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X12 transaction guide · Transportation

EDI 309 Customs Manifest

The X12 document carriers and terminal operators use to give customs the manifest data for cargo arriving or departing on a vessel, train or other conveyance.

Sent by
Carrier, terminal operator or port authority
Received by
Customs authority
Standard
ANSI ASC X12

What is an EDI 309?

The EDI 309 Customs Manifest is the ANSI X12 transaction set carriers, terminal operators, port authorities and service centers use to give customs the manifest data for cargo arriving in or departing on ocean vessels, trains or other conveyances. Carriers can also use it to send manifest data to terminal operators and port authorities.

The manifest lists every bill of lading on the conveyance, with shippers, consignees, cargo descriptions, quantities and container numbers. Customs uses it for risk assessment before arrival, and filing deadlines are set by regulation. Each customs authority publishes its own implementation guide for the 309.

How the EDI 309 worksDiagram of the EDI 309 Customs Manifest. Carrier, terminal operator or port authority sends it to customs authority. It usually starts the exchange. It is usually followed by 355 and 350. Inside the ISA, GS and ST envelopes, X12 release 008010 requires, in the heading: M10 (Manifest Identifying Information) and the required P4 loop with P4 (Port Information) and the required LX loop with LX (Transaction Set Line Number). 4 optional loops are listed by their first segment.How the EDI 309 worksCustoms Manifest: who sends it, where it fits and what the standard marks required1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeEDI 309SENDERCarrier, terminaloperator or portauthorityRECEIVERCustoms authority997 or 999 acknowledgment back, if the partners agreeUSUALLY FOLLOWED BY355CustomsAcceptance/Rejection350Customs StatusInformation2 WHAT X12 RELEASE 008010 REQUIRESInterchange: sender and receiver IDsISA … IEAFunctional group, ID code AQGS … GETransaction set 309ST … SEHEADINGM10Manifest Identifying InformationRequired loop P4 · repeats up to 20P4Port InformationRequired loop LX · repeats up to 9,999LXTransaction Set Line Number+ 4 optional loops, starting with:NM1N1M12VIDBlue box: required loop. Optional loops are listed by the segment that starts them; when a loop is used, that first segment is required. Optional segmentsoutside loops are not drawn.Structure: required segments and loops in the X12 008010 listing for the 309. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds its own requirements.
How the EDI 309 worksDiagram of the EDI 309 Customs Manifest. Carrier, terminal operator or port authority sends it to customs authority. It usually starts the exchange. It is usually followed by 355 and 350. Inside the ISA, GS and ST envelopes, X12 release 008010 requires, in the heading: M10 (Manifest Identifying Information) and the required P4 loop with P4 (Port Information) and the required LX loop with LX (Transaction Set Line Number). 4 optional loops are listed by their first segment.How the EDI 309 worksCustoms Manifest: who sends it, where it fitsand what the standard marks required1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeEDI 309SENDERCarrier, terminaloperator or portauthorityRECEIVERCustomsauthority997 or 999 acknowledgment back, if the partnersagreeUSUALLY FOLLOWED BY355Customs Acceptance/Rejection350Customs Status Information2 WHAT X12 RELEASE 008010 REQUIRESInterchange: sender and receiver IDs (ISA… IEA)Functional group, ID code AQ (GS … GE)Transaction set 309 (ST … SE)HEADINGM10Manifest IdentifyingInformationRequired loop P4 · repeats up to20P4Port InformationRequired loop LX · repeats upto 9,999LXTransaction Set LineNumber+ 4 optional loops, starting with:NM1N1M12VIDBlue box: required loop. Optional loops are listedby the segment that starts them; when a loop isused, that first segment is required. Optionalsegments outside loops are not drawn.Structure: required segments and loops in the X12008010 listing for the 309. Your trading partner'simplementation guide adds its own requirements.

How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends the 309, to whom, and which documents usually come before and after it. The lower part shows what X12 release 008010 itself requires: the envelopes around the 309 and the segments and loops the standard marks as required, area by area. Optional loops are listed by the segment that starts them rather than drawn in full. This is the standard's minimum, not a trading partner's requirement: each partner's implementation guide usually makes some optional loops mandatory, restricts the codes and may use a different release.

Expand diagram Download SVG

When it is used

  • Filing an inbound cargo manifest with customs
  • Amending manifest data after filing
  • Sharing manifest data with terminals and ports

Where it fits in the document flow

This document 309 Customs Manifest
Usually followed by 355 Customs Acceptance/Rejection350 Customs Status Information

Structure

Mandatory segments in the 309 (X12 release 008010)

The segments X12 release 008010 marks as mandatory at their level, in order. Segments inside optional loops are needed only when the loop is used. This is the standard's requirement, not your trading partner's: each partner's implementation guide names the release it uses, adds the optional segments it requires and restricts the values. The requirement status comes from one published X12 reference listing and has not been checked against a second source.

  • ST
  • M10
  • NM1
  • P4
  • LX
  • N1
  • M12
  • VID
  • N10
  • H1
  • SE

Practical example

The 309 in practice

An ocean carrier's vessel will arrive at a US port in four days. Its documentation system sends customs a 309 for the voyage listing each bill of lading, container, shipper, consignee and cargo description. Customs returns acceptance or error messages, and the carrier corrects the rejected bills before the filing deadline.

Implementation

Implementation considerations for the 309

  • Follow the customs authority's own implementation guide and filing deadlines.
  • Validate bills of lading and container numbers against booking and loading records.
  • Process customs responses promptly and correct rejected bills before arrival.
  • Keep cargo descriptions precise; vague descriptions are commonly rejected.

How ECOM helps

Automate the 309 with ECOM

Industry

Trucking and Transportation

Load tenders, responses, status and freight invoices for carriers, brokers and shippers, integrated with the TMS.

Solution

Logistics Automation

Automate tenders, status updates, freight invoices and warehouse orders with logistics partners.

Solution

EDI Integration

Exchange X12 and EDIFACT documents with partners and integrate them directly with your ERP.

More general questions about EDI are answered in the EDI FAQ.

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