15 CFR 30.37 – Miscellaneous exemptions
Except as noted in § 30.2(a)(1)(iv), filing EEI is not required for the following kinds of shipments. However, the Census Bureau has the authority to periodically require the reporting of shipments that are normally exempt from filing.
(a) Exports of commodities where the value of the commodities shipped from one USPPI to one consignee on a single exporting conveyance, classified under an individual Schedule B number or HTSUSA commodity classification code is $2,500 or less. This exemption applies to individual Schedule B numbers or HTSUSA commodity classification codes regardless of the total shipment value. In instances where a shipment contains a mixture of individual Schedule B numbers or HTSUSA commodity classification codes valued at $2,500 or less and individual Schedule B numbers or HTSUSA commodity classification codes valued over $2,500, only those Schedule B numbers or HTSUSA commodity classification codes valued over $2,500 are required to be reported. If the filer reports multiple items of the same Schedule B number or HTSUSA commodity classification code, this exemption only applies if the total value of exports for the Schedule B number or HTSUSA commodity classification code is $2,500 or less. Items of domestic and foreign origin under the same commodity classification number must be reported separately and EEI filing is required when either is over $2,500. For the reporting of household goods see § 30.38.
(b) Tools of trade and their containers that are usual and reasonable kinds and quantities of commodities and software intended for use by individual USPPIs or by employees or representatives of the exporting company in furthering the enterprises and undertakings of the USPPI abroad. Commodities and software eligible for this exemption are those that do not require an export license or that are exported as tools of the trade under a license exception of the EAR (15 CFR 740.9), and are subject to the following provisions:
(1) Are owned by the individual USPPI or exporting company.
(2) Accompany the individual USPPI, employee, or representative of the exporting company.
(3) Are necessary and appropriate and intended for the personal and/or business use of the individual USPPI, employee, or representative of the company or business.
(4) Are not for sale.
(5) Are returned to the United States no later than one (1) year from the date of export.
(6) Are not shipped under a bill of lading or an air waybill.
(c) Shipments from one point in the United States to another point in the United States by routes passing through Canada or Mexico.
(d) Shipments from one point in Canada or Mexico to another point in the same country by routes through the United States.
(e) [Reserved]
(f) Exports of technology and software as defined in 15 CFR 772 of the EAR that do not require an export license are exempt from filing requirements. However, EEI is required for mass-market software. For purposes of this part, mass-market software is defined as software that is generally available to the public by being sold at retail selling points, or directly from the software developer or supplier, by means of over-the-counter transactions, mail-order transactions, telephone transactions, or electronic mail-order transactions, and designed for installation by the user without further substantial technical support by the developer or supplier.
(g) Shipments of books, maps, charts, pamphlets, and similar articles to foreign libraries, government establishments, or similar institutions.
(h) Shipments as authorized under License Exception GFT for gift parcels and humanitarian donations (15 CFR 740.12(a) and (b)).
(i) Diplomatic pouches and their contents.
(j) Human remains and accompanying appropriate receptacles and flowers.
(k) Shipments of interplant correspondence, executed invoices and other documents, and other shipments of company business records from a U.S. firm to its subsidiary or affiliate. This excludes highly technical plans, correspondence, etc. that could be licensed.
(l) Shipments of pets as baggage, accompanied or unaccompanied, of persons leaving the United States, including members of crews on vessels and aircraft.
(m) Carriers’ stores, not shipped under a bill of lading or an air waybill (including goods carried in ships aboard carriers for sale to passengers), supplies, and equipment for departing vessels, planes, or other carriers, including usual and reasonable kinds and quantities of bunker fuel, deck engine and steward department stores, provisions and supplies, medicinal and surgical supplies, food stores, slop chest articles, and saloon stores or supplies for use or consumption on board and not intended for unlading in a foreign country, and including usual and reasonable kinds and quantities of equipment and spare parts for permanent use on the carrier when necessary for proper operation of such carrier and not intended for unlading in a foreign country. Hay, straw, feed, and other appurtenances necessary to the care and feeding of livestock while en route to a foreign destination are considered part of carriers’ stores of carrying vessels, trains, planes, etc.
(n) Dunnage, not shipped under a bill of lading or an air waybill, of usual and reasonable kinds and quantities necessary and appropriate to stow or secure cargo on the outgoing or any immediate return voyage of an exporting carrier, when exported solely for use as dunnage and not intended for unlading in a foreign country.
(o) Shipments of aircraft parts and equipment; food, saloon, slop chest, and related stores; and provisions and supplies for use on aircraft by a U.S. airline to its own installations, aircraft, and agents abroad, under EAR License Exception AVS for aircraft and vessels (see 15 CFR 740.15(c)).
(p) Filing EEI is not required for the following types of commodities when they are not shipped as cargo under a bill of lading or an air waybill and do not require an export license, but the USPPI shall be prepared to make an oral declaration to CBP Port Director, when required: baggage and personal effects, accompanied or unaccompanied, of persons leaving the United States, including members of crews on vessels and aircraft.
(q) Temporary exports, except those that require licensing, whether shipped or hand carried, (e.g., carnet) that are exported from and returned to the United States in less than one year (12 months) from the date of export.
(r) Goods previously imported under a Temporary Import Bond for return in the same condition as when imported including: Goods for testing, experimentation, or demonstration; goods imported for exhibition; samples and models imported for review or for taking orders; goods imported for participation in races or contests, and animals imported for breeding or exhibition; and goods imported for use by representatives of foreign governments or international organizations or by members of the armed forces of a foreign country. Goods that were imported under bond for processing and reexportation are not covered by this exemption.
(s) Issued banknotes and securities, and coins in circulation exported as evidence of financial claims. The EEI must be filed for unissued bank notes and securities and coins not in circulation (such as banknotes printed in the United States and exported in fulfillment of the printing contract, or as parts of collections), which should be reported at their commercial or current value.
(t) Documents used in international transactions, documents moving out of the United States to facilitate international transactions including airline tickets, internal revenue stamps, liquor stamps, and advertising literature. Exports of such documents in fulfillment of a contract for their production, however, are not exempt and must be reported at the transaction value for their production.
(u) [Reserved]
(v) Vessels, locomotives, aircraft, rail cars, trucks, other vehicles, trailers, pallets, cargo vans, lift vans, or similar shipping containers not considered “shipped” in terms of the regulations in this part, when they are moving, either loaded or empty, without transfer of ownership or title, in their capacity as carriers of goods or as instruments of such carriers.
(w) Shipments to Army Post Office, Diplomatic Post Office, Fleet Post Office.
(x) Shipments exported under license exception Baggage (BAG) (15 CFR 740.14).
(y) The following types of shipments destined for a country listed in Country Group E:1 or E:2 as set forth in Supplement No. 1 to 15 CFR part 740 are not required to be filed in the AES:
(1) Shipments of published books, software, maps, charts, pamphlets, or any other similar media available for general distribution, as described in 15 CFR 734.7 to foreign libraries, or similar institutions.
(2) Shipments to U.S. government agencies and employees that are lawfully exported under License Exception GOV (15 CFR 740.11(b)(2)(i) or (ii)) valued at $2500 or less per Schedule B Number.
(3) Personal effects as described in 15 CFR 740.14(b)(1) being lawfully exported under License Exception BAG (15 CFR 740.14).
(4) Individual gift parcels and humanitarian donations being lawfully exported under License Exception GFT (15 CFR 740.12(a) and (b)).
(5) Vessels and aircraft lawfully leaving the United States for temporary sojourn to or in a Country Group E:1 or E:2 country under License Exception AVS (15 CFR 740.15).
(6) Tools of trade that will be used by a person traveling to a Country Group E:1 or E:2 destination, that will be returned to the United States within one year and that are lawfully being exported to a Country Group E:1 or E:2 destination under License Exception BAG (15 CFR 740.14) or License Exception TMP (15 CFR 740.9(a)).