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EDIFACT message guide · Customs and regulatory

CUSCAR Customs cargo report

The UN/EDIFACT message a carrier uses to send cargo data to a customs administration to meet cargo reporting requirements.

Sent by
Carrier or its agent
Received by
Customs administration
Standard
UN/EDIFACT · Batch message
X12 equivalent
309 Customs Manifest

What is the EDIFACT CUSCAR message?

CUSCAR is the UN/EDIFACT customs cargo report. The directory defines it as a message that transfers data from a carrier to a customs administration to meet customs cargo reporting requirements.

A cargo report lists the consignments carried, usually per bill of lading, with shippers, consignees, goods descriptions, packages, weights and equipment. Customs authorities use it for risk assessment before arrival or departure, under deadlines set in national law. It is reported alongside the conveyance report (CUSREP), and customs answers with CUSRES.

How the EDIFACT CUSCAR message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT CUSCAR Customs cargo report message. Carrier or its agent sends it to customs administration. It usually starts the exchange. It is usually followed by CUSRES. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message). 6 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT CUSCAR message worksCustoms cargo report: who sends it, where it fits and what the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeCUSCARSENDERCarrier or its agentRECEIVERCustomsadministrationCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYCUSRESCustoms response2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDsUNB … UNZMessage CUSCARUNH … UNTSTART OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPS+ 6 conditional groups, starting with:RFFNADTDTEQDCNIAUTBlue box: mandatory segment group. Conditional groups are listed by the trigger segment that starts them; a group is sent only when its data applies.Conditional segments outside groups are not drawn.Structure: mandatory segments and groups in the UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A listing for CUSCAR. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.
How the EDIFACT CUSCAR message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT CUSCAR Customs cargo report message. Carrier or its agent sends it to customs administration. It usually starts the exchange. It is usually followed by CUSRES. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message). 6 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT CUSCARmessage worksCustoms cargo report: who sends it, where itfits and what the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeCUSCARSENDERCarrier or itsagentRECEIVERCustomsadministrationCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYCUSRESCustoms response2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDs(UNB … UNZ)Message CUSCAR (UNH … UNT)START OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPS+ 6 conditional groups, starting with:RFFNADTDTEQDCNIAUTBlue box: mandatory segment group. Conditionalgroups are listed by the trigger segment thatstarts them; a group is sent only when its dataapplies. Conditional segments outside groups arenot drawn.Structure: mandatory segments and groups in theUN/EDIFACT directory D.21A listing for CUSCAR.Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.

How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends CUSCAR, to whom, and which messages usually come before and after it. The lower part shows what the directory D.21A itself requires: the envelopes around CUSCAR and the segments and segment groups it marks mandatory. Conditional groups are listed by their trigger segment rather than drawn in full. This is the directory's minimum, not a trading partner's requirement: a message implementation guide, such as an industry subset or a partner’s own guide, usually makes some conditional groups mandatory, restricts the codes and may use an older directory.

Expand diagram Download SVG

When it is used

  • Filing an advance cargo manifest before arrival
  • Reporting cargo loaded for export
  • Amending previously reported cargo data

Where it fits in the message flow

This message CUSCAR Customs cargo report
Usually followed by CUSRES Customs response

Structure

Mandatory segments in CUSCAR (directory D.21A)

In UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A, the CUSCAR message has 72 segment positions arranged in 17 segment groups. These are the segments and segment groups marked mandatory at message level, in order; a mandatory group is shown with the segment that starts it. Segments inside conditional groups are needed only when the group is used. This is the directory’s requirement, not your trading partner’s: each partner’s message implementation guide names the directory it uses, often an older one such as D.96A or D.01B where the structure can differ, makes some conditional segments mandatory and restricts the codes.

  • UNH
  • BGM
  • UNT

Practical example

CUSCAR in practice

An ocean carrier's vessel will arrive in Antwerp in three days. Its agent sends customs a CUSCAR listing each bill of lading with the cargo description, packages, weight, containers and parties. Customs returns CUSRES messages accepting most bills and requesting a better goods description for one, which the agent corrects before arrival.

Implementation

Implementation considerations for CUSCAR

  • Follow the national customs specification and its filing deadlines.
  • Use precise goods descriptions; vague ones are rejected.
  • Keep cargo data consistent with bookings and bills of lading.
  • Process customs responses promptly and correct errors before arrival.

How ECOM helps

Automate CUSCAR 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.

Compare X12 and EDIFACT, or see answers to general questions in the EDI FAQ.

Related messages

Related customs and regulatory messages

All 14 customs and regulatory messages

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