The CBP Vessel User Fee (VUF) is a fee charged to commercial vessels entering U.S. ports. The fee is used to fund the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) activities, including border security, trade enforcement, and agricultural inspections. The VUF was first implemented in 2003 and has been reauthorized several times since then. The current VUF is set to expire in 2025, and Congress is currently considering whether to extend or modify the fee.
The VUF is an important source of funding for CBP activities. In 2021, the VUF generated over $1 billion in revenue. This revenue is used to fund a variety of CBP programs, including:
