On July 31, 2026, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) published its annual inflation adjustment to customs COBRA user fees for Fiscal Year 2027 (CBP Dec. 26-14). Required under the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act), CBP recalculates these fees each year using changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U).
Beginning October 1, 2026, most CBP COBRA user fees will increase due to the annual inflation adjustment. The MPF rate stays at 0.3464%, but its minimum and maximum dollar limits will increase.
For FY 2027, CBP found a 2.84 percent CPI-U increase over the comparison year, exceeding the 1 percent statutory threshold and requiring an adjustment. Measured against the FY 2014 base year, the cumulative adjustment factor is 38.322 percent and applies to the base fees and limitations in 19 CFR 24.22 and 24.23.
The new fees take effect October 1, 2026, and affect nearly every mode of commercial and passenger entry, including ocean, truck, rail, air, mail, and formal and informal cargo processing, as well as the customs broker permit fee.
The Merchandise Processing Fee (MPF) ad valorem rate remains unchanged at 0.3464%. However, the minimum and maximum dollar limitations will increase.
FY 2027 Adjusted Fees and Limitations
| Fee / Limitation | FY 2027 Amount |
|---|---|
| Merchandise Processing Fee (MPF) minimum | $34.58 |
| Merchandise Processing Fee (MPF) maximum | $670.86 (ad valorem rate unchanged at 0.3464%) |
| Surcharge for manual entry or release | $4.15 |
| Informal entry/release, automated, not CBP-prepared | $2.77 |
| Informal entry/release, manual, not CBP-prepared | $8.30 |
| Informal entry/release, manual, CBP-prepared | $12.45 |
| Express consignment carrier/hub facility fee, per waybill | $1.38 (minimum $0.48 / maximum $1.38) |
| Commercial vessel arrival fee | $604.47 |
| Commercial vessel arrival fee, calendar year maximum | $8,237.06 |
| Barges/other bulk carriers arrival fee | $152.15 |
| Barges/other bulk carriers, calendar year maximum | $2,074.83 |
| Commercial truck arrival fee (CBP portion)* | $7.60 |
| Commercial truck/railroad car calendar year prepayment | $138.32 |
| Railroad car arrival fee | $11.41 |
| Private vessel/aircraft arrival or annual prepayment fee | $38.04 |
| Dutiable mail fee | $7.61 |
| Commercial vessel/aircraft passenger arrival fee | $7.61 |
| Commercial vessel passenger arrival fee (from U.S. territories) | $2.67 |
| Customs broker permit user fee | $190.88 |
The $7.60 Commercial Truck Arrival Fee is the CBP portion only. Combined with the FY 2027 USDA APHIS AQI fee of $14.50, the total Single Crossing Fee is $22.10. The Commercial Truck Calendar Year Prepayment Fee of $138.32 also excludes the AQI Commercial Truck Transponder Fee of $870.60, resulting in a combined Commercial Vehicle Transponder Annual User Fee of $1,008.92.
What to Do Before October 1
- Update MPF calculations for entries filed on or after October 1, 2026. The ad valorem rate remains the same, but the minimum and maximum dollar limitations increase.
- Customs brokers should confirm the updated broker permit fee of $190.88 for FY 2027 renewals.
- Ocean, truck, and rail carriers should update prepayment and per-crossing budgets to reflect the new arrival fees. Truck carriers should also account for the combined CBP and USDA APHIS AQI fees.
- Express consignment carriers and hub facility operators should confirm the updated per-waybill fee, including the revised minimum and maximum limitations.
ASK Alba™
Questions about how the FY 2027 COBRA fee adjustments affect your entry costs or customs broker operations? Contact Alba, our trade compliance team is here to help.
References
- Customs User Fees To Be Adjusted for Inflation in Fiscal Year 2027, CBP Dec. 26-14 (91 FR 48398)
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