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🔖 This article is part of the BorderConnect ACE eManifest Guide and the Shipment Release Types Guide

Empty ACE eManifest (Trip Only)

A guide to transmitting conveyance information for empty trucks, bobtails, and exempt cargo in ACE.

Type: Trip Only Country: United States (CBP)

Overview

An Empty ACE eManifest (often called a "Trip Only" or "Empty Trip" manifest) is a filing where the carrier transmits only the conveyance and trip information to CBP and does not transmit any shipment bills.

CBP's advance reporting rules focus on cargo data. When a truck is physically empty (including "bobtail" moves), regulations under 19 CFR § 123.92 generally do not require cargo data to be transmitted because there is no commercial cargo to report.

Why File an Empty? While not strictly required by regulation for true empties, filing an Empty ACE eManifest is considered a best practice. It provides CBP with advance notice of your arrival, allows for faster processing at the booth, and creates a digital record of the crossing for your fleet.

How to Process in BorderConnect

1 Start New Manifest

Navigate to ACE eManifest in the menu and select Start New ACE eManifest.

2 Enter Trip Data & Save

Enter your standard trip details (Driver, Truck, Port of Entry, ETA). Do not create any shipment records. Click Save to view the manifest details.

3 Sync with CBP

Once verified, click Sync with CBP. This transmits the trip data to Customs and indicates that no shipments are attached.

4 Wait for Acceptance

Wait for the status to change to On File (often indicated by blue status bars). Your driver is now cleared to proceed to the border.

Using "Empty Trips" for Exempt Cargo

Certain shipments are exempt from standard electronic shipment reporting but still require the truck to be reported. In these cases, an Empty/Trip-Only manifest is often used to facilitate the crossing.

ATA Carnet Shipments

ATA Carnets are processed via physical paperwork at the port. Because they are not a standard ACE shipment type, carriers often file an empty trip to notify CBP of the arrival, while the driver presents the Carnet booklet manually.

Department of Defense (DOD)

DOD Shipments (exempt under 19 CFR 10.102) do not always have a corresponding ACE shipment release type. If the truck is carrying only Government/DOD freight, an empty trip manifest allows the carrier to declare the conveyance, while the driver declares the cargo verbally and presents the DCMA certificates.

Instruments of International Traffic (10.41b)

While 10.41a IITs (standard pallets/containers) can be declared as an IIT shipment type, 10.41b(b) reusable shipping devices (often called "CHEP" pallets or similar pooled containers) are frequently moved under an empty manifest with a notation. Carriers transmit an empty trip and the driver declares the 10.41b instruments upon arrival.

References