General provisions. A commercial traveler arriving from Canada may be permitted to transport effectively corded and sealed samples in his automobile without further sealing in the United States, upon compliance with this section and subject to the conditions of § 18.20(d) of this chapter, since customs bonded carriers as described in § 18.2 of this chapter are not considered to be reasonably available. Samples having a total value of not more than $200 may be carried by a nonresident commercial traveler through the United States without cording and sealing and without an in-transit manifest in accordance with § 148.41 of this chapter.

Presentation of sample list at Canadian port of exit. A commercial traveler arriving from Canada desiring to transport without display in the United States commercial samples in his automobile through the United States to another port in Canada, may present his samples to a Canadian Customs officer at the Canadian port of exit. The traveler will be required to furnish the Canadian Customs officer a list in duplicate of all articles presented showing their approximate values. The list shall bear the traveler's name and address, and the name and address of the firm represented.

Checking, cording, and sealing by Canadian Customs officers. The Canadian Customs officer will examine the articles, identify them with the list, and satisfy himself that the values shown are approximately correct. The Canadian Customs officer will cord and seal the outer containers with uncolored in-transit seals and authenticate the list of samples with his signature and title. Cording and sealing may be waived with the concurrence of the United States and Canadian Customs officers.

Treatment at U.S. port of arrival. The list of samples properly authenticated shall be submitted upon arrival to the U.S. Customs officer at the port of arrival. After ascertaining that the samples are effectively corded and sealed, or that sealing has been waived, notation of the number of corded and sealed containers, or of the waiver shall be made on the list of samples and the list shall be retained by the Customs officer as a record of the shipment.

In-transit manifest. Movement of the samples from the port of arrival to the port of exit from the United States under this procedure shall be under an in-transit manifest on Customs Form 7512 executed and filed in triplicate by the traveler at the port of arrival in the United States. Descriptions, quantities, and values may be shown thereon by noting “Commercial Samples,” the number of corded and sealed containers, and the approximate total value of the samples. When cording and sealing has been waived with the concurrence of a Canadian Customs officer, samples must be identified on the manifest by suitable itemized descriptions and approximate values, or by attaching to the manifest a copy of the list of samples which has been initialed by the Customs officer.

Presentation of samples and manifest at U.S. port of exit. The manifest on Customs Form 7512 shall be presented to the Customs officer at the U.S. port of exit, together with the samples covered. If the seals are broken or cording and sealing has been waived, the Customs officer shall verify that there are no irregularities.