### §1502. Regulations for appraisement and classification

#### (a) Powers of Secretary of the Treasury

The Secretary of the Treasury shall establish and promulgate such rules and regulations not inconsistent with the law (including regulations establishing procedures for the issuance of binding rulings prior to the entry of the merchandise concerned), and may disseminate such information as may be necessary to secure a just, impartial, and uniform appraisement of imported merchandise and the classification and assessment of duties thereon at the various ports of entry. The Secretary may direct any customs officer to go from one port of entry to another for the purpose of appraising or classifying or assisting in appraising or classifying merchandise imported at any port, and may direct any customs officer at any port to review entries of merchandise filed at any other port.

#### (b) Duties of customs officers

It shall be the duty of all officers of the customs to execute and carry into effect all instructions of the Secretary of the Treasury relative to the execution of the revenue laws; and in case any difficulty arises as to the true construction or meaning of any part of the revenue laws, the decision of the Secretary shall be binding upon all officers of the customs.

(June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, §502, 46 Stat. 731; Pub. L. 91–271, title III, §301(l), June 2, 1970, 84 Stat. 289; Pub. L. 96–417, title VI, §601(3), Oct. 10, 1980, 94 Stat. 1744; Pub. L. 100–449, title IV, §403(a), Sept. 28, 1988, 102 Stat. 1884; Pub. L. 103–182, title IV, §412(a), title VI, §640, Dec. 8, 1993, 107 Stat. 2146, 2203.)

#### Amendment of Section

For termination of amendment by section 501(c) of Pub. L. 100–449, see Effective and Termination Dates of 1988 Amendment note below.

#### **Editorial Notes**

#### Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, §502, 42 Stat. 967. That section was superseded by section 502 of act June 17, 1930, comprising this section, and repealed by section 651(a)(1) of the 1930 act.

A prior provision, authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to direct appraisers for any collection district, to attend in any other collection district, was contained in R.S. §2947. Prior provisions requiring the Secretary to establish rules and regulations to secure a just, faithful, and impartial appraisal, just and proper entries, and to report such rules and regulations to the next session of Congress, were contained in R.S. §2949. Both of these sections were repealed by act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, §642, 42 Stat. 989.

Provisions similar to those in subsec. (b) of this section, except that reversal or modification was permitted in concurrence with a judicial decision of a circuit or district court, instead of a final decision of the Board of General Appraisers, were contained in act Mar. 3, 1875, ch. 136, §2, 18 Stat. 469, prior to repeal by act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, §643, 42 Stat. 989.

Provisions almost identical with those in subsec. (c) of this section were contained in R.S. §2652, prior to repeal by act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, §642, 42 Stat. 989.

#### Amendments

1993—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–182, §640(1), inserted "(including regulations establishing procedures for the issuance of binding rulings prior to the entry of the merchandise concerned)" after "law", substituted "ports of entry. The Secretary" for "ports of entry, and", inserted "or classifying" after "appraising" in two places, and substituted "any port, and may direct any customs officer at any port to review entries of merchandise filed at any other port" for "such port".

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 103–182, §640(2), redesignated subsec. (c) as (b) and struck out former subsec. (b) which read as follows: "No ruling or decision once made by the Secretary of the Treasury, giving construction to any law imposing customs duties, shall be reversed or modified adversely to the United States, by the same or a succeeding Secretary, except in concurrence with an opinion of the Attorney General recommending the same, a final decision of the United States Court of International Trade, or a final decision of a binational panel pursuant to article 1904 of the United States-Canada Free-Trade Agreement."

Pub. L. 103–182, §412(a), which directed the insertion of "the North American Free Trade Agreement or" before "the United States-Canada Free-Trade Agreement", could not be executed because the words "the United States-Canada Free-Trade Agreement" did not appear in subsec. (b) subsequent to amendment by Pub. L. 103–182, §640(2), effective Dec. 8, 1993. See above.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 103–182, §640(2), redesignated subsec. (c) as (b).

1988—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 100–449 temporarily substituted "a final decision of the United States Court of International Trade, or a final decision of a binational panel pursuant to article 1904 of the United States-Canada Free-Trade Agreement" for "or a final decision of the United States Court of International Trade". See Effective and Termination Dates of 1988 Amendment note below.

1980—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 96–417 redesignated the United States Customs Court as the United States Court of International Trade.

1970—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 91–271 substituted "customs officer" for "appraiser, deputy appraiser, assistant appraiser, or examiner of merchandise".

#### **Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries**

#### Effective Date of 1993 Amendment

Amendment by section 412(a) of Pub. L. 103–182 effective on the date the North American Free Trade Agreement enters into force with respect to the United States [Jan. 1, 1994], but not applicable to any final determination described in section 1516a(a)(1)(B) or (2)(B)(i), (ii), or (iii) of this title, notice of which is published in the Federal Register before such date, or to a determination described in section 1516a(a)(2)(B)(vi) of this title, notice of which is received by the Government of Canada or Mexico before such date, or to any binational panel review under the United States-Canada Free-Trade Agreement, or to any extraordinary challenge arising out of any such review, that was commenced before such date, see section 416 of Pub. L. 103–182, formerly set out as an Effective Date note under former section 3431 of this title.

Amendment by section 640 of Pub. L. 103–182 effective Dec. 8, 1993, see section 692 of Pub. L. 103–182, formerly set out as a note under section 58c of this title.

#### Effective and Termination Dates of 1988 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 100–449 effective on date the United States-Canada Free-Trade Agreement enters into force (Jan. 1, 1989), and to cease to have effect on date Agreement ceases to be in force, see section 501(a), (c) of Pub. L. 100–449, set out in a note under section 2112 of this title.

#### Effective Date of 1980 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 96–417 effective Nov. 1, 1980, and applicable with respect to civil actions pending on or commenced on or after such date, see section 701(a) of Pub. L. 96–417, set out as a note under section 251 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.

#### Effective Date of 1970 Amendment

For effective date of amendment by Pub. L. 91–271, see section 203 of Pub. L. 91–271, set out as a note under section 1500 of this title.

#### **Executive Documents**

#### Transfer of Functions

Functions of Secretary of the Treasury under subsec. (a) of this section, insofar as subsec. (a) of this section provides authority to issue regulations and disseminate information and insofar as Secretary of the Treasury had responsibility under sections 1303 and 1671 et seq. of this title for functions transferred to Secretary of Commerce by section 5(a)(1)(C) of Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1979, transferred to Secretary of Commerce pursuant to Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1979, §5(a)(1)(F), 44 F.R. 69275, 93 Stat. 1381, eff. Jan. 2, 1980, as provided by section 1–107(a) of Ex. Ord. No. 12188, Jan. 2, 1980, 45 F.R. 993, set out as notes under section 2171 of this title, to be exercised in consultation with Secretary of the Treasury.

Functions of Secretary of the Treasury under subsec. (b) of this section, with respect to functions transferred to Secretary of Commerce in section 1303 and 1671 et seq. of this title by section 5(a)(1)(C) of Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1979, transferred to Secretary of Commerce pursuant to section 5(a)(1)(F) of Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1979.

Functions of all officers of Department of the Treasury and functions of all agencies and employees of such Department transferred, with certain exceptions, to Secretary of the Treasury, with power vested in him to authorize their performance or performance of any of his functions, by any of such officers, agencies, and employees, by Reorg. Plan No. 26 of 1950, §§1, 2, eff. July 31, 1950, 15 F.R. 4935, 64 Stat. 1280, 1281, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.