The answers to get you started
1. What is the purpose of the Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ) No. 79 Program?
The purpose of the Foreign-Trade Zone No. 79 program is to enhance a company’s operations to encourage international trade and domestic investment. Companies that utilize the Foreign-Trade Zone No. 79 program may hold or assemble merchandise within the zone without it being subject to formal customs entry procedures and payment of duties, taxes, and fees, unless and until the foreign merchandise enters the Customs Territory of the United States.
2. What can be placed in a Foreign-Trade Zone site?
Any foreign or domestic merchandise that is not prohibited by law or other exception, whether dutiable or not, may be admitted into a foreign-trade zone site. When applicable, import licenses or permits from foreign governments may still be required to bring merchandise into the zone site. The U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones Board and other U.S. governmental agencies may deny FTZ admission to merchandise that is deemed harmful to public health, safety, or interest.
3. What activities are permitted in a Foreign-Trade Zone site?
Once merchandise is inside a foreign-trade zone site, there are a wide variety of activities that can be performed on it. Merchandise may be stored, displayed, broken up, repackaged, assembled, cleaned, mixed with other merchandise, and manipulated. However certain actions are not permissible within foreign-trade zones, such as:
• Retail trade may not be conducted within the foreign-trade zone site; although, the storing, examining, and displaying of retail merchandise is permitted, and
• Foreign-trade zones cannot be used to evade payment of antidumping duties or countervailing duties.
4. What is the application process?
In general, there are three steps that must be completed in the application process:
• An application must be submitted to Foreign-Trade Zone No. 79 Board, Inc. requesting Zone Operator Status. (Contact FTZ No. 79 to obtain an application)
• Upon approval by Foreign-Trade Zone 79 Board, Inc. the application will be sent to the U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones Board in Washington DC for federal approval.
• Upon approval by the U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones Board, the approved FTZ No. 79 operator and accompanying foreign-trade zone site must be activated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
5. Who do I contact for more information on Foreign Trade Zone No. 79?
If you have additional questions about foreign-trade zones or the application process, please contact FTZ No. 79 at (813) 905-5125. You may also visit the Contact Us page and submit your information request.
