RESOURCES — CAPE UPLOAD TEMPLATE

Download a CAPE CSV Upload Template (and Learn Why CBP Doesn't Publish One)

If you searched for "CAPE upload template" or "CAPE CSV template download" and landed here, the honest answer is this: CBP does not publish the actual template file on cbp.gov. The real file — named ACEP_CapeEntryNumberUploadTemplate — lives inside the ACE Portal CAPE tab and only authorized importers of record (or their licensed customs brokers) can download it after logging in. The format, however, is fully described in the publicly available CBP ACE Portal CAPE Quick Reference Guide (QRG), which we cite throughout this page.

What we offer below is a downloadable example CSV in the exact format the CBP QRG describes that you can compare your own file against before uploading.

Last updated: May 7, 2026

Download the example file

Twelve fake 11-character entry numbers in the exact CAPE row format, including two dashed variants (e.g. ABC-1234567-9) to show that CBP strips dashes before the 11-character validation per the QRG. Plain UTF-8 CSV under 1 KB. Open it in Excel, Notepad, or VS Code to verify your own file matches structurally before you upload.

Download cape-entry-list-example.csv →

This is a demonstration file, not the official CBP template. The entry numbers inside are placeholders and will be rejected if uploaded. Always start from the template inside ACE for your real submission.

What the CAPE upload template actually looks like

The CAPE entry-list CSV is one of the simplest files CBP accepts. One column, one header row, one entry number per data row:

Entry Number
ABC12345678
ABC12345679
ABC12345680
DEF98765432

That is the whole file. No filer code column, no importer-of-record column, no liquidation date, no duties paid, no port. CBP's CAPE engine looks up everything else from ACE on its own using the entry number as the key.

The seven format rules CBP enforces at file validation

These come directly from the CBP ACE Portal CAPE QRG (Topic 1, Step 4 and "Upload File Format Validations"). If your file fails any of these, the entire declaration is rejected before a single entry is checked.

  1. First row is the header Entry Number — the QRG explicitly says "do not delete the Entry Number title in the first row."
  2. One entry number per row, starting at row 2.
  3. Entry numbers are 11 digits in the standard CBP format (3-character filer code + 7-digit serial + 1 check digit). The QRG technically allows 11 alphanumeric characters with optional dashes (any special characters are stripped before validation), but the dominant filer format is all-digit.
  4. CSV (Comma delimited) (*.csv) — the QRG names this exact format. .xlsx or .txt renamed to .csv will be rejected.
  5. No duplicate entry numbers within the same file. Filer / Organizational Broker accounts also have first-three-character filer-code matching rules.
  6. The header title row cannot be missing and the file cannot be empty.
  7. Stay at 9,999 entries or fewer per upload. CBP material is inconsistent here — the QRG says "10,000" in one place, while other guidance uses "9,999". Stay at 9,999 or below as filing discipline so you are not testing the edge of CBP's limit.

Where the official CAPE template actually lives

Inside the ACE Portal. From the CBP CAPE QRG:

  1. Log into ACE Secure Data Portal with an account authorized for CAPE (Importer, Filer with Filer Type Importer, or Organizational Broker).
  2. Open the CAPE tab in the top navigation (use More if it is not visible).
  3. In the default File Uploads subtab, click Upload.
  4. In the CAPE Upload dialog box, select the CAPE Upload Template hyperlink. The file ACEP_CapeEntryNumberUploadTemplate downloads automatically to your Downloads folder.
  5. Open the template, paste your entry numbers in column A starting at row 2, and Save As CSV (Comma delimited) (*.csv).
  6. Back in the CAPE Upload dialog, check the Acknowledge box (this enables the Upload File button), then upload the saved CSV.

If you do not see the CAPE tab in your ACE navigation, your account is not authorized for CAPE filing. See our ACE Portal account setup guide and reactivating a dormant ACE account post.

Common mistakes that look like template issues but aren't

  • Excel scientific notation. Long numeric entry numbers get auto-formatted as 1.2345E+10. Pre-format column A as Text before pasting, or use Paste Special → Values.
  • Renamed XLSX. Renaming a .xlsx file to .csv does not convert it. Use Save As → CSV (Comma delimited) explicitly.
  • Trailing blank rows. A stray Enter at the bottom of the file creates an empty row that fails validation. Delete every blank row past the last entry.
  • Mixed filer codes when account doesn't permit them. CAPE accepts mixed filer codes when the IOR is consistent across the entries, but Filer/Organizational Broker accounts have stricter rules. See CAPE validation errors and what each one means.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I download the official CBP CAPE upload template?

Only from inside the ACE Portal, after logging in with an account authorized to file on behalf of an importer of record. Open the CAPE tab → File Uploads → Upload, and click the CAPE Upload Template hyperlink in the dialog. The file is named ACEP_CapeEntryNumberUploadTemplate and downloads automatically to your local Downloads folder. CBP does not publish the actual template file on cbp.gov, but the format is fully documented in the publicly available CBP ACE Portal CAPE Quick Reference Guide.

Is your example file the same as the CBP template?

No. Our example CSV is a demonstration file in the exact CBP row format with 10 fake entry numbers. It is structurally identical to a valid CAPE upload — same single column, same header, same plain text — but it is not the CBP-issued template and the entry numbers in it are placeholders. Always start from the template inside ACE for your real submission.

What format does the CAPE CSV require?

One column with the header "Entry Number" in row 1. One 11-digit entry number per row starting at row 2 (the CBP CAPE QRG describes the format as 11 alphanumeric characters with dashes optional and stripped before validation; in practice the dominant format is 11 digits). CSV (Comma delimited). No filer code column, no liquidation date, no duties paid — CBP retrieves all metadata from ACE using the entry number as the key. Stay at 9,999 entries or fewer per declaration as filing discipline (the QRG mentions 10,000 in one place; other CBP material uses 9,999 — the conservative number avoids edge-case rejection); file size under 1 MB; no duplicates within or across declarations from the same filer.

My Excel file works fine — why does CBP reject it?

The most common reasons are: (1) Excel auto-formatted entry numbers as scientific notation (1.2345E+10) — pre-format column A as Text before pasting; (2) the file was saved as .xlsx and renamed to .csv instead of explicitly Save As → CSV (Comma delimited); (3) a stray second column or empty trailing row pushed the file past validation; (4) the header row was deleted or renamed. Always re-open the saved CSV in Notepad to confirm what CBP will actually see.

Can I use the template if I am not the importer of record?

Only if you are the customs broker that filed the entry summaries you are uploading, and you have the proper authorization on file from the importer of record. Lawyers cannot file CAPE Declarations directly. See our customs broker authorization for CAPE filings post for the paperwork that has to be in place.

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