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FTZ 021 — Foreign-Trade Zone 021 — South Carolina State Ports Authority
South Carolina · Dorchester County · Port of entry: SC, Charleston
FTZ 021 is a Foreign-Trade Zone in South Carolina sponsored by the South Carolina State Ports Authority, serving a multi-county area that includes Charleston, with Charleston, SC as its port of entry.
Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ) 021 is administered by the South Carolina State Ports Authority, with a grantee location in Dorchester County, South Carolina. The zone's service area covers Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Georgetown, Hampton, Jasper, Orangeburg and Williamsburg Counties, South Carolina, and it is served by the port of entry at Charleston, SC.
An FTZ is a designated area, considered outside U.S. Customs territory for tariff purposes, where companies can bring in foreign and domestic merchandise for storage, assembly, manufacturing, testing, or distribution. Depending on the activity, use of an FTZ can allow for duty deferral, reduction, or elimination on qualifying merchandise, particularly for goods that are re-exported or where the finished product carries a lower duty rate than its components.
FTZ 021 is relevant to importers, manufacturers, and distributors that operate, or are considering establishing, a facility within its ten-county South Carolina service area and that move goods through the Charleston port of entry. Businesses evaluating whether FTZ status fits a particular facility typically work with a customs broker or an FTZ compliance consultant, who can help assess the operation against program requirements and prepare the paperwork needed for site or subzone designation and formal FTZ Board review.
Who qualifies
How to apply
Service area: Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Georgetown, Hampton, Jasper, Orangeburg and Williamsburg Counties, South Carolina
Questions people ask
What is FTZ 021?
FTZ 021 is a Foreign-Trade Zone sponsored by the South Carolina State Ports Authority, covering a designated service area in South Carolina.
Who is the grantee of FTZ 021?
The grantee is the South Carolina State Ports Authority.
What area does FTZ 021 cover?
It covers Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Georgetown, Hampton, Jasper, Orangeburg and Williamsburg Counties, South Carolina.
What port of entry does FTZ 021 use?
It uses the port of entry at Charleston, South Carolina.
Where is the grantee located?
The South Carolina State Ports Authority's grantee location for FTZ 021 is in Dorchester County, South Carolina.
Do I need a customs broker to use an FTZ?
Companies typically work with a customs broker or FTZ compliance consultant to determine whether their facility and operations fit the FTZ program and to handle required filings.
Is an FTZ the same as a bonded warehouse?
No, an FTZ and a bonded warehouse are distinct customs designations with different rules, though both can involve deferring duties on imported merchandise.
How do I get subzone status for my own facility?
You would contact the grantee, the South Carolina State Ports Authority, and follow the FTZ Board's application process outlined at trade.gov to pursue subzone designation.
What kinds of businesses use FTZs?
Importers, manufacturers, and distributors that handle foreign or domestic merchandise and want to potentially defer, reduce, or eliminate duties on qualifying activity.
Where can I find the official application process for FTZ status?
The official FTZ Board application process is described at https://www.trade.gov/how-to-apply.
Source: FTZ Board OFIS zone list (ofis.trade.gov). GetFundedUSA is independent and not affiliated with this zone's operator.