Additional Requirements for Certain International Shipments and Destinations
Electronic Export Information
For certain shipments, Electronic Export Information (EEI) must be filed in the U.S. Government’s Automated Commercial Environment to obtain an ITN (Internal Transaction Number) prior to shipping. EEI is required for:
- International shipments over $2,500 (except Canada).
- All items requiring an export license, regardless of value.
- Certain shipments and hand-carried items to China, Hong Kong, Russia[1], or Venezuela,
The requirement applies regardless of whether you use eShip@Penn or ship directly through one of the major carriers. To avoid significant delays, please gather the following information for each item in your package before attempting any shipment to these destinations:
- Whether the item is of domestic or foreign origin
- Schedule B/Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) Code: 10-digit commodity classification code
- The Schedule B Look-up tool https://uscensus.prod.3ceonline.com/ can be used to help you find the appropriate code.
- For commercial items, the vendor/manufacturer will be able to provide this code (either published online or on request).
- Product description: Sufficiently detailed description of each item being shipped
- Good descriptions: Xilinx FPGA kit, rabbit polyclonal IL-6 antibody, formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded human brain tissue, Cotton T-shirts.
- Poor descriptions: electronic components, research sample, protein, exempt specimen, gift box.
- ECCN: Export Control Classification Number
- For commercial items, please contact the vendor/manufacturer to obtain the ECCN. Many companies publish this information online.
- If you do not know the ECCN and the vendor/manufacturer is unable to provide, please contact expctrl@lists.upenn.edu for assistance.
*Note that each item in the shipment must be listed separately on both the EEI form and in eShip@Penn*
Below is an example of the level of detail required to file EEI and obtain an ITN for your shipment:
| D/F | Schedule B/HTS Number and Product Description | ECCN/EAR99 | Quantity (per Schedule B/HTS) | Weight (kg) | License Exception Symbol | Value (USD) | License Value (USD) (if applicable) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D | 8471300100 Apple iPad Pro | 5A992 | 1 | 1.4 | NLR | $700.00 | N/A |
| D | 8517620090 AirPods Apple Beats wireless in-ear headphones | 5A992 | 2 | 0.3 | NLR | $230.00 | N/A |
| D | 4205008000 Leather iPad Smart Case | EAR99 | 1 | 0.3 | NLR | $70.00 | N/A |
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D/F: D for domestic-origin items; F for foreign-origin items
Schedule B/HTS Number and Product Description: 10-digit code; sufficiently detailed description; group items according to Schedule B/HTS.
ECCN/EAR99: Export Control Classification Number; EAR99 if item does not have a designated ECCN
Quantity (per Schedule B/HTS): Number of items with the same Schedule B/HTS code
License Exception Symbol: If no license is required to ship the item to the destination, enter “NLR.” If you are unsure whether an item qualifies for a license exception, or if you think it may require an export license, please contact expctrl@lists.upenn.edu for assistance
Value (USD): All international shipments MUST have a dollar value, even if it’s only $1.00.
License Value: leave blank unless the item is being shipped under an export license.
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[1] Note that FedEx and UPS have suspended shipments to and from Russia and Belarus until further notice, and currently, almost all items require an export license to to be shipped or hand-carried to Russia or Belarus.
EU Requirements
Beginning March 1, 2023, non-document shipments to EU countries*, Northern Ireland, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom require additional information for customs purposes, regardless of value.
To avoid delays, please gather the following information before attempting any shipment to these destinations:
- HS Code: 6-digit commodity classification code for each item± in the shipment.
- The HS Code is a standardized classification system used around the world for importing/exporting goods. The United States uses a more specific, 10-digit Schedule B number (see below), which includes the HS Code.
- The Schedule B Look-up tool https://uscensus.prod.3ceonline.com/ can be used to help you find the appropriate code. The first 6 digits of the Schedule B number is the HS Code.
- For commercial items, the vendor/manufacturer will be able to provide this code (either published online or on request).
- Accurate Item Description: Sufficient and accurate description of each item in the shipment.
- Good descriptions: Xilinx FPGA kit, rabbit polyclonal IL-6 antibody , formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded human brain tissue for analysis, Cotton T-shirts
- Poor descriptions: electronic components, research sample, protein, exempt specimen, gift box
- The Recipient’s EORI, if known: Economic Operator Registration and Identification number
- EORI number is a system of unique identification numbers used by customs authorities in the EU and UK.
- Reach out to the international recipient to obtain their EORI number.
- Certain shipments to residential addresses may not require an EORI number.
- The following site may be useful for individuals and businesses that need to obtain an EORI number: https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/customs-4/customs-procedures-import-and-export-0/customs-procedures/economic-operators-registration-and-identification-number-eori_en.
* EU countries are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
± Note that each item in the shipment must be entered separately in eShip@Penn.