(a) At the same port. With the concurrence of the proprietors of the delivering and receiving warehouses, merchandise may be transferred from one bonded warehouse to another at the same port under Customs supervision and at the expense of the importer upon his written request to the port director, who shall issue an order for such transfer on Customs Form 6043. However, the port director may require the filing of a rewarehouse entry under §144.41 if he determines it necessary for proper control of the merchandise. All charges shall be paid before merchandise is transferred from a warehouse of class 1 (see §19.1 of this chapter for classes of warehouses). The quantities of goods so transferred shall be subject to the joint determination of the warehouse proprietor and the cartman, lighterman, or private bonded carrier, as provided in §19.6 of this chapter.

(b) At another port. Merchandise may be transferred to a warehouse which is under the jurisdiction of another port by withdrawing the merchandise for transportation in accordance with §144.36 and entering it for rewarehouse in accordance with §144.41 upon arrival at destination. All charges shall be paid before merchandise is transferred from the warehouse of class 1 (see §19.1 of this chapter for classes of warehouses).

(c) Transfers between integrated bonded warehouses—(1) Eligibility.

(i) Only an importer who will transfer warehoused merchandise among Class 2 and 9 warehouses listed on the application in paragraph (c)(2) of this section is eligible to participate.

(ii) The importer must have a centralized inventory control system that shows the location of all of the warehoused merchandise at all times, including merchandise in transit.

(iii) The importer and its surety must sign the application. If the application to use this alternative procedure is approved by the appropriate port director, the importer's entry bond containing the conditions provided under §113.62 of this chapter will continue to attach to any merchandise transferred under these alternative procedures.

(iv) Each proprietor of a warehouse listed on the application and each surety who underwrites that proprietor's custodial bond coverage under §113.63 of this chapter shall sign the application.

(2) Application. Application must be made in writing to the port director of the port in which the applicant's centralized inventory control system exists, with copies to all affected port directors, for exemptions from the requirements for transfer of merchandise from one bonded warehouse to another set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section. The application must list all bonded warehouses to and from which the merchandise may be transferred; all such warehouses must be covered by the same centralized inventory control system. Only blanket exemption requests will be considered; exemptions will not be considered for individual transfers. The application may be in letter form, signed by all participants, and contain a certification to the port director by the applicant that he maintains accounting records, documents and financial statements and reports that adequately support Customs activities.

(3) Operation. An importer who receives approval to transfer merchandise between bonded warehouses in accordance with the provisions of this section may, after entry into the first warehouse, transfer that merchandise to any other warehouse without filing a withdrawal from warehouse or a rewarehouse entry. The warehoused merchandise will be treated as though it remains in the first warehouse so long as the actual location of the merchandise at all times is recorded as provided under the provisions of this section.

(4) Inventory control requirements. The records required to be maintained must include a centralized inventory control system and supporting documentation which meets the following requirements:

(i) Provide Customs upon demand with the proper on-hand balance of each inventory item in each warehouse facility and each storage location within each warehouse;

(ii) Provide Customs upon demand with the proper on-hand balance for each open warehouse entry and the actual quantity in each warehouse facility;

(iii) If an alternative inventory system has been approved, provide Customs upon demand with the proper on-hand balance for each unique identifier and the quantity related to each open warehouse entry and the quantity in each warehouse facility;

(iv) Maintain documentation for all intracompany movements, including authorizations for the movement, shipping documents and receiving reports. These documents must show the appropriate warehouse entry number or unique identifier, the description and quantity of the merchandise transferred, and must be properly authorized and signed evidencing shipment from and delivery to each location;

(v) Maintain a consolidated permit file folder at the location where the merchandise was originally warehoused. The consolidated permit file folder must meet the requirements of §19.12(d)(4) of this chapter regardless of the warehouse facility in which the action occurred. Documentation for all intracompany movements, including authorizations for movement, shipping documents, receiving reports, as well as documentation showing ultimate disposition of the merchandise must be filed in the consolidated permit file folder within seven business days;

(vi) Maintain a subordinate permit file at all intracompany locations where merchandise is transferred containing copies of documentation required by §19.12(d)(4) of this chapter and by paragraph (c)(3)(v) of this section relating to merchandise quantities transferred to the location. A copy of all documents in the subordinate permit file folder must be filed in the consolidated permit file folder within seven business days; no exceptions will be granted to this requirement. When the final withdrawal is made on the respective entry, the subordinate permit file shall be considered closed and filed at the intracompany location to which the merchandise was transferred; and

(vii) File the withdrawal from Customs custody at the original warehouse location at which the merchandise was entered.

(5) Waiver of permit file folder requirements. The permit file folder requirements of paragraphs (c)(3)(v) and (c)(3)(vi) of this section may be waived if the proprietor's recordkeeping and inventory control system qualifies under the requirements of §19.12(d)(4)(iii) of this chapter at all locations where bonded merchandise is stored.

(6) Procedure not available—(i) Liens. The transfer procedures permitted under paragraph (c) of this section shall not be available for merchandise with respect to which Customs is notified of the existence of a lien, as prescribed in §141.112 of this chapter (see 19 U.S.C. 1564), until proof shall be produced at the original warehouse location that the lien has been satisfied or discharged.

(ii) Restricted merchandise. With the exception of alcohol and tobacco products, merchandise subject to a restriction on release such as covered by a licensing, quota or visa requirement, is not eligible.

[T.D. 73-175, 38 FR 17464, July 2, 1973, as amended by T.D. 82-204, 47 FR 49376, Nov. 1, 1982; T.D. 97-19, 62 FR 15840, Apr. 3, 1997]