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What it means, why it happens, and what to do in the first 48 hours.
Not all holds are the same. Understanding which type of hold you're dealing with determines your response and your timeline.
| Hold Type | Meaning | Typical Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Document Hold | CBP needs additional documentation before releasing | 1–5 days |
| Intensive Exam (EXAM) | Physical inspection of the container — X-ray or devanning | 3–10 days |
| FDA Hold | FDA is reviewing a food, drug, or device shipment | 5–30 days |
| ADD/CVD Hold | CBP suspects antidumping/CVD order applies to goods | 30–180+ days |
| UFLPA Hold | Suspected connection to Uyghur forced labor supply chain | Indefinite until rebutted |
| Penalty / Seizure | CBP believes goods violate law — may be seized | Varies — legal action required |
While your cargo sits in CBP examination, demurrage, detention, and storage fees continue to accrue. These can reach thousands of dollars per day for large shipments. Speed of response matters.
Every CBP hold has a specific code and reason code in the ACE system. Your broker should be able to tell you within hours what type of hold it is, which agency issued it, and what's required for release. If they can't tell you within 4 hours, call them directly.
Pull your commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, and any certificates that are relevant to the hold type (FDA registrations, country of origin certificates, ADD/CVD scope letters, lab reports). Have them ready before CBP asks.
Goods under a CBP hold cannot be removed from the port without CBP authorization. Attempting to move detained cargo is a federal violation. Wait for official release.
Your broker can find this through ACE. Direct communication with the assigned import specialist is often the fastest way to resolve a document hold. Calling the port directly and asking for the entry team is legitimate.
If CBP issues a CF-28 (Request for Information) or CF-29 (Notice of Action), respond as quickly as possible. Delays in responding extend your hold. Every day matters when detention is accruing.
An intensive exam means CBP is physically inspecting your container. This happens for several reasons: random selection, targeting based on risk profiles, intelligence, or because something on your manifest triggered review.
During an exam, your container is moved to a CBP examination facility (EXAM site) or devanned at the port. You pay for the examination, the transport to the exam site, and the devanning labor — even if nothing is found. Typical EXAM costs range from $500 to $5,000+ depending on the port and scope.
Importers with clean compliance histories, accurate documentation, and consistent filing patterns are selected for examination less frequently. Working with a licensed broker who files correctly — every time — is the best long-term strategy for reducing exam frequency.
FDA holds are issued when FDA's PREDICT system flags a shipment for review. This can happen because: your facility isn't registered, there's no Prior Notice on file, the product is on an import alert, or it's a random sample.
If you receive an FDA hold: (1) verify Prior Notice was filed correctly, (2) confirm your foreign supplier's facility registration is current and matches the entry, (3) gather your COA, product labels, and ingredient documentation. Do not alter or relabel goods without FDA authorization — that creates a much larger problem.
If CBP believes your goods may be subject to an antidumping or countervailing duty order, they'll issue a hold pending scope determination. These can take months. Your options: (1) provide documentation showing your goods are outside the scope of the order, (2) request an expedited scope ruling from Commerce, or (3) post a bond for the estimated ADD/CVD amount and get your cargo released.
We handle CBP holds from the first call. Former CBP Agent on our team means we know how the hold system works from the inside. If your cargo is sitting at the port right now, call us.
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