On August 14, 2025, the U.S. Census Bureau (Census) published a final rule in the Federal Register announcing several revisions to the Foreign Trade Regulations (FTR). This final rule is based on comments received in response to a notice of proposed rulemaking issued by Census in October of 2024.

The final rule is intended to clarify regulations for in-transit shipments, as well as implement several other revisions to "ensure greater clarity, accuracy, and consistency throughout the FTR." 

The final rule includes revisions such as: 

• updates to the definition of the U.S. Principal Party in Interest (USPPI) to include scenarios where goods are entered for consumption, warehousing, and admission to an FTZ prior to export; and
• addition of a 30-day date parameter in which the customs broker, if listed as importer of record at the time of import, "shall" be listed as USPPI; and 
• updates to the data responsibilities of USPPIs and authorized agents in routed export transactions.

Census also indicated it plans to collect country of origin data in the future, and will issue a separate rule related to the implementation of such collection.

The final rule is effective on September 15, 2025. 

The final rule can be found here:
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/14/2025-15493/foreign-trade-regulations-ftr-clarification-of-filing-requirements-regarding-in-transit-shipments