NMFTA urges those with a Standard Carrier Alpha Code (SCAC) that is approaching its expiration date to renew by June 30.
The National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc. (NMFTA)™ offers a reminder to renew your Standard Carrier Alpha Code (SCAC) as soon as possible if it expires between Sunday, June 30 and Sunday, July 7, 2024.
NMFTA assigns SCAC codes for all companies except those used for identifying freight containers not operating exclusively in North America, intermodal chassis and trailers, non-railroad-owned rail cars, and railroads.
“SCAC identification codes have existed since the mid-1960s and were developed to facilitate computerization in the transportation industry,” said Debra Edwards, client service senior manager for NMFTA. “It’s a unique two to four-letter code utilized to identify various transportation companies properly, and while certain groups of a SCAC are reserved for specific purposes, overall, the code is recognized by various organizations.”
A SCACis required when doing business with all U.S. government agencies and with many commercial shippers such as the:
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA);
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP);
As well as:
- Automated Commercial Environment (ACE)
- Automated Manifest (AMS)
- Pre-Arrival Processing (PAPS) Systems
Additionally, carriers who use the Uniform Intermodal Interchange Facilities Access Agreement (UIIA) are also required to maintain a valid SCAC.
“We understand that some industry professionals are uncertain of whether SCAC needs to be implemented in their daily process,” continued Edwards. “To confirm that information, NMFTA has created a SCAC infographic to help determine if SCAC is necessary, what the specific reason for utilizing one is, and to what degree it should be incorporated.”
In addition, the infographic provides insight into when a SCAC is not needed. As the renewal date quickly approaches, we want to ensure that industry professionals have all the knowledge and resources to make an accurate decision regarding these codes to avoid any setbacks in 2024.
To renew or apply for a SCAC code, visit the SCAC website for real-time integration into the computer system. NMFTA publishes all codes, and the data is available via an online search engine through SCAC Online once a subscription has been purchased. If a data download is required, SCAC data is also accessible daily or quarterly by either email or FTP. Both are provided in UTF8 encoded ASCII format with a record length of 254 characters.
To learn more about NMFTA’s mission, advocacy, services, resources, and industry conferences, visit www.nmfta.org.
About NMFTA
Since 1956, the National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc. (NMFTA)™️ has been setting standards that empower an efficient, secure supply chain. The NMFTA publishes the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC)®️, assigns Standard Carrier Alpha Code™ (SCAC®), assignment of Standard Point Location Codes® (SPLC™), develops digital standards for the trucking industry, and safeguards those digital standards through cybersecurity research, dissemination of studies, and education. Membership in NMFTA is available to all for-hire interstate and intrastate motor carriers. For more information, visit www.nmfta.org.
Contact
Marli Hall
Director of Public Relations
marli.hall@nmfta.org
703-665-3559
