### §1551. Bonding of carriers

Under such regulations and subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary of the Treasury shall prescribe—

(1) any common carrier of merchandise owning or operating a railroad, steamship, or other transportation line or route for the transportation of merchandise in the United States,

(2) any contract carrier authorized to operate as such by any agency of the United States, and

(3) any freight forwarder authorized to operate as such by any agency of the United States,

upon application, may, in the discretion of the Secretary, be designated as a carrier of bonded merchandise for the final release of which from customs custody a permit has not been issued. A private carrier, upon application, may, in the discretion of the Secretary, be designated under the preceding sentence as a carrier of bonded merchandise, subject to such regulations and, in the case of each applicant, to such special terms and conditions as the Secretary may prescribe to safeguard the revenues of the United States with respect to the transportation of bonded merchandise by such applicant.

(June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, §551, 46 Stat. 742; Dec. 28, 1945, ch. 605, 59 Stat. 667; Pub. L. 87–598, Aug. 24, 1962, 76 Stat. 400; Pub. L. 87–854, Oct. 23, 1962, 76 Stat. 1130; Pub. L. 90–240, §3, Jan. 2, 1968, 81 Stat. 776.)

#### **Editorial Notes**

#### Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, §551, 42 Stat. 975. That section was superseded by section 551 of act June 17, 1930, comprising this section, and repealed by section 651(a)(1) of the 1930 act.

Prior provisions concerning transportation of merchandise in bond without appraisement to another port of entry were contained in the Immediate Transportation Act of June 10, 1880, ch. 190, 21 Stat. 173, as amended, section 3 of which required the merchandise to be transported by carriers designated by the Secretary of the Treasury, and required them to give bonds as the Secretary should require. That act was repealed by act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, §643, 42 Stat. 989.

#### Amendments

1968—Pub. L. 90–240 provided that a private carrier, upon application, could, in the discretion of the Secretary, be designated as a carrier of bonded merchandise, subject to regulations, terms, and conditions prescribed by the Secretary, safeguard the revenues of the United States with respect to the transportation of bonded merchandise by such applicant.

1962—Pub. L. 87–854 amended section catchline and text generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: "Under such regulations and subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary of the Treasury shall prescribe, any common carrier of merchandise owning or operating a railroad, steamship, or other transportation line or route for the transportation of merchandise in the United States, or any freightforwarder authorized to operate as such by any agency of the United States, upon application, may, in the discretion of the Secretary, be designated as a carrier of bonded merchandise for the final release of which from customs custody a permit has not been issued."

Pub. L. 87–598 substituted "authorized to operate as such by any agency of the United States," for ", as defined in section 1002(5) of title 49."

1945—Act Dec. 28, 1945, substituted "Under such regulations and subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary of the Treasury shall prescribe, any common carrier of merchandise owning or operating a railroad, steamship, or other transportation line or route for the transportation of merchandise in the United States, or any freight forwarder, as defined in section 1002(5) of title 49, upon application, may, in the discretion of the Secretary" for "Any common carrier of merchandise owning or operating railroad, steamship, or other transportation lines or routes for the transportation of merchandise in the United States, upon application and the filing of a bond in a form and penalty and with such sureties as may be approved by the Secretary of the Treasury, may".