U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Edition CBP Form 4457 (06/24), OMB 1651-0010 1 page

CBP Form 4457 — Certificate of Registration for Personal Effects Taken Abroad

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection form that shows you already owned your camera, laptop, watch or jewelry before you left the country.

Fill out CBP Form 4457 online View the form Free on every FileIt plan
CBP Form 4457 · Certificate of Registration for Personal Effects Taken Abroad
The official U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) form, edition CBP Form 4457 (06/24), OMB 1651-0010 — blank
Page 1 of 1
CBP Form 4457 (2024) Certificate of Registration for Personal Effects Taken Abroad — page 1 of 1
Page 1 of 1
Fill this form online Blank PDF from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

What is CBP Form 4457?

CBP Form 4457, the Certificate of Registration for Personal Effects Taken Abroad (19 CFR 148.1), lets you register valuable items you take out of the United States so you can prove, when you come back, that you had them before the trip. It is most useful for foreign-made items that can be identified by a serial number or other permanent marking, such as cameras, lenses, laptops, watches and jewelry.

The form is voluntary. CBP says it is provided strictly at your option, in place of or in addition to bills of sale, appraisals or repair receipts, as proof of prior possession of the articles in the U.S. CBP does not keep copies of completed forms, so the signed original you carry is the record.

FileIt helps you fill in your name, address and a clear, serial-numbered description of each article, prints them into the official CBP Form 4457 (06/24) PDF, and keeps the finished form in your vault with your passport and other travel documents.

Who fills it
The owner of the articles (it is not transferable)
When
Before departure — the articles and the form are shown to a CBP officer
Signed by
The owner, and a CBP officer who compares the articles and signs
Cost
The form doesn't mention any fee
Kept by
You — CBP does not maintain copies of completed forms
Edition
CBP Form 4457 (06/24), OMB 1651-0010

Who needs to fill out CBP Form 4457?

  • Travelers leaving the United States with valuable foreign-made items, such as a camera, lenses, laptop, watch or jewelry, who want to avoid questions or duty when they return.
  • Photographers, journalists and other professionals who travel regularly with serial-numbered equipment.
  • Anyone who doesn't have (or doesn't want to carry) the bill of sale, appraisal or repair receipt for an item.
  • It isn't required: completing the form is strictly voluntary.

When to use CBP Form 4457

  • Before your first international trip with the items — the instructions say to present the articles and the completed form to a CBP officer prior to departure.
  • Once per set of articles: the signed form is returned to you and is shown to CBP each time the registered articles come back into the United States.
  • Again when you buy new items you want to register.

What you need before you start

  • The owner's full name and home address.
  • Each article's description: make, model and serial number or other identifying marks.
  • The articles themselves, to show the CBP officer.

What’s on CBP Form 4457

The 2024 edition has 1 page. FileIt asks for it in 3 parts, and it is signed by Owner of the articles:

  1. Name and address of the ownerOwner of the articles
  2. Description of articlesOwner of the articles
  3. Certification and CBP checkOwner of the articles

How to fill out CBP Form 4457, step by step

1 Name and address of owner

Enter the owner's last name, first name and middle initial, and street, city, state and ZIP code. The certificate is not transferable, so the owner's own details go here.

2 Description of articles

Describe each item so an officer can match it to the article: brand, model and serial number, one item per line. Items that can't be identified by a unique marking are harder to register this way.

3 Certification and signature of owner

By signing you certify that the information is true and correct to the best of your knowledge and belief.

4 Port, date and CBP official

Leave these for CBP. The officer compares the articles with the form, fills in the port and date, signs, and draws lines through all unused spaces. The certificate number box is also left for CBP.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Waiting until you return: the form must be certified before departure.
  • Describing items vaguely ("black camera") instead of giving the make, model and serial number.
  • Registering items owned by someone else — the certificate isn't transferable.
  • Forgetting that foreign repairs or alterations to registered articles are still dutiable and must be declared when they come back, even if done free of charge.
  • Losing the signed original. CBP doesn't keep a copy.

After you fill it out

Print the PDF (complete the original only), take it and the articles to a CBP officer before you depart, and have it signed. The signed form is returned to you.

Keep the signed certificate with your travel documents and show it to CBP each time you bring the registered articles back. A scan in your FileIt vault is a handy backup, but keep the signed paper original.

Declare any repairs or alterations made to the articles abroad when you return.

Fill out CBP Form 4457 online with FileIt

  1. Pick the person. Choose someone from People and FileIt fills in their name, date of birth, address and other details it already knows.
  2. Answer plain-language questions. One part of the form at a time, with the official help text beside each question — 8 fields in all. Your answers save as you go.
  3. Check the live preview. Watch your answers land on the real U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) form, and let FileIt do any worksheet arithmetic.
  4. Generate the official PDF. FileIt prints your answers into the agency’s own PDF and files it in that person’s folder in your vault. Sign it, or send it for e-signature.

FileIt fills the form — it never files or submits anything for you. Deliver the finished form to whoever asked for it, the way the form’s instructions say.

Start CBP Form 4457 now — it’s free

CBP Form 4457: frequently asked questions

Is CBP Form 4457 required?

No. The form says its completion is strictly voluntary. It is one way to prove you owned the articles in the U.S. before your trip; bills of sale, appraisals or repair receipts are others.

Where do I get it certified?

Present the articles and the completed form to a CBP officer before you depart.

Does the form expire?

The form doesn't give an expiry. The instructions say the signed form must be shown to CBP each time the registered articles are returned.

Can I use one form for several items?

Yes. The description of articles box can list several items, as long as each can be identified.

Does FileIt submit the form to CBP?

No. FileIt fills in the official PDF and keeps a copy in your vault. You take the printed form and the articles to CBP yourself.

Official sources

FileIt is not affiliated with or endorsed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) or any government. This page explains the form in general terms and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Always read the official instructions, and check that you are using the edition the recipient accepts. Page last reviewed 2026-09-28.

Fill out CBP Form 4457 online