C-TPAT membership eligibility

C-TPAT is a voluntary programme administered by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). CBP determines membership and conducts validation. Consulting or a customer-requested assessment does not itself confer membership; check current criteria for the relevant business entity.

Business categories in the original article

The original article identifies the following 12 business categories. This is a reference grouping, not proof that every organization in these sectors is eligible; CBP sets entity-specific and geographic conditions.

1. Air carriers
2. Consolidators: air freight consolidators, ocean transportation intermediaries and non-vessel operating common carriers (NVOCCs)
3. Customs brokers
4. Exporters
5. Foreign manufacturers
6. Highway carriers
7. US importers
8. Mexican long-haul highway carriers
9. Marine port authorities and terminal operators
10. Rail carriers
11. Sea carriers
12. Third-party logistics providers (3PLs)

Foreign manufacturer eligibility

CBP’s foreign manufacturer eligibility document specifies an active manufacturer incorporated in Mexico or Canada, alongside other conditions. A factory in Vietnam should therefore not assume that meeting a checklist automatically confers direct programme membership. Confirm the applicable route with CBP and the customer.

CBP — Foreign Manufacturer Eligibility Requirements

Applying requirements within a customer’s supply chain

Other businesses in US-bound supply chains may need to meet a customer’s C-TPAT-related security requirements and undergo a customer or second-party assessment. Such an assessment does not automatically make the supplier a certified C-TPAT member.

CBP — programme information and current eligibility