files on their behalf. According to 15 CFR 30.3 and Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) guidance, the USPPI must provide accurate export information to the authorized agent and cannot transfer legal liability by delegating the filing.

This means if your forwarder enters the wrong Schedule B code, files after the deadline, or reports an incorrect consignee, the penalty comes to you. You can authorize a forwarder to file by providing a power of attorney or written authorization, but the regulatory obligation stays with the USPPI.

According to the Census Bureau, corrections to EEI must be transmitted as soon as errors are discovered. The filer has 24 hours after export to correct transportation-related fields. After that window, corrections may trigger additional scrutiny.

Quick reference: AES filing checklist

Get your EIN and register for an ACE Exporter Account at ace.cbp.gov
Classify goods using the correct Schedule B or HTS number before filing
Complete all four AESDirect screens: Shipment, Parties, Commodities, Transportation
File before the deadline for your transport mode (24h vessel, 2h air, 1h truck)
Provide the ITN to your carrier before departure
Verify that your forwarder filed correctly — liability stays with the USPPI
Retain all export records for five years from the date of export