New Zone Applications

New Zone (Grantee) Applications

Each U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) port of entry is entitled to one zone. Additional zones may only be approved if it can be shown that the existing zone is not adequately serving the convenience of commerce.

All zone sites and the entirety of any service area must be located within 60 miles or 90 minutes driving time of the outer limits of the CBP port of entry.

Usually applicants are state and local agencies or public type corporations. Port authorities and economic development agencies are the most prevalent. Corporations submitting applications must be qualified to apply for a zone grant of authority under the laws of the state in which the zone is to be located.

Zones are intended to provide a special customs-related service to the business community, giving them greater flexibility in the customs phase of their international competitiveness. An objective of the zone program is to encourage commercial and industrial operations in the United States that would otherwise have been conducted abroad for customs reasons, including export activity. Zones should help create employment, not simply divert it from one region of the country to another.

When an application has been filed, the FTZ staff publishes a notice in the Federal Register opening a public comment period. The applicant also must publish notice in a local newspaper describing the proposal.

There is no fee for an application for the first zone at a port of entry. The fee for additional zones is $3,200. The Federal Tax ID number is 91-2014781. Checks should be made payable to:
U.S. Department of Commerce ITA.