ACE eManifest for Highway Carriers: Requirements, Filing and PAPS Workflow

ACE eManifest requirements at a glance

The ACE truck eManifest is CBP's advance electronic manifest for highway carriers entering the United States. The table summarizes the core requirements; each row is explained in detail below. [CBP flyer]

Scroll the table sideways on small screens →

Who must file, and who is responsible

The carrier that operates the truck is the party responsible for transmitting the ACE eManifest, and it must file under its own SCAC. A carrier may arrange for an approved EDI provider or a third-party service bureau to transmit the data, but responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of the manifest stays with the carrier. A customs broker handles the entry for release (for example a PAPS entry) and does not file the carrier's eManifest. [CBP User Guide]

The SCAC requirement

A Standard Carrier Alpha Code (SCAC) is the unique carrier identifier used on the ACE truck eManifest and as the first characters of every shipment control number. You need a valid, current SCAC before you can file. SCACs are issued by the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA), not by CBP, and must be renewed to stay active. [CBP Getting Started]

• Apply for or renew a SCAC through the official NMFTA application: scac.nmfta.org/get-a-scac/apply.
• Use the same SCAC on your eManifest, your shipment control numbers, and your PAPS barcodes.
• Keep the SCAC current; an expired SCAC can cause rejects and delays.

Filing routes: Portal, EDI, or service bureau

CBP lets highway carriers transmit the ACE truck eManifest three ways. Pick the one that fits your volume and systems; the data requirements are the same regardless of route. [CBP EDI]

Carriers using their own software must complete CBP's EDI application and testing before transmitting in production, following the current ANSI X12 Truck 309 implementation guide. [CBP 309 IG]

What data an ACE eManifest requires

An ACE truck eManifest combines trip/conveyance information with one or more shipments. Gather all of the following before you build it; missing fields are a common cause of rejects. [CBP create]

Trip number vs. shipment control number

The ACE eManifest uses two different identifiers, and keeping them straight prevents most matching problems:

• Trip number — identifies the whole conveyance / trip on the eManifest. One trip can carry many shipments.
• Shipment control number (SCN) — identifies a single shipment. It begins with your SCAC followed by a unique carrier-assigned reference and must be unique per shipment.

The shipment control number is also the value the broker uses on a PAPS entry and the value the PAPS barcode encodes, so CBP can match the manifest to the release. Do not conflate the two: the trip number is the conveyance ID on the manifest, while the SCN / PAPS number is the shipment ID that must be identical across the barcode label, the eManifest, and the broker's entry. [CBP create]

Illustrative With SCAC ABCD, a shipment control number could look like ABCD10428 and a trip number like ABCDTRIP0725. These shapes are illustrative only — use your own SCAC and unique references, keep every shipment control number unique, and confirm current formatting and length limits with CBP.

Filing deadlines

As a general current CBP requirement, a highway carrier must transmit the eManifest and receive a valid CBP response before arrival — generally at least one hour before the truck reaches the border, reduced to at least 30 minutes before arrival for qualifying FAST-eligible shipments. Filing earlier gives you time to clear any reject before you reach the port. Timing rules can change, so confirm the current requirement with CBP before you ship. [CBP flyer]

Step-by-step filing workflow

The sequence below follows CBP's create-manifest process, from dispatch setup through CBP acceptance and arrival at the border. [CBP create]

1. Set up dispatch. Confirm a current SCAC and your filing route (ACE Portal, EDI, or service bureau).
2. Collect the data. Gather trip, conveyance, equipment/seal, crew, party, and cargo details for every shipment on the trip.
3. Assign shipment control numbers. Build a unique SCN (SCAC + unique reference) for each shipment and share it with your broker.
4. Create the trip / conveyance record. Enter the trip number, port, arrival date/time, truck, and equipment.
5. Add the shipments. Attach each shipment (parties, cargo, SCN, and entry/release type such as PAPS) to the trip.
6. Coordinate the broker / PAPS entry. Confirm the broker has filed the entry using the same shipment control number.
7. Transmit and get a response. Send the eManifest and wait for CBP's acceptance response; do not assume acceptance.
8. Clear any reject. Fix flagged data, resubmit, and confirm a valid accepted response.
9. Prepare the lead sheet. Produce a scannable lead sheet with the PAPS barcode (Code 128) for the driver.
10. Driver arrives and presents it. The driver reports at the port and presents the barcode so CBP can retrieve the manifest and release.
11. Retain proof. Keep the transmission, acceptance, and source records.

Broker coordination and the PAPS workflow

ACE eManifest and PAPS are separate steps that must line up. ACE is the carrier's advance manifest to CBP; PAPS is the process that lets the broker file the entry in advance and lets CBP match it to the shipment using the shipment control number. The barcode on the PAPS label encodes that same number. [CBP create]

• ✓ Send the broker the shipment control number early so the entry and the eManifest carry the same value.
• ✓ Place the PAPS barcode (Code 128) flat and unobstructed on a lead sheet or the invoice cover so it scans cleanly at the port.
• ✓ Confirm the broker's entry is on file before the truck arrives.
• × Treating the broker's PAPS entry as a substitute for transmitting your eManifest.
• × Letting the shipment control number differ between the label, the eManifest, and the entry.

For building and placing the number itself, see How to Get and Use a PAPS Number, and for the Canada-bound equivalent see PARS vs. PAPS.

Accepted, rejected, and troubleshooting

CBP returns a response through the same channel you filed on. Do not treat a manifest as filed until you have a valid acceptance response, and fix any reject before you reach the port. [CBP User Guide]

Changes, cancellations, and amendments

Correct the manifest as early as possible. Pre-arrival edits are straightforward through your filing channel; post-arrival changes are handled with CBP at the port and can be limited. [CBP create]

Note Exact edit rules and post-arrival options can change. Verify the current procedure with CBP and your filing provider before relying on a specific step.

ACE vs. ACI: two directions, two systems

ACE and ACI are the mirror-image advance manifest programs for the two directions of a Canada–U.S. crossing. If you run both ways, you file both, each under the right agency and identifier.

For the Canada-bound side in full, see our companion guide: ACI eManifest for Highway Carriers.

Common mistakes

Frequently asked questions

What is an ACE eManifest?

An ACE eManifest (ACE truck eManifest) is the advance electronic truck manifest a highway carrier transmits to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) before arriving at the border. It reports the trip, conveyance, equipment, crew, and cargo so CBP can process and risk-assess the shipment in advance. It is filed through the ACE Secure Data Portal, approved EDI, or a third-party service bureau, and it does not replace the entry/release filing (such as a PAPS entry) or the driver's presentation at the port.

Who must file an ACE truck eManifest?

The highway carrier operating the truck is responsible for transmitting a complete, accurate ACE truck eManifest under its own SCAC before reaching the border. A carrier may use an approved EDI provider or a third-party service bureau to transmit on its behalf, but the carrier remains responsible for the accuracy of the data. The customs broker files the entry (for example a PAPS entry) for release of the goods and does not file the carrier's eManifest.

How early must an ACE eManifest be filed?

As a general current CBP requirement, a highway carrier must transmit the eManifest and receive a valid CBP response at least one hour before the truck arrives at the border; for qualifying FAST-eligible shipments the window is at least 30 minutes before arrival. Building in extra time lets you clear rejects before you reach the port. Timing rules can change, so confirm the current requirement with CBP before you ship.

Do I need a SCAC to file an ACE eManifest?

Yes. A Standard Carrier Alpha Code (SCAC) is the unique carrier identifier used on the ACE truck eManifest and to build each shipment control number, and it is required to file. SCACs are issued by the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA), not by CBP, and must be kept current. Apply for or renew a SCAC through the official NMFTA application at https://scac.nmfta.org/get-a-scac/apply.

Does the broker file the ACE eManifest?

No. The carrier files the ACE truck eManifest; the customs broker files the entry (for example a PAPS entry) that requests release of the goods. They are separate steps that must reconcile: the shipment control number on the carrier's eManifest must match the number the broker uses on the entry so CBP can associate the manifest with the release. A broker's entry does not satisfy the carrier's obligation to transmit the eManifest.

How does ACE eManifest relate to PAPS?

PAPS (Pre-Arrival Processing System) is the process that lets a broker file the entry in advance and lets CBP match it to the shipment using a unique shipment control number built from your SCAC. That shipment control number is what the carrier lists on the eManifest and what the barcode on the PAPS label encodes. The trip number identifies the whole conveyance/trip on the eManifest, while the shipment control number identifies an individual shipment; keep the two roles distinct and make sure the shipment control number is identical across the label, the eManifest, and the broker's entry.

How do you correct or cancel an ACE eManifest?

Before arrival you update the eManifest through the same channel you filed on (the ACE Portal, EDI, or your service bureau) — amend the trip, conveyance, or shipment data, resubmit, and confirm you get a valid CBP acceptance response before reaching the port. If a shipment drops off a trip, remove it from the manifest and refile. After arrival, changes are handled with CBP at the port and can be limited, so correct errors before you arrive whenever possible and confirm current procedures with CBP.

What is an ACE lead sheet and where does the PAPS barcode go?

An ACE lead sheet (ACE manifest lead sheet) is the cover document the driver presents so CBP and the broker can quickly retrieve the filing; it typically carries the trip number and the shipment control number as a scannable Code 128 barcode. Place the PAPS barcode where it is flat, unobstructed, and easy to scan — commonly on a lead sheet or the invoice cover accompanying the shipment — and make sure the encoded shipment control number matches the eManifest and the broker's entry exactly. The lead sheet supports retrieval; it does not replace the electronic eManifest or the entry.

Sources

• CBP — Commercial Truck Manifest flyer Overview of the truck eManifest requirement and the one-hour / 30-minute FAST timing.
• CBP — ACE Truck Manifest User Guide How the manifest is built, responsibilities, statuses, and retrieval at the port.
• CBP — Truck Manifest: Create a Manifest Required trip, conveyance, party, and shipment data, and the create/edit workflow.
• CBP — Getting Started with ACE Account setup and prerequisites, including the SCAC and portal access.
• CBP — ACE Truck Manifest EDI EDI application and testing procedures for carriers using their own software or a service bureau.
• CBP — ANSI X12 Truck 309 Implementation Guide The technical message format for EDI transmission of the import truck manifest.
• NMFTA — SCAC application The official application to obtain or renew a Standard Carrier Alpha Code.

Related resources

• How to Get and Use a PAPS Number
• PARS vs. PAPS: What's the Difference?
• ACI eManifest for Highway Carriers
• U.S. CBP Cross-Border Requirements
• Printed ACE manifest lead sheets
• PAPS barcode labels
• All cross-border resources