The User Fee Facilities Program was established on October 30, 1984 to provide a mechanism for airports, seaports, and other facilities whose “volume or value of business cleared through such airport, seaport, or other facility is insufficient to justify the availability of customs services.”
19 U.S. Code § 58b grants the Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) the ability to make the services of a CBP officer available, for a fee, for the processing of conveyances entering the United States, including passengers and cargo.
This law also allows User Fee Facilities to establish a Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) which allows foreign commercial merchandise to receive the same Customs treatment as it would if it were outside the commerce of the United States.
Benefits of a User Fee Facility
- Providing more efficient aircraft operations benefiting business, the environment, and the public.
- Fueling the local economy with increased international traffic.
- Decreasing overall operations within other congested regional airports.
- Convenience for arriving and departing international travelers.
- Benefiting the environment by reducing emissions from repositioning flights.
- Creating prospective jobs at the new station, both at UFFs and for facility customers throughout the region.
For any questions on this program or for application guidance, please contact the UFF Program Management Office at the following email address: UFF@CBP.DHS.GOV