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Centralized Examination Station (CES)
Definition
A centralized examination station (CES) is a privately operated facility where imported merchandise is made available to CBP officers for physical examination.
What it means
That is the regulatory definition.[1] The CES operator has to provide the people and equipment for "the opening, presentation for inspection, and closing" of cargo.[2] The importer bears the expense of preparing merchandise for examination and closing the packages.[3]
A container sent for an intensive exam goes to a CES, is unloaded as far as the officers need, and is reloaded afterward, which is why freight often comes back from a CES rewrapped by hand or out of its original pattern. The exam levels and what to plan for are in CBP exam holds.
Example
A container is selected for an intensive exam. It is drayed to a CES, where about a third of the cartons are pulled for CBP officers, then everything is reloaded and the box is drayed on after release.
Related
Related terms
- Customs BrokerA customs broker is a person or company licensed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection to conduct customs...Glossary
- Importer of RecordThe importer of record (IOR) is the party responsible for an import entry: making sure it is correct and that...Glossary
- Freight ReworkFreight rework is the physical correction of a shipment that a carrier, receiver or retailer will not accept...Glossary
- DemurrageDemurrage is a charge for a loaded container that stays at the marine terminal after its free time runs out.Glossary
Related guides
Sources
- Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School, “19 CFR § 118.1, Definition (centralized examination station),” Federal regulation. Accessed September 2026.
- Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School, “19 CFR § 118.4, Responsibilities of a CES operator,” Federal regulation. Accessed September 2026.
- Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School, “19 CFR § 151.6, Place of examination,” Federal regulation. Accessed September 2026.
General operational information, not legal, customs or regulatory advice. Rules and rates change; confirm current requirements with the agency, carrier or contract that governs your shipment.