303.7—Issuance of licenses and shipment permits.
(a) Issuance of Licenses (ITA-333).
(1)
Concurrently with annual allocations under § 303.5 the Director shall issue a non-transferable license (Form ITA-333) to each producer. The Director shall also issue a replacement license if a producer's allocation is reduced pursuant to § 303.6.
(2)
Annual duty-exemption licenses shall be for only that portion of a producer's annual duty-exemption not previously licensed.
(3)
If a producer's duty-exemption has been reduced, the Director shall not issue a replacement license for the reduced amount until the producer's previous license has been received for cancellation by the Director.
(4)
A producer's license shall be used in their entirety, except when they expire or are cancelled, in order of their date of issuance, i.e., an interim license must be completely used before shipment permits can be issued against an interim supplemental license.
(5)
Outstanding licenses issued by the Director automatically expire at midnight, December 31, of each calendar year. No unused allocation of duty-exemption may be carried over into the subsequent calendar year.
(6)
The Director shall ensure that all licenses issued are conspicuously marked to show the type of license issued, the identity of the producer, and the year for which the license is valid. All licenses shall bear the signature of the Director.
(7)
Each producer is responsible for the security of its licenses. The loss of a license shall be reported immediately to the Director. Defacing, tampering with, and unauthorized use of a license are forbidden.
(b) Shipment Permit Requirements (ITA-340).
(1)
Producers may obtain shipment permits from the territorial government officials designated by the Governor. Permits may also be produced in any computerized or other format or medium approved by the Departments. The permit is for use against a producer's valid duty-exemption license and a permit must be completed for every duty-free shipment.
(2)
Each permit must specify the license and permit number, the number of watches and watch movements included in the shipment, the unused balance remaining on the producer's license, pertinent shipping information and must have the certification statement signed by an official of the licensee's company. A copy of the completed permit must be sent electronically or taken to the designated territorial government officials, no later than the day of shipment, for confirmation that the producer's duty-exemption license has not been exceeded and that the permit is properly completed.
(3)
The permit (form ITA-340) shall be filed with Customs along with the other required entry documents to receive duty-free treatment unless the importer or its representative clears the documentation through Customs' automated broker interface. Entries made electronically do not require the submission of a permit to Customs, but the shipment data must be maintained as part of a producer's recordkeeping responsibilities for the period prescribed by Customs' recordkeeping regulations. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection Import Specialists may request the documentation they deem appropriate to substantiate claims for duty-free treatment, allowing a reasonable amount of time for the importer to produce the permit.