eManifest Filing Software — ACE & ACI Electronic Manifests

File US-bound ACE and Canada-bound ACI eManifests from TruckerPro's TMS once your company completes setup and certification for native filing, with preflight checks before each submission. BorderPro, a separate product in early access, prepares drafts but does not yet file with CBP or CBSA.

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What Is an eManifest?

An eManifest (electronic manifest) is a digital document that carriers must submit to customs authorities before a commercial vehicle crosses an international border. It contains detailed information about three key components:

  • Conveyance — The truck and trailer being used, including license plate numbers, equipment identification, and seal numbers.
  • Crew — The driver operating the vehicle, including name, date of birth, citizenship, and travel document details (passport, FAST card, etc.).
  • Shipments — Every shipment on the truck, including shipper, consignee, commodity description, weight, quantity, and PAPS or PARS numbers.

eManifests replaced paper-based manifest reporting and are now mandatory for most commercial trucks crossing the US-Canada border. The system allows customs authorities to perform risk assessments before the truck arrives, enabling faster processing for low-risk shipments and more targeted enforcement.

ACE eManifest vs. ACI eManifest

ACE eManifest (US-Bound)

The ACE (Automated Commercial Environment) system is operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Commercial trucks carrying cargo into the United States must have an ACE eManifest filed at least 1 hour before arrival, or 30 minutes before for shipments that qualify for FAST.

  • Filed with CBP through the ACE portal
  • Required 1 hour before arrival (30 minutes for FAST)
  • Uses PAPS numbers for shipment tracking
  • Covers regular and in-bond shipments; Section 321 de minimis release is no longer available
  • Automated trip number assignment
  • Electronic accept/reject and status messages from CBP

ACI eManifest (Canada-Bound)

The ACI (Advance Commercial Information) system is operated by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). Commercial trucks entering Canada must file an ACI eManifest at least 1 hour before arrival.

  • Filed with CBSA through the ACI portal
  • Required 1 hour before arrival at Canadian border
  • Uses PARS numbers for shipment tracking
  • Exemptions available for CSA-approved carriers
  • Cargo Control Number (CCN) assignment
  • RNS release notifications from CBSA

Filing Requirements and Deadlines

For highway carriers (trucks), the standard deadline for both ACE and ACI eManifests is 1 hour before the truck arrives at the port of entry. For shipments that qualify for FAST, CBP must receive the ACE data at least 30 minutes before arrival, and CBSA must receive and validate ACI data at least 1 hour before arrival. This pre-arrival window allows customs authorities to review the manifest data, perform risk assessments, and process release requests from customs brokers.

While these are minimums, filing earlier is strongly recommended. Early filing gives customs more time to process the manifest, reduces the chance of delays, and allows your customs broker to submit PAPS or PARS release requests with ample time for pre-clearance.

Common Shipment Types

Cross-border truck manifests cover several shipment types, each with its own data requirements:

  • FAST / CSA shipments
  • Empty equipment movements
  • Personal effects and household goods

Each shipment type has specific data requirements. TruckerPro's native eManifest filing currently creates PAPS (ACE) and PARS (ACI) shipments, and its preflight check blocks filing while required data is missing or malformed; checks do not guarantee acceptance. File other shipment types through an approved channel.

Frequently Asked Questions About eManifest Filing

An eManifest (electronic manifest) is a digital document that carriers must submit to customs authorities before a commercial vehicle crosses an international border. It contains information about the conveyance (truck and trailer), crew (driver), and all shipments being carried. For US-bound shipments, eManifests are filed with CBP through the ACE system. For Canada-bound shipments, they are filed with CBSA through the ACI system.

An eManifest is required for most commercial trucks crossing into the United States or Canada. Both agencies list exceptions: for example, CBSA does not require ACI data for a full load of eligible CSA (Customs Self Assessment) shipments, and CBP exempts certain informal entries and domestic US cargo moving through Canada. Check any exception with CBP or CBSA before relying on it.

For highway carriers (trucks), the standard deadline is 1 hour before arrival. CBP must receive the ACE eManifest at least 1 hour before the truck reaches the first US port of arrival, or 30 minutes before for shipments that qualify for FAST, and CBSA must receive and validate ACI data at least 1 hour before the truck arrives in Canada. Filing earlier is recommended because it gives customs more time to process the manifest and reduces the risk of delays. If your company files from TruckerPro's TMS, its preflight check requires the border arrival time and warns when that time is less than 1 hour away.

An eManifest requires: conveyance information (truck and trailer details, such as license plates and VINs), crew information (driver name, date of birth, citizenship, travel documents), shipment information (shipper, consignee, commodity description, weight, quantity, PAPS/PARS numbers), and seal numbers if applicable. For eManifests filed from TruckerPro's TMS, the truck, trailer, driver, shipper, and consignee details come from the load and your fleet records, so you do not retype them.

TruckerPro's native eManifest filing currently creates PAPS shipments for ACE and PARS shipments for ACI, one shipment per Live trip, and runs preflight checks on each before filing. File other shipment types, such as in-bond shipments, CSA shipments, or empty equipment movements, through CBP's or CBSA's portal or another approved channel. BorderPro, a separate product at borderpro.ai, is in early access and does not yet file with CBP or CBSA.

ACE and ACI permit eligible amendments and cancellations, but TruckerPro's native BorderConnect integration is currently create-only. After a Live filing, customs data is locked in TruckerPro. Complete the change in the BorderConnect portal, then record the completed portal action on the load for an immutable audit trail.

Further reading on BorderPro

BorderPro is the standalone border-clearing product at borderpro.ai, currently in early access. Its site also has regulatory guides and per-crossing wait-time pages with notes on what to file before you cross.

  • ACE eManifest overview
    CBP timing (1 hour, or 30 minutes for qualifying FAST shipments), filing channels, and the BorderPro early-access ACE draft workflow.
  • ACI eManifest overview
    How ACI differs from ACE and what CBSA expects before arrival.
  • AMPS penalty guide
    How to look up a CBSA penalty by its contravention code in the current Master Penalty Document.
  • Filing requirements checklist
    Common ACE and ACI preparation details, from carrier codes and conveyance data to PAPS and PARS references.

Compare BorderPro eManifest Plans

BorderPro is a separate product with a free tier for up to 5 shipments per month; paid plans currently start at $89.95/month. Check the pricing page for current limits and inclusions.

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