What Every Member of the 

Trade Community Should Know About: 

Reasonable Care 

(A Checklist for Compliance) 

 

AN INFORMED COMPLIANCE PUBLICATION 

FEBRUARY 2004 
NOTICE:

This publication is intended to provide guidance and information to the trade community. 

It reflects the position on or interpretation of the applicable laws or regulations by U.S.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) as of the date of publication, which is shown on 

the front cover. It does not in any way replace or supersede those laws or regulations.

Only the latest official version of the laws or regulations is authoritative. 

Publication History 

First Published January 1998 

Revised February 2004 

PRINTING NOTE: 

This publication was designed for electronic distribution via the CBP website 

(http://www.cbp.gov) and is being distributed in a variety of formats. It was originally set

up in Microsoft Word97®. Pagination and margins in downloaded versions may vary 

depending upon which word processor or printer you use. If you wish to maintain the 

original settings, you may wish to download the .pdf version, which can then be printed 

using the freely available Adobe Acrobat Reader®. 

2
PREFACE 

On December 8, 1993, Title VI of the North American Free Trade Agreement Implementation 

Act (Pub. L. 103-182, 107 Stat. 2057), also known as the Customs Modernization or “Mod” Act, 

became effective. These provisions amended many sections of the Tariff Act of 1930 and 

related laws. 

Two new concepts that emerge from the Mod Act are “informed compliance” and “shared 

responsibility,” which are premised on the idea that in order to maximize voluntary compliance 

with laws and regulations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the trade community needs to 

be clearly and completely informed of its legal obligations. Accordingly, the Mod Act imposes a

greater obligation on CBP to provide the public with improved information concerning the trade

community's rights and responsibilities under customs regulations and related laws. In addition, 

both the trade and U.S. Customs and Border Protection share responsibility for carrying out

these requirements. For example, under Section 484 of the Tariff Act, as amended (19 U.S.C. 

1484), the importer of record is responsible for using reasonable care to enter, classify and

determine the value of imported merchandise and to provide any other information necessary to

enable U.S. Customs and Border Protection to properly assess duties, collect accurate

statistics, and determine whether other applicable legal requirements, if any, have been met.

CBP is then responsible for fixing the final classification and value of the merchandise. An

importer of record’s failure to exercise reasonable care could delay release of the merchandise

and, in some cases, could result in the imposition of penalties. 

The Office of Regulations and Rulings (ORR) has been given a major role in meeting the 

informed compliance responsibilities of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. In order to

provide information to the public, CBP has issued a series of informed compliance publications, 

and videos, on new or revised requirements, regulations or procedures, and a variety of

classification and valuation issues. 

This publication, prepared by the International Trade Compliance Division, ORR, is a

Reasonable Care checklist. “Reasonable Care (A Checklist for Compliance)” is part of a series

of informed compliance publications advising the public of Customs regulations and procedures. 

We sincerely hope that this material, together with seminars and increased access to rulings of

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, will help the trade community to improve voluntary 

compliance with customs laws and to understand the relevant administrative processes. 

The material in this publication is provided for general information purposes only. Because 

many complicated factors can be involved in customs issues, an importer may wish to obtain a

ruling under Regulations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 19 C.F.R. Part 177, or to

obtain advice from an expert who specializes in customs matters, for example, a licensed

customs broker, attorney or consultant. 

Comments and suggestions are welcomed and should be addressed to the Assistant 

Commissioner at the Office of Regulations and Rulings, U.S. Customs and Border Protection,

1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, (Mint Annex), Washington, D.C. 20229. 

Michael T. Schmitz, 

Assistant Commissioner 

Office of Regulations and Rulings 

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INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................7 

GENERAL QUESTIONS FOR ALL TRANSACTIONS: ..............................8 

QUESTIONS ARRANGED BY TOPIC:.......................................................8 

Merchandise Description & Tariff Classification ........................................................... 8 

Valuation ...................................................................................................................... 9 

Country of Origin/Marking/Quota................................................................................ 10 

Intellectual Property Rights ........................................................................................ 11 

Miscellaneous Questions ........................................................................................... 12 

Additional Questions for Textile and Apparel Importers ............................................. 12 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...................................................................15 

The Internet................................................................................................................ 15 

Customs Regulations ................................................................................................. 15 

Customs Bulletin ........................................................................................................ 15 

Importing Into the United States................................................................................. 16 

Informed Compliance Publications............................................................................. 16 

Value Publications...................................................................................................... 17 

“Your Comments are Important”................................................................................. 18 

 

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REASONABLE CARE CHECKLIST 

INTRODUCTION 

 

One of the most significant effects of the Customs Modernization Act is the establishment of the

clear requirement that parties exercise reasonable care in importing into the United States. 

Section 484 of the Tariff Act, as amended, requires an importer of record using reasonable care 

to make entry by filing such information as is necessary to enable U.S. Customs and Border 

Protection to determine whether the merchandise may be released from Customs custody, and 

using reasonable care, complete the entry by filing with U.S. Customs and Border Protection the 

declared value, classification and rate of duty and such other documentation or information as is 

necessary to enable U.S. Customs and Border Protection to properly assess duties, collect 

accurate statistics, and determine whether any other applicable requirement of law is met. 

Despite the seemingly simple connotation of the term reasonable care, this explicit responsibility 

defies easy explanation. The facts and circumstances surrounding every import transaction 

differ--from the experience of the importer to the nature of the imported articles. Consequently, 

neither U.S. Customs and Border Protection nor the importing community can develop a 

foolproof reasonable care checklist which would cover every import transaction. On the other 

hand, in keeping with the Modernization Act’s theme of informed compliance, U.S. Customs and 

Border Protection would like to take this opportunity to recommend that the importing 

community examine the list of questions below. In U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s view, 

the list of questions may prompt or suggest a program, framework or methodology which 

importers may find useful in avoiding compliance problems and meeting reasonable care 

responsibilities. 

Obviously, the questions below cannot be exhaustive or encyclopedic - ordinarily, every import 

transaction is different. For the same reason, it cannot be overemphasized that although the

following information is provided to promote enhanced compliance with the Customs laws and

regulations, it has no legal, binding or precedential effect on U.S. Customs and Border Protection 

or the importing community. In this regard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection notes that the 

checklist is not an attempt to create a presumption of negligence, but rather, an attempt to 

educate, inform and provide guidance to the importing community. Consequently, U.S. Customs

and Border Protection believes that the following information may be helpful to the importing 

community and hopes that this document will facilitate and encourage importers to develop their 

own unique compliance measurement plans, reliable procedures and reasonable care programs. 

As a convenience to the public, the checklist also includes the text of a checklist previously 

published in the Federal Register for use in certain textile and apparel importations. The full 

document was published in 62 FR 48340 (September 15, 1997). 

As a final reminder, it should be noted that to further assist the importing community, U.S. 

Customs and Border Protection issues rulings and informed compliance publications on a variety

of technical subjects and processes. It is strongly recommended that importers always make sure

that they are using the latest versions of these publications. 

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ASKING AND ANSWERING THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS MAY BE 

HELPFUL IN ASSISTING IMPORTERS IN THE EXERCISE OF 

REASONABLE CARE:

GENERAL QUESTIONS FOR ALL TRANSACTIONS: 

1. If you have not retained an expert to assist you in complying with Customs requirements, do 

you have access to the Customs Regulations (Title 19 of the Code of Federal Regulations), the 

Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, and the GPO publication Customs Bulletin and 

Decisions? Do you have access to the Customs Internet Website, Customs Bulletin Board or

other research service to permit you to establish reliable procedures and facilitate compliance 

with Customs laws and regulations? 

2. Has a responsible and knowledgeable individual within your organization reviewed the 

Customs documentation prepared by you or your expert to ensure that it is full, complete and 

accurate? If that documentation was prepared outside your own organization, do you have a 

reliable system in place to insure that you receive copies of the information as submitted to U.S.

Customs and Border Protection; that it is reviewed for accuracy; and that U.S. Customs and 

Border Protection is timely apprised of any needed corrections? 

3. If you use an expert to assist you in complying with Customs requirements, have you 

discussed your importations in advance with that person and have you provided that person with 

full, complete and accurate information about the import transactions?

4. Are identical transactions or merchandise handled differently at different ports or U.S. 

Customs and Border Protection offices within the same port? If so, have you brought this to the

attention of the appropriate U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials? 

QUESTIONS ARRANGED BY TOPIC: 

Merchandise Description & Tariff Classification

Basic Question: Do you know or have you established a reliable procedure or program to ensure

that you know what you ordered, where it was made and what it is made of?

1. Have you provided or established reliable procedures to ensure you provide a complete and 

accurate description of your merchandise to U.S. Customs and Border Protection in accordance 

with 19 U.S.C. 1481? (Also, see 19 CFR 141.87 and 19 CFR 141.89 for special merchandise 

description requirements.) 

2. Have you provided or established reliable procedures to ensure you provide a correct tariff 

classification of your merchandise to U.S. Customs and Border Protection in accordance with 19

U.S.C. 1484?

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3. Have you obtained a Customs "ruling" regarding the description of the merchandise or its

tariff classification (See 19 CFR Part 177), and if so, have you established reliable procedures to 

ensure that you have followed the ruling and brought it to U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s

attention?

4. Where merchandise description or tariff classification information is not immediately 

available, have you established a reliable procedure for providing that information, and is the 

procedure being followed?

5. Have you participated in a Customs pre-classification of your merchandise relating to proper 

merchandise description and classification?

6. Have you consulted the tariff schedules, Customs informed compliance publications, court 

cases and/or Customs rulings to assist you in describing and classifying the merchandise?

7. Have you consulted with a Customs "expert" (e.g., lawyer, Customs broker, accountant, or 

Customs consultant) to assist in the description and/or classification of the merchandise? 

8. If you are claiming a conditionally free or special tariff classification/provision for your 

merchandise (e.g., GSP, HTS Item 9802, NAFTA, etc.), How have you verified that the 

merchandise qualifies for such status? Have you obtained or developed reliable procedures to

obtain any required or necessary documentation to support the claim? If making a NAFTA 

preference claim, do you already have a NAFTA certificate of origin in your possession?

9. Is the nature of your merchandise such that a laboratory analysis or other specialized 

procedure is suggested to assist in proper description and classification? 

10. Have you developed a reliable program or procedure to maintain and produce any required 

Customs entry documentation and supporting information?

Valuation 

Basic Questions: Do you know or have you established reliable procedures to know the price

actually paid or payable for your merchandise? Do you know the terms of sale; whether there 

will be rebates, tie-ins, indirect costs, additional payments; whether assists were provided,

commissions or royalties paid? Are amounts actual or estimated? Are you and the supplier 

related parties? 

1. Have you provided or established reliable procedures to provide U.S. Customs and Border 

Protection with a proper declared value for your merchandise in accordance with 19 U.S.C. 1484 

and 19 U.S.C. 1401a?

2. Have you obtained a Customs "ruling" regarding the valuation of the merchandise (See 19 

CFR Part 177), and if so, have you established reliable procedures to ensure that you have 

followed the ruling and brought it to U.S. Customs and Border Protection attention? 

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3. Have you consulted the Customs valuation laws and regulations, Customs Valuation 

Encyclopedia, Customs informed compliance publications, court cases and Customs rulings to 

assist you in valuing merchandise? 

4. Have you consulted with a Customs "expert" (e.g., lawyer, accountant, Customs broker, 

Customs consultant) to assist in the valuation of the merchandise?

5. If you purchased the merchandise from a "related" seller, have you established procedures to 

ensure that you have reported that fact upon entry and taken measures or established reliable 

procedures to ensure that value reported to U.S. Customs and Border Protection meets one of the

"related party" tests?

6. Have you taken measures or established reliable procedures to ensure that all of the legally

required costs or payments associated with the imported merchandise have been reported to U.S. 

Customs and Border Protection (e.g., assists, all commissions, indirect payments or rebates, 

royalties, etc.)? 

7. If you are declaring a value based on a transaction in which you were/are not the buyer, have 

you substantiated that the transaction is a bona fide sale at arm’s length and that the merchandise 

was clearly destined to the United States at the time of sale? 

8. If you are claiming a conditionally free or special tariff classification/provision for your 

merchandise (e.g., GSP, HTS Item 9802, NAFTA, etc.), have you established a reliable system

or program to ensure that you reported the required value information and obtained any required 

or necessary documentation to support the claim? 

9. Have you established a reliable program or procedure to produce any required entry 

documentation and supporting information?

Country of Origin/Marking/Quota 

Basic Question: Have you taken reliable measures to ascertain the correct country of origin for 

the imported merchandise? 

1. Have you established reliable procedures to ensure that you report the correct country of

origin on Customs entry documents? 

2. Have you established reliable procedures to verify or ensure that the merchandise is properly 

marked upon entry with the correct country of origin (if required) in accordance with 19 U.S.C. 

1304 and any other applicable special marking requirement (watches, gold, textile labeling, etc)? 

3. Have you obtained a Customs "ruling" regarding the proper marking and country of origin of 

the merchandise (See 19 CFR Part 177), and if so, have you established reliable procedures to 

10
ensure that you followed the ruling and brought it to U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s 

attention?

4. Have you consulted with a Customs "expert" (e.g., lawyer, accountant, Customs broker, 

Customs consultant) regarding the correct country of origin/proper marking of your

merchandise?

5. Have you taken reliable and adequate measures to communicate Customs country of origin 

marking requirements to your foreign supplier prior to importation of your merchandise?

6. If you are claiming a change in the origin of the merchandise or claiming that the goods are of 

U.S. origin, have you taken required measures to substantiate your claim (e.g. Do you have U.S. 

milling certificates or manufacturer's affidavits attesting to the production in the U.S.)? 

 

7. If you are importing textiles or apparel, have you developed reliable procedures to ensure that 

you have ascertained the correct country of origin in accordance with 19 U.S.C. 3592 (Section 

334, Pub. Law 103-465) and assured yourself that no illegal transshipment or false or fraudulent 

practices were involved? 

8.Do you know how your goods are made from raw materials to finished goods, by whom and 

where? 

9. Have you checked with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and developed a reliable 

procedure or system to ensure that the quota category is correct?

10. Have you checked or developed reliable procedures to check the Status Report on Current

Import Quotas (Restraint Levels) issued by U.S. Customs and Border Protection to determine if 

your goods are subject to a quota category which has part categories? 

11. Have you taken reliable measures to ensure that you have obtained the correct visas for your

goods if they are subject to visa categories?

12. In the case of textile articles, have you prepared or developed a reliable program to prepare 

the proper country declaration for each entry, i.e., a single country declaration (if wholly 

obtained/produced) or a multi-country declaration (if raw materials from one country were

produced into goods in a second)? 

13. Have you established a reliable maintenance program or procedure to ensure you can 

produce any required entry documentation and supporting information, including any required 

certificates of origin? 

 

Intellectual Property Rights

Basic Question: Have you determined or established a reliable procedure to permit you to 

determine whether your merchandise or its packaging bear or use any trademarks or copyrighted 

11
matter or are patented and, if so, that you have a legal right to import those items into, and/or use 

those items in, the U.S.? 

1. If you are importing goods or packaging bearing a trademark registered in the U.S., have you 

checked or established a reliable procedure to ensure that it is genuine and not restricted from 

importation under the gray-market or parallel import requirements of U.S. law (see 19 CFR 

133.21), or that you have permission from the trademark holder to import such merchandise? 

2. If you are importing goods or packaging which consist of, or contain registered copyrighted 

material, have you checked or established a reliable procedure to ensure that it is authorized and 

genuine? If you are importing sound recordings of live performances, were the recordings 

authorized? 

3. Have you checked or developed a reliable procedure to see if your merchandise is subject to 

an International Trade Commission or court ordered exclusion order?

4. Have you established a reliable procedure to ensure that you maintain and can produce any 

required entry documentation and supporting information?

Miscellaneous Questions 

1. Have you taken measures or developed reliable procedures to ensure that your merchandise 

complies with other agency requirements (e.g., FDA, EPA/DOT, CPSC, FTC, Agriculture, etc.) 

prior to or upon entry, including the procurement of any necessary licenses or permits?

2. Have you taken measures or developed reliable procedures to check to see if your goods are 

subject to a Commerce Department dumping or countervailing duty investigation or 

determination, and if so, have you complied or developed reliable procedures to ensure 

compliance with Customs reporting requirements upon entry (e.g., 19 CFR 141.61)? 

3. Is your merchandise subject to quota/visa requirements, and if so, have you provided or 

developed a reliable procedure to provide a correct visa for the goods upon entry? 

4. Have you taken reliable measures to ensure and verify that you are filing the correct type of

Customs entry (e.g., TIB, T&E, consumption entry, mail entry, etc.), as well as ensure that you 

have the right to make entry under the Customs Regulations?

Additional Questions for Textile and Apparel Importers 

Note: Section 333 of the Uruguay Round Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 1592a) authorizes the 

Secretary of the Treasury to publish a list of foreign producers, manufacturers, suppliers, sellers, 

exporters, or other foreign persons who have been found to have violated 19 U.S.C. 1592 by

using certain false, fraudulent or counterfeit documentation, labeling, or prohibited 

transshipment practices in connection with textiles and apparel products. Section 1592a also 

requires any importer of record entering, introducing, or attempting to introduce into the 

12
commerce of the United States textile or apparel products that were either directly or indirectly 

produced, manufactured, supplied, sold, exported, or transported by such named person to show, 

to the satisfaction of the Secretary, that such importer has exercised reasonable care to ensure 

that the textile or apparel products are accompanied by documentation, packaging, and labeling 

that are accurate as to its origin. Under section 1592a, reliance solely upon information regarding

the imported product from a person named on the list does not constitute the exercise of

reasonable care. Textile and apparel importers who have some commercial relationship with one 

or more of the listed parties must exercise a degree of reasonable care in ensuring that the 

documentation covering the imported merchandise, as well as its packaging and labeling, is 

accurate as to the country of origin of the merchandise. This degree of reasonable care must rely

on more than information supplied by the named party. 

In meeting the reasonable care standard when importing textile or apparel products and when 

dealing with a party named on the list published pursuant to section 592A an importer should 

consider the following questions in attempting to ensure that the documentation, packaging, and 

labeling is accurate as to the country of origin of the imported merchandise. The list of questions 

is not exhaustive but is illustrative. 

1. Has the importer had a prior relationship with the named party?

2. Has the importer had any detentions and/or seizures of textile or apparel products that 

were directly or indirectly produced, supplied, or transported by the named party?

3. Has the importer visited the company's premises and ascertained that the company has

the capacity to produce the merchandise?

4. Where a claim of an origin conferring process is made in accordance with 19 CFR 

102.21, has the importer ascertained that the named party actually performed the required 

process?

5. Is the named party operating from the same country as is represented by that party on the 

documentation, packaging or labeling?

6. Have quotas for the imported merchandise closed or are they nearing closing from the 

main producer countries for this commodity?

7. What is the history of this country regarding this commodity? 

8. Have you asked questions of your supplier regarding the origin of the product?

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9. Where the importation is accompanied by a visa, permit, or license, has the importer 

verified with the supplier or manufacturer that the visa, permit, and/or license is both valid and 

accurate as to its origin? Has the importer scrutinized the visa, permit or license as to any 

irregularities that would call its authenticity into question? 
Reasonable Care 

February 2004

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 

The Internet 

The home page of U.S. Customs and Border Protection on the Internet’s World Wide 

Web, provides the trade community with current, relevant information regarding CBP 

operations and items of special interest. The site posts information -- which includes 

proposed regulations, news releases, publications and notices, etc. -- that can be 

searched, read on-line, printed or downloaded to your personal computer. The web site 

was established as a trade-friendly mechanism to assist the importing and exporting

community. The web site also links to the home pages of many other agencies whose 

importing or exporting regulations that U.S. Customs and Border Protection helps to 

enforce. The web site also contains a wealth of information of interest to a broader 

public than the trade community. For instance, on June 20, 2001, CBP launched the 

“Know Before You Go” publication and traveler awareness campaign designed to help 

educate international travelers. 

 

The web address of U.S. Customs and Border Protection is http://www.cbp.gov

Customs Regulations 

The current edition of Customs Regulations of the United States is a loose-leaf, 

subscription publication available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. 

Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402; telephone (202) 512-1800. A 

bound, 2003 edition of Title 19, Code of Federal Regulations, which incorporates all 

changes to the Regulations as of April 1, 2003, is also available for sale from the same 

address. All proposed and final regulations are published in the Federal Register, which 

is published daily by the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records 

Administration, and distributed by the Superintendent of Documents. Information about

on-line access to the Federal Register may be obtained by calling (202) 512-1530 

between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern time. These notices are also published in the 

weekly Customs Bulletin described below. 

Customs Bulletin 

The Customs Bulletin and Decisions (“Customs Bulletin”) is a weekly publication that 

contains decisions, rulings, regulatory proposals, notices and other information of 

interest to the trade community. It also contains decisions issued by the U.S. Court of 

International Trade, as well as customs-related decisions of the U.S. Court of Appeals

for the Federal Circuit. Each year, the Government Printing Office publishes bound 

volumes of the Customs Bulletin. Subscriptions may be purchased from the 

Superintendent of Documents at the address and phone number listed above. 

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Reasonable Care 

February 2004

Importing Into the United States 

This publication provides an overview of the importing process and contains general 

information about import requirements. The February 2002 edition of Importing Into the 

United States contains much new and revised material brought about pursuant to the 

Customs Modernization Act (“Mod Act”). The Mod Act has fundamentally altered the 

relationship between importers and U.S. Customs and Border Protection by shifting to 

the importer the legal responsibility for declaring the value, classification, and rate of 

duty applicable to entered merchandise. 

The February 2002 edition contains a section entitled "Informed Compliance." A key 

component of informed compliance is the shared responsibility between U.S. Customs 

and Border Protection and the import community, wherein CBP communicates its 

requirements to the importer, and the importer, in turn, uses reasonable care to assure 

that CBP is provided accurate and timely data pertaining to his or her importation. 

Single copies may be obtained from local offices of U.S. Customs and Border

Protection, or from the Office of Public Affairs, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 

1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20229. An on-line version is 

available at the CBP web site. Importing Into the United States is also available for 

sale, in single copies or bulk orders, from the Superintendent of Documents by calling 

(202) 512-1800, or by mail from the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing

Office, P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7054. 

Informed Compliance Publications 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has prepared a number of Informed Compliance 

publications in the “What Every Member of the Trade Community Should Know 

About:...” series. Check the Internet web site http://www.cbp.gov for current 

publications. 

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Reasonable Care 

February 2004

Value Publications 

Customs Valuation under the Trade Agreements Act of 1979 is a 96-page book 

containing a detailed narrative description of the customs valuation system, the customs 

valuation title of the Trade Agreements Act (§402 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended 

by the Trade Agreements Act of 1979 (19 U.S.C. §1401a)), the Statement of 

Administrative Action which was sent to the U.S. Congress in conjunction with the TAA,

regulations (19 C.F.R. §§152.000-152.108) implementing the valuation system (a few 

sections of the regulations have been amended subsequent to the publication of the 

book) and questions and answers concerning the valuation system. A copy may be 

obtained from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Regulations and Rulings, 

Value Branch, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, (Mint Annex), Washington, D.C. 20229. 

Customs Valuation Encyclopedia (with updates) is comprised of relevant statutory

provisions, CBP Regulations implementing the statute, portions of the Customs 

Valuation Code, judicial precedent, and administrative rulings involving application of 

valuation law. A copy may be purchased for a nominal charge from the Superintendent

of Documents, Government Printing Office, P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-

7054. This publication is also available on the Internet web site of U.S. Customs and 

Border Protection. 

The information provided in this publication is for general information 

purposes only. Recognizing that many complicated factors may be 

involved in customs issues, an importer may wish to obtain a ruling under

CBP Regulations, 19 C.F.R. Part 177, or obtain advice from an expert

(such as a licensed Customs Broker, attorney or consultant) who 

specializes in customs matters. Reliance solely on the general 

information in this pamphlet may not be considered reasonable care.

Additional information may also be obtained from U.S. Customs and Border Protection 

ports of entry. Please consult your telephone directory for an office near you. The 

listing will be found under U.S. Government, Department of Homeland Security. 

17
Reasonable Care 

February 2004

18

“Your Comments are Important” 

The Small Business and Regulatory Enforcement Ombudsman and 10 regional 

Fairness Boards were established to receive comments from small businesses about

Federal agency enforcement activities and rate each agency’s responsiveness to small 

business. If you wish to comment on the enforcement actions of U.S. Customs and

Border Protection, call 1-888-REG-FAIR (1-888-734-3247). 

REPORT SMUGGLING 1-800-BE-ALERT OR 1-800-NO-DROGA 

Visit our Internet web site: http://www.cbp.gov