A step-by-step, first-time importer guide to filing FDA Prior Notice for Indonesian green coffee beans via PNSI—so a small roaster can submit it correctly in under 20 minutes without a broker.
If you roast, you’ve probably heard the horror story: beautiful Indonesian lots land in the U.S., then sit because Prior Notice wasn’t filed right. In our experience helping buyers move Bali, Gayo, and Mandheling beans, the fix isn’t complicated. You just need the exact flow and the right details. Here’s the playbook we give first‑time importers so they can file FDA Prior Notice (PN) for green coffee beans in about 20 minutes using PNSI.
The 3 pillars of a clean, fast Prior Notice
- Accuracy over everything. The PN must mirror your shipping docs and CBP entry. If the port, carrier, or quantity diverge, you invite delays.
- Choose the correct FDA product code. It’s how FDA knows what’s coming. For green coffee, that means the Coffee/Tea category and unroasted beans path in the FDA Product Code Builder.
- Name the right “manufacturer.” For coffee, that’s usually the final foreign processor before export. Often the dry mill or hulling/warehouse, not the farm co-op alone.
Takeaway: When you have these three right, PN rejections drop to near zero.
Minutes 1–5: Gather what PNSI will ask you
Here’s the data checklist we send to small roasters before they file:
- Submitter/Transmitter: Your contact details. If you’re filing yourself, you’re both.
- U.S. recipient: The U.S. consignee or delivery address. If you’re a micro‑roastery receiving the beans, that’s you.
- Arrival details: Port of arrival, conveyance (ocean/air), carrier, bill of lading or AWB number, and estimated arrival date/time. For ocean, PN must be submitted at least 8 hours before arrival and no more than 15 days before arrival.
- Product identity: FDA product code for unroasted coffee. Use the FDA Product Code Builder. Select Foods, then Coffee and Tea, then Coffee Beans, Green. Choose “unprocessed/unroasted,” and typical packaging (e.g., 60 kg jute bags). You’ll enter quantity as both count and weight.
- Country of production and country from which shipped: Usually Indonesia for both, unless transshipped.
- Manufacturer/grower: The last foreign entity that manufactured/processed the beans. For Indonesian green coffee, that’s commonly the dry mill/hulling/warehouse. Provide full legal name and address. Add their FDA facility registration number if they’re registered. Farms are generally exempt from FDA facility registration, but mills/warehouses are not.
- Shipper/owner: Exporter or trading house details in Indonesia.
Pro tip 1: Use the port’s local time zone for ETA in PNSI. I’ve seen more holds from mis‑timed ETAs than all other PN mistakes combined.
Pro tip 2: Match packaging and weights exactly to the commercial invoice. 100 bags × 60 kg should not become 6,010 kg “just to be safe.” Over‑declaring can trigger questions.
If you’re importing multiple Indonesian profiles, keep product identity clear. For example, “Sumatra, Mandheling, Grade 1, wet‑hulled, 60 kg bags” for a lot like our Sumatra Mandheling Green Coffee Beans or “Bali Kintamani, Grade 1, fully washed, 60 kg bags” for something akin to Arabica Bali Kintamani Grade 1 Green Coffee Beans. This helps your broker tie PN to entry without back‑and‑forth.
Minutes 6–12: File in PNSI (step‑by‑step)
Use the Prior Notice System Interface (PNSI FDA). Create an account if you don’t have one. Then:
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Start a new Prior Notice. Select “Food.”
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Enter submitter and U.S. recipient.
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Provide arrival details: port of arrival, carrier, B/L or AWB, conveyance, and ETA.
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Add the commodity:
- Build the FDA product code using the on‑screen Product Code Builder path: Coffee/Tea → Coffee Beans, Green → Unroasted.
- Enter quantity, packaging, and weight.
- Add country of production and country from which shipped (Indonesia for most of you).
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Add the manufacturer/processor. Use the final dry mill or warehouse address. Include FDA registration number if the facility is registered. If the coffee came directly from a farm with no further processing, you can list the grower. Most Indonesian lots do pass through a mill, so list the mill.
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Add shipper and owner data.
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Review and submit.
Pro tip 3: If you have multiple line items that are essentially the same commodity with small differences, use PNSI’s “copy commodity” function and edit. It saves minutes and reduces typos.
Minutes 13–20: Confirm, share, and match to entry
When you submit, PNSI issues a Prior Notice Confirmation Number (PNCN). This is the golden ticket.
- Put the PNCN on the commercial invoice and/or a PN cover page.
- Email it to your freight forwarder and customs broker so they can reference it on the CBP entry.
- If arrival details change significantly, log back in and update or file a new PN. Arrival earlier or later by a few hours usually isn’t a problem if you’re still within the arrival time window for your conveyance, but port or carrier changes often require an update or a new PN.
Need help matching PN details to your shipping documents? We can walk you through your specific lot while you file. If you want a second set of eyes before you hit submit, Contact us on whatsapp.
The 5 most common PN mistakes we see (and how to avoid them)
- Wrong product code. Builders sometimes pick roasted coffee or drink concentrates. Stick with unroasted coffee beans in the Coffee/Tea category.
- Listing the co‑op as “manufacturer” when a separate dry mill did the hulling/sorting. FDA wants the last foreign processor before export.
- Time zone mix‑ups. Enter ETA in the port’s local time.
- Quantity mismatch versus invoice. Your PN must reconcile to CBP entry and documents.
- Filing too late for ocean. The minimum window is 8 hours before vessel arrival. We recommend submitting 1–3 days before ETA, then updating if the schedule shifts.
If you avoid those five, you’re 90% of the way there.
Quick answers to the questions we get every week
Do green coffee beans require FDA Prior Notice?
Yes. Green coffee is a food. PN is required for every commercial shipment offered for import into the U.S., including samples for commercial use or evaluation.
What FDA product code should I use for unroasted coffee?
Use the FDA Product Code Builder path for Coffee/Tea → Coffee Beans, Green → Unroasted. Don’t guess. The builder helps you generate a valid code aligned with your packaging and process.
How far in advance must I submit Prior Notice for an ocean shipment?
At least 8 hours before arrival. You can file up to 15 days in advance. We typically file 48–72 hours before ETA to buffer vessel schedule changes.
Can my customs broker or freight forwarder file the Prior Notice for me?
Yes. A broker can file via ACE, and forwarders often do it. The risk is bad data in, bad PN out. We’ve found first‑time importers do fine filing via PNSI if they follow the checklist above, then share the PNCN with their broker.
What if the Indonesian exporter isn’t FDA‑registered?
Farms are generally exempt from FDA facility registration. Dry mills, processors, and warehouses that hold food for export typically need to register. PN doesn’t strictly require a registration number, but it’s helpful if the manufacturer is a registered facility. If your beans only passed through a farm, list the grower.
Do small sample shipments of coffee need Prior Notice?
Yes, if they’re for commercial purposes or research. Personal‑use exemptions are narrow and rarely cover business samples.
What happens if my Prior Notice is incorrect or late?
FDA can refuse admission and require re‑export. They can also issue holds and civil penalties. If details change before arrival, update or cancel in PNSI and refile. If your port or carrier changes, submit a new PN. If only the arrival time shifts within the same day, an update usually suffices.
How does FSVP fit in here?
FSVP is separate from PN. Your CBP entry will identify the FSVP importer for coffee, usually with a DUNS number. PN doesn’t substitute for FSVP obligations, but getting PN right prevents avoidable FDA holds.
Is Prior Notice the same as APHIS permits?
No. PN is FDA’s food import notification. APHIS plant health requirements are separate. For this guide, we’re focused strictly on PNSI and PN.
Resources and next steps
- Do a dry run in PNSI before your first shipment so you know the screens.
- Use clear, consistent lot naming across PN, invoices, and entry. If you’re buying Indonesian profiles that vary by process, be explicit. For example, “wet‑hulled Mandheling” vs “fully washed Kintamani.”
- If you want us to draft the PN data for lots you’re buying from us, send the proforma and we’ll provide the manufacturer details, packaging, and suggested product code path. While you’re evaluating options, you can View our products to see how we describe origin, process, and grade for easy PN mapping.
Here’s the thing. Prior Notice isn’t exciting, but when you file it cleanly the logistics melt into the background and you get to focus on roasting. We’ve guided hundreds of PN submissions for Indonesian coffee. Once you run through this flow once or twice, you’ll probably file the next one in under 10 minutes.