# bill of lading number — What must pass before the next step: mandated step order in regulated processes

For bill of lading number, process is Importer Security Filing (ISF); jurisdiction is United States (CBP); what must already be done is Without the bill of lading number, the ISF cannot be matched to a customs manifest; deadline is 24 hours prior to the cargo being laden on a vessel destined to the United States, recorded from its source on 2026-08-11.

- **Step:** bill of lading number _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Process:** Importer Security Filing (ISF) _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Jurisdiction:** United States (CBP) _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **What must already be done:** Without the bill of lading number, the ISF cannot be matched to a customs manifest _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Deadline:** 24 hours prior to the cargo being laden on a vessel destined to the United States _(verified: appears in the quote below)_

## What the source says

> The ISF Importer must obtain the bill of lading number, as it is an integral part of the security filing. Without the bill of lading number, the ISF cannot be matched to a customs manifest. The bill of lading number is part of the customs manifest information that is already required to be presented to CBP by the carrier or automated Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC) 24 hours prior to the cargo being laden on a vessel destined to the United States.

## Source

- https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/assets/documents/2018-Nov/Updated%20ISF%20FAQ%20FINAL%2011282018.pdf

Last verified: 2026-08-11. Review by: 2027-08-11.
Part of [What must pass before the next step: mandated step order in regulated processes](https://referencesource.org/prerequisite-sequencing-regulated-processes/).