What is CTPAT compliance?
What the program is, and what compliance looks like at a warehouse gate and yard.
Reviewed October 2026
Short answer: CTPAT (Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism) is a voluntary program run by U.S. Customs and Border Protection since November 2001. When a company joins, it agrees "to work with CBP to protect the supply chain, identify security gaps, and implement specific security measures and best practices" (CBP). Compliance means following CBP's minimum security criteria for your type of business in daily practice, and being able to show that you do.
What it looks like at a warehouse or yard
The criteria cover a lot, from business partner screening to IT security. At the gate and in the yard, four things come up most:
| Area | What CBP's guidance asks for | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Conveyance inspections | A 7-point inspection for empty containers and unit load devices, an eighth point (the fan housing) for empty refrigerated containers, and a 17-point inspection for tractors and trailers, done systematically before loading. | 7-point job aid · 17-point job aid |
| High-security seals | Seals that meet or exceed ISO 17712, logged when received and when used, verified with View, Verify, Tug, Twist, and audited periodically. | Seal job aid |
| Written procedures | Detailed, written seal procedures kept where people work, reviewed at least once a year, including what to do when a seal is wrong or tampered with. | Seal job aid |
| Records you can produce | The completed inspection sheet goes with the shipping documents, and discrepancies and investigations are documented. | 17-point and seal job aids |
Is it mandatory? What do members get?
It's voluntary, with no cost to join (CBP). It can still be a commercial requirement: some customers expect their warehouses and carriers to follow CTPAT procedures. CBP lists member benefits including reduced examinations and front-of-line inspections, shorter border wait times, an assigned Supply Chain Security Specialist, access to FAST lanes, and mutual recognition with some foreign customs agencies.
A starting checklist for the gate and yard
- Pick the inspection your conveyances need (7-point, 8-point for empty reefers, 17-point for tractors and trailers) and put the checklist where the inspection happens.
- Record the seal number read off the seal, compare it with the bill of lading, and log every seal received, used and replaced.
- Write the seal and inspection procedure down, including who to notify on a discrepancy, and review it yearly.
- Keep the completed sheets and photos with the shipment records, and make sure you can find them later.
Free printables: the 7-point checklist guide and the yard check sheet. This page summarizes CBP's public guidance and isn't legal or compliance advice. Your CBP Supply Chain Security Specialist and the current criteria for your business type govern.
FAQ
Is CTPAT mandatory?
No. CBP describes participation as voluntary, with no cost to join. Some customers require their suppliers or carriers to be members or to follow CTPAT-style procedures, so it can be a commercial requirement even though it is not a legal one.
What inspections does CTPAT require at a warehouse?
CBP's job aids describe a 7-point inspection for empty containers and unit load devices, an eighth point (the fan housing) for empty refrigerated containers, and a 17-point inspection for tractors and trailers, done systematically before loading.
Start with the gate record.
With Vantage, the guard logs gate in and out on a phone, with the seal number typed into the same record with a timestamp, plus a photo whenever the camera is used. The Free plan is $0 for 3 users, 1 yard and 100 gate transactions a month. No card. The digital 7-point container inspection is on the Pro plan.
Related: C-TPAT inspection app · digital gate log app · logging trailer check-in at the gate