The Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) is a joint effort between the United States government and businesses involved in importing goods into the United States. C-TPAT is part of the ever evolving nature of the United States Customs, and recognizes that border security will be much more efficient if Customs involves businesses in the process of securing and inspecting cargo. Membership in C-TPAT is available to most businesses who import goods into the United States including freight carriers, brokers, manufacturers, and importers, as long as they agree to the guidelines of C-TPAT membership.

If a business in interested in joining C-TPAT, it first fills out an application which includes information about the business, an agreement to participate, and a profile of their supply chain which includes a close audit of the way in which goods are handled. Examining the supply chain involves looking at procedural, physical, and personnel security, along with access controls, how packing manifests are handled, and what sort of education and training employees receive. If the application of the business to join C-TPAT is approved, it is assigned a Supply Chain Security Specialist who evaluates the supply chain and provides suggestions for improvement before certifying the business as a member.

In addition to helping the United States fight terrorism, C-TPAT membership also carries numerous more tangible benefits. Members of C-TPAT are less subject to customs inspections, and will be routed to the front of customs lines when they do need to be inspected. They can also take advantage of C-TPAT trainings for themselves and their employees, to learn about more ways to tighten the security of their supply chain. If routine inspection reveals non-compliance, C-TPAT membership is revoked and the company must re-certify.

Becoming C-TPAT compliant does take work, but the guidelines were developed as a joint effort between customs and business organizations, which makes many businesses feel more comfortable about joining the partnership. While some expenses may be involved to secure the supply chain, most businesses agree that the expedited processing they receive as C-TPAT members is worth the initial outlay of money and time to get all employees compliant with C-TPAT systems. In addition, tightening supply chain security often increases supply chain efficiency, saving money for the business in the long term.

C-TPAT membership is not mandatory for any business, although most large companies have joined because of the advantages it confers. In addition, a company does not have to be American to join C-TPAT. In fact, many foreign governments encourage their businesses importing into the United States to join C-TPAT, not only because their shipments into the States will be expedited, but also because the improvements in supply chain security will benefit the country of origin as well.