Foreign Trade Zones (FTZ) are considered to be outside of U.S. Customs Territory for the purpose of customs duty payment. Therefore, goods entering FTZs are not subject to customs tariffs until the goods leave the zone and are formally entered into U.S. Customs Territory. Merchandise that is shipped to foreign countries from FTZs is exempt from duty payments.

The City of Pearland has multiple sites located in Foreign Trade Zone 149 (FTZ). FTZ 149 is managed by Port Freeport and is under the “FTZ Alternative Site Framework” which means it is much easier to activate and deactivate bonded areas to accommodate clients’ needs. For more information on the Foreign Trade Zone Designation in FTZ 149, click here.

The City also has sites located in Foreign Trade Zone 84. Port Houston manages Foreign Trade Zone #84, which includes many privately owned and port-owned sites located throughout Harris County, Texas. FTZ # 84 provides manufacturer-shippers with duty deferred, in-transit storage and assembly of products for import and no duty assessment on products re-exported. Sites within the Zone have been set aside for this purpose and general light manufacturing. For more information on FTZ 84, click here.