If you're exporting goods from the United States — whether vehicles, industrial equipment, electronics, or commercial cargo — you almost certainly have an AES filing obligation. The Automated Export System (AES) is the US government's electronic platform for collecting export trade data, and filing the Electronic Export Information (EEI) through AES is required for most exports valued over $2,500 per Schedule B code to a single destination.
Failure to file, late filing, or incorrect filing exposes exporters to substantial civil and criminal penalties. BorderTek Solutions coordinates AES/EEI filing for individual shipments, bulk vehicle exports, and enterprise accounts through a compliance-first workflow that keeps your export program clean.
What Is AES and Why Does It Exist?
The Automated Export System (AES) is managed by the US Census Bureau in partnership with CBP. Its primary purposes are:
- Collecting official US export trade statistics
- Enabling enforcement of US export control laws by agencies including BIS (Bureau of Industry and Security), DDTC (Directorate of Defense Trade Controls), and OFAC (Office of Foreign Assets Control)
When you file EEI through AES, you're submitting data that feeds directly into federal export compliance screening. This means your filing accuracy matters not just for statistics — it triggers review by multiple enforcement agencies.
When Is EEI Filing Required?
EEI filing through AES is required when:
- The export is valued over $2,500 per Schedule B code per destination country
- The shipment contains goods subject to an Export License (regardless of value)
- The destination is Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Syria, or Sudan (comprehensive sanctions jurisdictions — filing required regardless of value)
- The shipment is a used vehicle being exported (all used vehicle exports require EEI, regardless of value or destination)
Key exemptions exist for shipments under $2,500 (non-licensed goods to non-restricted destinations), exports to Canada for consumption in Canada (with exceptions), and certain government shipments.
Schedule B Classification: The Parallel to HTS
Just as imports use the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS), exports use Schedule B numbers — a 10-digit commodity classification derived from the international Harmonized System (HS). Accurate Schedule B classification is required for every EEI filing.
Schedule B and HTS codes are related but not always identical. The first six digits (the international HS code) are the same, but the last four digits can differ. Using the wrong Schedule B code in your AES filing is a violation, even if the error seems minor.
BorderTek's export compliance team applies a detailed classification process to every commodity, cross-referencing Schedule B classifications against the current CBP trade database.
ECCN and Export Control: When Your Goods Need a License
Some goods — particularly technology, software, defense-related items, and dual-use equipment — are controlled under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) administered by the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). These goods are assigned an Export Control Classification Number (ECCN).
If your goods carry an ECCN that is not EAR99 (the catch-all for non-controlled commercial goods), you may need an export license depending on the destination country, end use, and end user. Exporting controlled goods without the required license carries severe penalties — up to $1 million per violation and criminal charges.
BorderTek's AES filing workflow includes ECCN screening. For goods that may be controlled, we flag the issue before the shipment moves and coordinate with your compliance team on license determination.
Denied Party Screening: Non-Negotiable in Export Compliance
Every US exporter has a legal obligation to screen all parties to a transaction — buyers, consignees, freight forwarders, and end users — against US government restricted party lists. These include:
- OFAC Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list
- BIS Entity List, Denied Persons List, and Unverified List
- DDTC Debarred Parties List
- State Department Nonproliferation lists
BorderTek screens all export transactions against current government denied party lists before EEI is filed. A match halts the shipment pending review — because the alternative is a potential violation that no exporter wants to explain to federal investigators.
Vehicle Exports: A Special AES Filing Category
All used vehicle exports from the United States require EEI filing, regardless of value or destination. This is a specific regulatory carve-out in the Foreign Trade Regulations (FTR), reflecting the elevated risk of used vehicle exports (stolen vehicle laundering, sanctions evasion, etc.).
Required data elements for vehicle EEI include:
- VIN (for highway vehicles)
- Make, model, and year
- License plate number and state
- Title information
BorderTek offers an automated AES filing capability for high-volume vehicle exporters — dealers, remarketing companies, and auction houses that move dozens or hundreds of vehicles per month. Automated filing integrates with your existing inventory and title management systems via API, eliminating manual data entry and the errors that come with it.
AES Filing Deadlines
For non-vessel exports (truck, air, rail): EEI must be filed and a valid Internal Transaction Number (ITN) received before the carrier departs the US.
For vessel (ocean) exports: EEI must be filed at least 24 hours before cargo is loaded aboard the vessel.
Late filing is a separate violation from non-filing. BorderTek's filing workflow builds the AES submission into the pre-departure checklist, ensuring ITNs are in hand before carriers move.
Why BorderTek for AES/EEI Filing
BorderTek combines compliance expertise with operational efficiency. Whether you're filing for a single high-value export or running a volume program for vehicle exports, our team ensures accurate Schedule B classification, ECCN review, denied party screening, and timely AES submission.
Ready to clean up your export compliance? Explore BorderTek's AES/EEI Filing services and speak with our compliance team.