Chinese Postal Code Requirement: Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA)

The new requirement for the Chinese postal code as a required data element to the manufacturers identification (MID) has been set to become effective on March 18, 2023.

The new data element will be required for all goods manufactured in China in whole or in part. The new postal code requirement will be used to provide CBP with more accurate targeting of goods that may have been produced (or raw materials mined, farmed or further worked) in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region which potentially could have been produced using forced labor.

As a result of this implementation, it will now be required that all commercial invoices presented for Customs clearance include the full name and address of the actual manufacturer including the postal code. CBP will NOT release the goods without it.

Please do keep in mind that many US Importers purchase goods from other entities other than direct manufacturers such as selling agents, and middlemen companies. In all these cases the seller must list the actual manufacturer of the merchandise being imported as using the sellers information for MID construction for any goods manufactured in China will no longer be allowed.

As a result of the above we are requesting that you contact all of your Chinese suppliers to make sure they add to the Commercial Invoice, the full Name, Address, and postal code of the actual Manufacturer. This will help ensure that the Manufacturer information will be accurate when we transmit the information to CBP.

For reference, CBP has provided the importing community with some guidance on the subject, and we encourage you to read it carefully so you are informed. We have also provided a current UFLPA Entity list of forced labor offenders. Please see the following links.

https://www.cbp.gov/document/guidance/uflpa-operational-guidance-importers
https://www.dhs.gov/uflpa-entity-list