sellershortsAmazon CBP Form 5106: Check Your Importer Record Now
CBP starts voiding inaccurate Importer of Record numbers on September 18, 2026. Here is a this-week checklist so your Q4 inventory does not get stuck at customs.
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Quick Answer
Starting September 18, 2026, CBP will begin voiding Importer of Record numbers that have incomplete or inaccurate Form 5106 data, and a voided number cannot be used to bring goods into the US. If you are pushing Q4 inventory through customs, check your importer name, ID number, physical address, email, and phone this week so a bad record does not freeze your shipments.
- Enforcement and voiding begin September 18, 2026, for both new and existing importers.
- The physical address must be your real location, not a broker, forwarder, or P.O. box.
- The email and phone on file must belong to the importer and be actively watched, not the broker.
- A voided number stops entries. Restoration runs through CBP at IORProgram@cbp.dhs.gov.
This one is boring until it costs you a peak season. A single wrong field on a form you filled out years ago can void the number you need to clear goods. And it is happening right before the holiday rush, when a stuck container means a blown restock window.
The fix is cheap: verify your data now. The pain of doing it late is expensive: an out-of-stock listing during Q4. Here is exactly what to check and in what order.
Reviewed by the SellerShorts editorial bench against the Federal Register notice and CBP Form 5106 guidance. We only state what those sources support and flag where you must confirm details on CBP's own pages.
What The September 18 Change Means For Importers
On September 18, 2026, CBP begins voiding Importer of Record numbers that have incomplete or inaccurate Form 5106 information. A voided IOR number becomes invalid for entering merchandise into the United States. That is the whole risk in one line: bad data, dead number, stuck goods.
A few things to keep straight so you do not overreact or ignore it:
- The action was announced in a Federal Register notice dated August 19, according to that notice.
- The enforcement covers both new and existing importers.
- September 18 is an enforcement start date, not a requirement for every importer to re-register. You are verifying, not re-registering by default.
Earlier reporting also ties this to a prior Amazon notice to sellers and a broader customs enforcement push. Treat that as context. The hard fact is the void date and the invalid-number consequence.
How To Verify Your Importer Of Record Number Is Valid
You cannot see the full CBP record yourself in most setups, so start with the people who filed it. Ask your customs broker for the latest importer identity data currently on file. Then check it against your own documents.
Form 5106 holds these fields:
- Importer name
- Identification number
- Mailing address
- Physical location
- Phone
Run this check now:
- Compare the importer legal name and ID number against your entity and tax documents. Names must match exactly.
- Confirm the physical location is your actual operating address.
- Confirm the email and phone reach the importer, not a middleman.
- Keep copies of any corrected info and submission confirmations, plus a follow-up date to confirm CBP acceptance.
Getting Your Physical Address vs Mailing Address Right
This is where most records break. The physical address must be the importer actual location. CBP rejects physical addresses belonging to registered agents, brokers, freight forwarders, P.O. boxes, business service centers, or other third parties.
The mailing address and the physical address are separate fields. They must be distinct. A P.O. box used for mailing requires a separate physical address.
| Field | Allowed | Rejected |
|---|---|---|
| Physical location | Your real operating location; a principal home address is allowed per 5106 instructions | Broker, forwarder, registered agent, business service center, P.O. box, other third party |
| Mailing address | Can be a P.O. box, but must stay distinct from the physical field | Reusing it as the physical location when they are not the same place |
If you are a small operation working from home, that is fine. Form 5106 instructions allow a principal home address as the physical location. What is not fine is listing your forwarder or a P.O. box where the physical location should be.
Make Sure The Email And Phone Reach You, Not Your Broker
The email address and phone number on file must belong directly to the importer, not the broker. This is not paperwork trivia. It is how CBP reaches you.
If your number gets voided, CBP says it will email the importer with the reason and instructions for reestablishment. If that email points to a broker inbox nobody watches, you can be voided and not even know for days. During peak, days matter.
- Put the importer own email and phone on file, and make sure someone checks that inbox daily.
- Assign one employee to monitor customs correspondence and set up backup coverage for when they are out.
Coordinate With Your Broker And Freight Forwarder Before Shipping
Your broker filed the record, so your broker is step one. Get the current data, compare it, and fix any gaps before your next entry.
- Ask the broker for the exact importer name, ID number, physical address, mailing address, email, and phone currently on file.
- List shipments in transit and pending departures. Ask the broker which ones need attention first.
- Confirm the corrections were actually submitted, not just noted. Ask for confirmation and set a follow-up date.
Do not assume the broker already handled it. Your data is your responsibility even when someone else typed it in.
Multi-Entity Shipments: Which Company Is Actually The Importer
Shipments that involve multiple businesses, meaning separate selling, purchasing, and forwarding entities, need the correct importer named on the shipment. If the wrong entity is listed, the 5106 data you verified may not be the record CBP checks at entry.
- Confirm which importing entity is named on each upcoming shipment.
- Make sure that entity is the one whose 5106 data you cleaned up.
- If several of your companies import, verify each one that will act as the importer of record.
Protecting Holiday Inventory Timing And The FBA Cutoff
The reason this is urgent is timing. A voided IOR number stops the entry. A stopped entry can miss your FBA restock window right before peak. The cost is not a fine. It is out-of-stock listings during your best selling weeks.
Tie the customs check to your inventory plan:
- Give the inventory and purchasing team the shipment list so promotions and restock plans reflect any customs holds.
- Prioritize shipments landing closest to your FBA cutoff. Those have the least room to recover from a hold.
- Re-run the records check whenever your company changes address, contact details, or importing arrangements.
What To Do If Your IOR Number Gets Voided
If it happens, do not panic and do not guess. CBP says it will email the importer with the reason for voiding and instructions for requesting reestablishment. Follow that.
- Read the CBP email and gather every document they request.
- Email IORProgram@cbp.dhs.gov with the subject line Enforcing IOR Accuracy for restoration questions.
- Fix the field that caused the void, whether that is the physical address, contact details, or a name mismatch.
- Confirm the restored status before you rely on the IOR number for another entry. Do not book a shipment against a number you assume is back.
Your This-Week Checklist
Do these in order. It is one afternoon of work against a possible peak-season stockout.
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ask your broker for the current importer data on file. |
| 2 | Match legal name and ID number to your entity and tax docs. |
| 3 | Confirm the physical address is your real location, not a broker, forwarder, or P.O. box. |
| 4 | Verify email and phone belong to the importer and are watched daily. |
| 5 | Confirm which entity is the importer on each upcoming shipment. |
| 6 | List in-transit and pending shipments; ask the broker which need attention first. |
| 7 | Save corrected info, submission confirmations, and a follow-up date. |
| 8 | Hand the shipment list to inventory and purchasing. |
Conclusion
This is a paperwork problem with a peak-season price tag. CBP starts voiding inaccurate Importer of Record numbers on September 18, 2026, and a voided number cannot bring goods into the US. Verify your name, ID, physical address, email, and phone this week, confirm your broker has it right, and know the restoration path if it goes wrong.
When the boxes finally land, do not waste the traffic. If you are tightening operations for Q4, pair this with our guides on managing FBA restock limits and optimizing your listings before peak. Clean customs plus a strong listing is how holiday inventory actually earns.
References
- U.S. Federal Register, "Accuracy of Importer of Record Data Submitted to CBP." federalregister.gov
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection, CBP Form 5106 (Importer Identity Form). cbp.gov
- Amazon, Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) overview. sell.amazon.com
Frequently asked questions
What is CBP Form 5106 and why does it matter now?
What happens if my Importer of Record number is voided?
Can I use my home address as the physical address on Form 5106?
Can my customs broker's or freight forwarder's address be listed as my physical location?
Does a P.O. box count as a valid address on Form 5106?
How do I get a voided IOR number reestablished?
Do I need to re-register as an importer before September 18?
Which company is the importer when I buy, sell, and ship through different entities?
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