Customs clearance at the Port of Tacoma

Tacoma files under CBP port code 3002, and Seattle, its partner in the Northwest Seaport Alliance, files under 3001. Tacoma is also where the container trade with Alaska is anchored, which most people assume runs out of Seattle. That trade is domestic, and it is the closest thing on the mainland to the work we do every day between Florida and Puerto Rico.

CBP port code: 3002
CBP district: 30
Official CBP name: Tacoma, Washington

Alaska is inside the customs territory, exactly like Puerto Rico

The customs territory of the United States comprises the States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Alaska is a State, so freight moving from the lower 48 to Alaska is domestic: no CBP entry, no import duty, nothing to broker, because there is no customs event.

That sentence in the tariff schedule names Alaska and Puerto Rico in the same breath, which is why this firm reads the Tacoma trade instantly. We have spent 19 years explaining the identical point about San Juan to people who were sure they needed an entry.

The difference between the two is what happens on arrival. Puerto Rico has its own tax authority and its own declaration; Alaska does not work the same way. Do not assume one maps onto the other beyond the customs question itself.

The Alaska trade is Tacoma, not Seattle

This is the most common error made about the two harbours. The container services to Alaska run from Tacoma terminals. Seattle's link to Alaska is a barge operation, which is a different kind of service entirely.

If somebody has told you your Alaska freight moves through Seattle, check the terminal before you accept it.

Foreign cargo into Tacoma is an ordinary import

The domestic rule covers the Alaska lane, not the port. A container arriving at 3002 from Asia is a normal US import with an entry, a bond, an ISF filed 24 hours before loading at origin and duty at your HTS rate.

It is exactly the distinction we draw at San Juan, where mainland freight and foreign freight land at the same pier under completely different rules. The origin decides, never the dock.

Services

FAQ

What is the CBP port code for Tacoma?

3002. Seattle is a separate port of entry at 3001, notwithstanding the shared Northwest Seaport Alliance branding.

Do I need a customs entry to ship from Tacoma to Alaska?

No. Alaska is a State and therefore inside the customs territory of the United States, so that movement is domestic freight: no entry and no import duty. It is the same rule that makes mainland shipments to Puerto Rico domestic.

Does the Alaska trade run through Seattle or Tacoma?

Tacoma, for containers. That surprises people who assume Seattle. Seattle's Alaska connection is a barge service, which is a different operation. Check the terminal rather than the city name.

Is Alaska the same as Puerto Rico for customs?

For the customs question itself, yes: both are inside the customs territory, so neither takes a CBP entry from the mainland. What happens after arrival is not the same. Puerto Rico has its own tax authority and its own declaration, and Alaska does not work that way. We would rather you asked than assumed.

Do you clear foreign cargo arriving at Tacoma?

Yes, under filer code EWV. Foreign cargo into 3002 is an ordinary import entry with an ISF, a bond and duty. The domestic rule applies to the Alaska lane, not to the port.

Domestic lane or foreign import?

At Tacoma both arrive at the same port under completely different rules, which is a distinction we handle daily between Florida and San Juan. Tell us the origin and we will tell you what it needs.

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