Most Customs regulations are codified in title 19 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Note however that other agencies also regulate imports, depending on the product. Thus, for automobiles, the Environmental Protection Agency is involved; for wine, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. Their regulations may be contained in other titles of the CFR.
| Publication Title | Call Number of Print | Digital Access for Georgetown Law |
|---|---|---|
| Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) | K70 .A3, Current edition in Reading Room, Area 6 on map; superseded print vols. in Closed Stacks (ask for assistance at the Circulation Desk) K70 .A3 Micro Media 1st Fl, Row B, Cabinets 12-13 (1938-2004) |
Westlaw, Lexis, Bloomberg Law, ProQuest Regulatory Insight, HeinOnline, govinfo, e-CFR |
| Federal Register (F.R.) | KF70 .A2 Micro Media 1st Fl, Row B, Cabinets 14-15 (1936-2004) | Westlaw, Lexis, Bloomberg Law, ProQuest Regulatory Insight, HeinOnline, govinfo, FederalRegister.gov |
Customs and Border Protection also issues documents known as CBP Decisions (formerly known as Treasury Decisions, which should not to be confused with the Treasury Decisions issued by the Internal Revenue Service). CBP Decisions are varied; they include notices of CBP policy, CBP rulings, court decisions, and changes to CBP customs regulations.
Customs and Border Protection Rulings interpret and apply the law to a specific set of facts. Rulings that create a "uniform and established practice" are designated as CBP Decisions and are published in the Customs Bulletin and Decisions (see above). Most CBP rulings are not so published, but may still be useful as persuasive precedent in a similar situation in the future.
Rulings are issued by the Customs and Border Protection staff in Washington and New York. The New York rulings are limited to questions of classification. Headquarters rulings cover all topics.