A SCAC (Standard Carrier Alpha Code) identifies a transportation company by a unique four-letter code. Every carrier that conducts business with an agency within the U.S. government is required to have a SCAC. For this reason, all carriers entering the United States must have a SCAC in order to identify themselves to CBP. 

SCACs are issued and maintained by the National Motor Freight Traffic Association. Carriers can apply for a new SCAC or renew an existing SCAC directly from their website, http://www.nmfta.org/Home/Index. When a new SCAC is issued, the information must be forwarded on to CBP following the instructions provided by NMFTA, so that it can be validated in CBP’s computer systems. SCACs must be renewed on an annual basis.

If a carrier crosses the border into the U.S., the SCAC must be the first number in their ACE eManifest, as well as the first number in any Shipment Control Number.