Foreign Trade Zone

The City of Eagle Pass is the authorized grantee for Foreign Trade Zone No. 96 (FTZ 96) and operates under the Traditional Site Framework. Through the FTZ, a company can:

  • Reduce or eliminate tariffs on foreign goods coming into the U.S.
  • Defer duties on merchandise until it is ready to enter the U.S. market.
  • Exempt duties on re-exports.
  • Expedite transfers of goods among other FTZs.
  • Eliminate duties on scrap or waste.
  • Submit a weekly entry to reduce paperwork.
  • Avoid duty drawback.

FTZ vs. Bonded Warehouse

While a Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) can offer significant benefits and substantial savings to a company, we understand that the program may not be right for everyone. Many times, dependent on the operations that need to occur, a U.S. bonded warehouse may fulfill the needs of a company. At the same time, in other cases, an FTZ may bring considerable savings. To have a better understanding of which program is best to use, below are some of the significant differences between an FTZ and a bonded warehouse.

Type Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) Bonded Warehouse
Customs Entry No entry required Entry required to admit goods into warehouse
Permissible Cargo Foreign and Domestic Goods Foreign goods only
Duties Only upon entry into the U.S. market Owed prior to release of goods from the bonded warehouse
Inventory Tax Foreign goods not taxed All goods are taxed
Storage Period Unlimited May not exceed five years
Control of Goods FTZ controls goods CBP controls goods
Domestic Goods May be admitted May not be admitted
Permissible Activity Clean, repack, sort, destroy, grade, label, assemble, manufacture, exhibit, and co-mingle with other freight (foreign and domestic) Clean, repack, and sort under CBP supervision
Manufacturing Permitted Not permitted
Waste Duty is only paid on items leaving the FTZ into U.S. market for consumption Duty is due on all waste and/or damaged goods

Click below to see the latest trade numbers from the Port of Eagle Pass, Texas

Click Here to view our FTZ information flyer.