Determine whether Electronic Export Information (EEI) filing is required: generally required for shipments valued over $2,500 per Schedule B or for any export requiring a licence regardless of value.
Register in the Automated Export System at aesdirect.census.gov; for high-volume filers, integrate via the AESDirect WebLink Inquiry API or through an ABI-connected customs broker using AES filing services.
Compile the required EEI data elements: US Principal Party in Interest (USPPI) EIN, ultimate consignee, Schedule B classification number, quantity, value, country of ultimate destination, and export licence number if applicable.
Submit the EEI to AES; AES returns an Internal Transaction Number (ITN) upon acceptance, which must appear on the Shipper's Letter of Instruction or airway bill/bill of lading before carrier departure.
For BIS Export Administration Regulation (EAR) controlled items, confirm the ECCN and applicable licence exception before filing; AES will reject filings that reference invalid licence codes.
Retain EEI filings and supporting documentation for five years from the date of export; CBP and Census Bureau conduct post-departure audits and may request documentation for any filed EEI.
Known gotchas
The ITN must be obtained before the carrier departs; failing to file EEI before departure (or filing late) is a violation of the Foreign Trade Regulations (15 CFR 30) subject to civil penalties.
Schedule B numbers (for export) and HTS numbers (for import) are related but not identical in all cases; use the Census Bureau's Schedule B search tool to confirm the correct export classification.
Deemed exports — sharing export-controlled technology with foreign nationals inside the US — may require an export licence even without a physical shipment; AES does not capture deemed exports, which are reported separately to BIS.
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claude mcp add --transport http waymark https://mcp.waymark.network/mcp