Tips on How to Resolve AES Fatal Errors

August 22, 2018

Tips on How to Resolve AES Fatal Errors

When a shipment is filed to the AES, a system response message is generated and indicates whether the shipment has been accepted or rejected.  If the shipment is accepted, the AES filer receives an Internal Transaction Number (ITN) as confirmation.  However, if the shipment is rejected, a Fatal Error notification is received.

To help you resolve AES Fatal Errors, here are some tips on how to correct the most frequent errors that were generated in AES for this month.

Fatal Error Response Code:  170

Narrative:  Air Waybill Format: NNN-NNNNNNNN

Reason:  The Transportation Reference Number reported for this Air shipment was not in the correct format.

Resolution:  A number identifying the carrier’s master air waybill may be declared on an air shipment. When reported, a master air waybill number must be reported in the following format: ‘NNN-NNNNNNNN’ (where ‘N’ = a numeric value). 

Verify the Transportation Reference Number, correct the shipment and resubmit.

 

Fatal Error Response Code:  331

Narrative:  Ultimate Consignee Country Unknown

Reason:  The Ultimate Consignee Country code reported is not valid in AES.

Resolution:  The Ultimate Consignee Country code must be a valid ISO Country code found in Appendix C – ISO Country Codes.

 

Verify the Ultimate Consignee Country code, correct the shipment and resubmit.

 

For a complete list of Fatal Error Response Codes, their reasons, and resolutions, see Appendix A – Commodity Filing Response Messages.

It is important that AES filers correct Fatal Errors as soon as they are received in order to comply with the Foreign Trade Regulations.  These errors must be corrected prior to export for shipments filed predeparture and as soon as possible for shipments filed postdeparture but not later than five calendar days after departure.

For further information or questions, contact the U.S. Census Bureau’s Data Collection Branch.

Telephone: (800) 549-0595, select option 1 for AES

Email: askaes@census.gov  

Online: www.census.gov/trade

Blog: blogs.census.gov/globalreach