SCAC
A SCAC (Standard Carrier Alpha Code) is a unique two-to-four-letter code that identifies a transportation carrier, assigned by the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA). It provides a standard shorthand for carriers — ocean lines, trucking companies, railroads and freight forwarders — in documentation and electronic data exchange.
SCACs are used extensively in North American logistics and in EDI/customs systems: they identify the carrier on bills of lading, manifests, EDI messages (such as X12 shipment and status transactions), and US customs filings (where an ocean carrier's SCAC is required for manifest and ISF filings). Certain prefixes are reserved (for example, SCACs ending in specific letters denote particular modes). By giving every carrier a consistent code, SCACs enable accurate carrier identification and automated processing across shipping documents and systems. In freight software and integration, mapping and using SCACs is important for carrier identification, EDI and US customs compliance. The SCAC is a foundational carrier-identification standard, especially in North American trade, complementing location codes like UN/LOCODE and vessel identifiers like the IMO number.
Systems need to name the carrier unambiguously on every bill of lading, manifest, EDI message and US customs filing — the SCAC is that standard code. Required for US ocean manifest and ISF filings and embedded in X12 transactions, it is essential to carrier identification, EDI and customs compliance in North American logistics, alongside UN/LOCODE for places and the IMO number for ships.
What does a SCAC identify?
A specific transportation carrier — ocean line, trucker, railroad or forwarder — by a unique two-to-four-letter code.
Why is the SCAC important for US customs?
The ocean carrier's SCAC is required on manifest and Importer Security Filing (ISF) submissions to identify the carrier.