FIRMS Code: CBP Location of Goods Code Explained for Brokers

Key Points

• A FIRMS code is a unique, CBP-assigned, 4 alphanumeric character identifier for the facility where unentered or in-bond cargo sits.
• The filer reports the FIRMS code as the location of goods on the ACE entry at release and on the entry summary, per the CATAIR Entry Summary Create/Update chapter (September 2025).
• For warehouse entry types 21 and 22, the location of goods field carries the FIRMS code of the bonded warehouse itself.
• Carriers report the FIRMS code when arriving an in-bond, and CBP validates it under its guidance on ACE Validation of FIRMS Codes for In-bond Arrivals, Excluding Air Mode of Transportation.
• A wrong or inactive FIRMS code can delay release, fail in-bond arrival validation, or send an exam to the wrong CES.

On this page

1. At a glance
2. Where does the FIRMS code come from?
3. When is the FIRMS code reported in the entry lifecycle?
4. How is the FIRMS code transmitted and validated in ACE?
5. Common FIRMS code errors and what they cost
6. How the FIRMS code differs from other entry identifiers
7. Frequently asked questions
8. What importers and brokers should do
9. Key references

A FIRMS code (Facilities Information and Resources Management System code) is the four-character identifier CBP assigns to a bonded facility, pier, centralized examination station (CES) or warehouse that holds unentered or in-bond cargo. Customs brokers and filers report it as the location of goods on release and entry summary data, carriers report it when arriving in-bond shipments, and CBP uses it to know exactly where merchandise sits before release. It belongs to the release and in-bond stages of the entry lifecycle, before goods leave CBP custody.

The links in this article go to the primary documents: the CBP technical specifications, CBP guidance pages, and official regulation and tariff schedule pages themselves. Read the source. This entry reflects CBP guidance as of November 2026.

At a glance

• Full name: Facilities Information and Resources Management System code
• Format: 4 alphanumeric characters
• Who prepares or uses it: Customs brokers and filers, in-bond carriers, bonded warehouse and CES operators, CBP officers
• When in the lifecycle: Release (cargo release or entry), entry summary, in-bond arrival, warehouse entry
• System or channel: ACE, via ABI and the carrier in-bond messages; record layouts in the ACE CATAIR
• Governing authority: CBP assigns the code; confirm facility status with the local port
• Related terms: Schedule D port codes, SCAC code, entry type 01, entry type 06, IOR number

Where does the FIRMS code come from?

The FIRMS code is defined by CBP as a unique CBP-assigned code for any facility or place where unentered, including in-bond, merchandise is located. Each bonded warehouse, container freight station, marine terminal, pier, or CES that is authorized to hold goods under CBP control receives its own code, so a single seaport can have many FIRMS codes. A broker filing at port code 5301 (Houston, TX seaport, in customs district 53 Houston-Galveston), for example, may see different FIRMS codes for different terminals and warehouses within that one port.

The facility operator, not the importer, holds the code. Importers and brokers learn the correct code from the carrier's arrival notice, the terminal, the warehouse operator, or the local CBP port. The BRIEF for this entry does not cover how facilities apply for or maintain a code, so confirm those procedures with the port director and in the regulations at 19 CFR on eCFR.

When is the FIRMS code reported in the entry lifecycle?

The FIRMS code is reported at several points in the entry lifecycle, each by a different party.

At release and entry summary

The filer reports the FIRMS code as the location of goods on the ACE entry at release and again on the entry summary. The CATAIR Entry Summary Create/Update chapter (September 2025) defines the location of goods code as 4 alphanumeric characters. On an ordinary entry type 01 (Consumption, Free and Dutiable) or entry type 03 (Consumption, AD/CVD), the code tells CBP where to find the cargo for release or examination. Each entry is identified by its entry number format, the 11-character CBP entry number made up of a three-character filer code, a seven-digit filer-assigned sequence number, and one check digit; the FIRMS code is a separate field and never part of that number.

At in-bond arrival

The carrier reports the FIRMS code when arriving an in-bond shipment at its destination. That code identifies the bonded facility where the in-bond cargo has been delivered and must match a valid, active facility.

On warehouse entries

For warehouse entry types 21 and 22, the CATAIR instructs filers to report the FIRMS code of the bonded warehouse in the location of goods field. Here the FIRMS code names the warehouse that will hold the goods under bond, which matters for later withdrawals.

How is the FIRMS code transmitted and validated in ACE?

The FIRMS code travels electronically in ACE: brokers send it through ABI in the release and entry summary records, and carriers send it in their in-bond arrival messages. CBP's guidance titled ACE Validation of FIRMS Codes for In-bond Arrivals, Excluding Air Mode of Transportation, describes ACE checking the FIRMS code on in-bond arrivals for non-air modes. The guidance title itself shows that air in-bond arrivals are excluded from that validation. This entry does not state the effective date of the validation; confirm it and the current error responses in the guidance on CBP's ACE and automated systems pages and in CSMS.

For entry summary edits, the exact record position, conditional rules, and reject messages for the location of goods field are in the current CATAIR chapter. Always work from the latest CATAIR version rather than an archived copy.

Common FIRMS code errors and what they cost

Most FIRMS code problems come from copying a code that is wrong, outdated, or belongs to a different facility at the same port.

• Wrong facility: A FIRMS code for the wrong terminal or warehouse can delay release, because CBP cannot match the goods to their actual location.
• Inactive code: An inactive FIRMS code on an in-bond arrival fails the ACE arrival validation, leaving the in-bond open until corrected.
• Exam routed to the wrong CES: When cargo is selected for examination, an incorrect code can send the exam to the wrong centralized examination station, adding drayage, storage, and time.
• Warehouse mismatch: On entry types 21 and 22, reporting a code other than the bonded warehouse's FIRMS code misstates where bonded goods are held.

How the FIRMS code differs from other entry identifiers

The FIRMS code identifies a physical facility, while several look-alike codes identify ports, carriers, zones, or parties.

• Schedule D port codes: Census Schedule D customs district and port codes are four-digit codes (two-digit district plus port) for port of entry and unlading. They name the port, not the facility within it.
• SCAC code: The Standard Carrier Alpha Code is the two-to-four-letter carrier identifier issued by the National Motor Freight Traffic Association. It names the carrier, not where cargo sits.
• FTZ identifier: A foreign trade zone carries its own zone identifier. On an entry type 06 (Foreign Trade Zone consumption entry), do not substitute a FIRMS code for the zone identifier; confirm field rules in the CATAIR.
• Party identifiers: The IOR number (importer of record number: the IRS EIN, SSN or CBP-assigned number of the party liable for duties), the ultimate consignee number (the EIN, SSN or CBP-assigned number of the party on whose account goods are shipped), and the CBP-assigned number (issued via CBP Form 5106 in the format YYDDPP-NNNNN) identify parties, never facilities.

Frequently asked questions

How many characters is a FIRMS code?

A FIRMS code is 4 alphanumeric characters, per the location of goods definition in the CATAIR Entry Summary Create/Update chapter (September 2025).

Who reports the FIRMS code on an in-bond?

The carrier reports the FIRMS code when arriving an in-bond shipment, and ACE validates that FIRMS code for in-bond arrivals in modes other than air.

Is a FIRMS code the same as a port code?

No. A Schedule D port code names the port, while a FIRMS code names the specific bonded facility, pier, CES or warehouse at that port where cargo is held.

Which FIRMS code goes on a warehouse entry?

For entry types 21 and 22, the location of goods field carries the FIRMS code of the bonded warehouse that will hold the merchandise.

What importers and brokers should do

• Confirm the FIRMS code with the terminal, warehouse, or carrier for every shipment rather than reusing a code from a past entry at the same port.
• Keep a current, verified list of the FIRMS codes your shipments use, and recheck any code that triggers a release delay or in-bond rejection.
• Check the latest CATAIR chapter and CBP's in-bond FIRMS validation guidance before changing system defaults or templates.
• Cross-check the FIRMS code against the port code, SCAC, and entry number during pre-filing review so each field holds the right identifier.

Key references

• ACE CATAIR: CBP technical specifications, including the Entry Summary Create/Update chapter (September 2025) defining the location of goods code.
• CBP automated systems and ACE pages: starting point for CBP guidance, including ACE Validation of FIRMS Codes for In-bond Arrivals, Excluding Air Mode of Transportation.
• 19 CFR on eCFR: current CBP regulations governing entry, in-bond movement, and bonded facilities.
• Harmonized Tariff Schedule: official tariff schedule for classifying goods on the entries that carry the FIRMS code.