The Importer Self-Assessment Program is the official name of the CBP partnership program commonly referred to as ISA. Launched in 2002 under the authority of 19 U.S.C. § 1411 and 19 CFR § 113, the program was designed to allow trusted importers to assume responsibility for monitoring their own customs compliance, freeing CBP audit resources for higher-risk targets.
The program closed to new applicants in 2020 as CBP began developing a unified Trusted Trader framework that integrates supply-chain security (CTPAT) with compliance self-assessment.
Eligibility criteria for ISA membership required:
- Active CTPAT Tier II or Tier III certification
- A resident U.S. company importing goods as the importer of record
- Documented internal controls covering classification, valuation, country of origin, FTAs, antidumping/countervailing duties, and recordkeeping
- A risk-based testing plan with annual self-testing
- Signed Memorandum of Understanding with CBP committing to disclosure of identified errors
Why ISA still matters today:
- Grandfathered members continue receiving benefits
- The program's structure — documented controls + annual self-testing + prior-disclosure commitment — is the template most large importers still use to demonstrate reasonable care
- Future Trusted Trader benefits are expected to build on the ISA model
- ISA-style compliance reviews are still a strong mitigation argument in Section 1592 penalty cases
For new importers seeking the closest equivalent, the path is CTPAT Tier II/III plus documented internal compliance procedures, plus prompt use of prior disclosure when errors are found.