USPPI

What is the United States Principal Party of Interest (USPPI)?

Under the U.S. Census Bureau’s Foreign Trade Regulations (FTR), the USPPI refers to the person or entity in the U.S. who receives the primary benefit of an export transaction, monetary or otherwise. This qualification indicates what party is responsible for declaring the export via the Automated Export System (AES) to the Census Bureau.

USPPI vs. Exporter.

While the exporter can be the same as the USPPI, the USPPI is not always the exporter. For example, if a US seller engages in a routed transaction, where export arrangements are performed by a third party, they are not the exporter, but as the principal beneficiary of the export, they are USPPI. As such, they are still responsible for filing the export declaration with the Census Bureau via the AES.

This distinction was introduced by Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) as a way to determine who is responsible for documentation and documentation-sharing between all parties in the export process, to indicate the specific data needed from the USPPI, and to create conformity throughout the AES process.

Who can act as a USPPI?

• U.S. seller (wholesaler or distributor) of goods for export

• U.S. manufacturer (if selling the goods for export)

• U.S. order party (if directly negotiated between the U.S. seller and foreign buyer and received the order for the export of the goods)

• U.S. customs broker (obtains clearance of goods through customs)

• Foreign entity (if physically in the United States to purchase or obtain the goods)