Form 3078 at a glance
What it is: Form 3078 is the Application for Identification Card of the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Who signs: Sign in Box 41 at Signature and enter the Date.
This form is used by licensed cartmen or lightermen or their employees as an application to apply for a CBP identification card and is required to obtain or retain a benefit.
What to bring and attach to Form 3078
Attach a Copy Of Any Of The Listed Acceptable Forms Of Identification Here, in Box 40.
A filled-in Form 3078 example: a cartman starts an application
How to fill out Form 3078, box by box
Boxes 1 and 2, Type Of Activity Requiring Identification Card and Date
Box 1, Type Of Activity Requiring Identification Card, lists Cartman/ Lighterman, Broker's Employee, CBP Security Area Identification, Warehouse Officer or Employee, Container Station Employee, Foreign Trade Zone Employee and CES Employee.
Enter the Date in Box 2.
Boxes 3 to 9, name, citizenship, birth and employer
Enter your Name (Last, First, MI) in Box 3.
Enter your Social Security Number in Box 4. Box 5 is Citizenship, with Lawful Permanent Resident and Resident Alien Number.
In Box 6, list any other names you have ever been known by (Nicknames, aliases, etc.). Enter your Date Of Birth in Box 7.
Enter your Home Address (Number, Street, City, State, and ZIP Code) in Box 8 and the Name And Address Of Present Employer in Box 9.
Boxes 10 to 16, General Comments, Phone Number and Email Address
If you checked CBP Security Area Identification in block 1, describe in Box 10 the employee's job description, responsibilities and zone requested.
Box 11 is General Comments.
Enter the Home Phone Number in Box 12, the Mobile Phone Number in Box 13, the Email Address in Box 14, the Business Phone Number in Box 15 and the Employer Email Address in Box 16.
Boxes 17 to 22, Place Of Birth, Height, Weight and Visible Scars Or Marks
Box 17 is Place Of Birth (City, County, State, and Country). Box 18 is Height, Box 19 Weight, Box 20 Color Hair and Box 21 Color Eyes. Box 22 is Visible Scars Or Marks.
Boxes 23 to 27, card numbers and denial
Enter the U.S. Coast Guard Port Security Card Number in Box 23 and the U.S. Merchant Marine Card Number in Box 24.
Box 25: Have You Ever Applied For Card In Item 23 Or Item 24? YES or NO (Skip Items 26 and 27). Box 26: Has Application For Card In Item 23 Or 24 Been Denied? YES or NO (Skip Item 27). If Yes, explain in Item 27, Explanation Of Application Denial.
Box 28, List All Residences During The Last 5 Years
Box 28 is List All Residences During The Last 5 Years (List in reverse order, beginning with the present address). Under DATES, enter From and To (PRESENT), then the Number and Street, City, State and Country.
Boxes 29 to 34, Armed Services
Box 29: Have You Ever Served In The Armed Services Of The U.S.? YES or NO (Skip Items 30-34).
Enter the Branch Of Service in Box 30, the Dates Of Service in Box 31, the Serial Number in Box 32 and the Type Of Discharge in Box 33. In Box 34, If Discharge Was Other Than Honorable, Explain In Full Detail.
Boxes 35 and 36, Identification Card applied for and PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT
Box 35: Have You Ever Applied For An Identification Card With U.S. Customs And Border Protection? YES or NO (If Yes, explain details).
Box 36, PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT, is a list in reverse order, beginning with the most recent employment (Last 10 Years). For each, enter the DATES From and To, the EMPLOYER ADDRESS, and the EMPLOYER NAME AND YOUR OCCUPATION.
Boxes 37 to 39, convictions and narcotic drugs
Box 37: Have You Ever Been Convicted Of Any Crime Or Offense Including Customs And Immigration Violations (Other than traffic violations, you may exclude any items which occurred before your 16th birthday) In This Country Or Elsewhere? If YES, explain in Item 38, Explanation Of All Convictions (Federal, State, Military, or Foreign), with the Date, Place, Charge, Court and Final Disposition.
Box 39: Do You Now Use Or Have You Ever Used Narcotic Drugs? YES or NO (If YES, explain below Box 39.)
Box 41, CERTIFICATION and signature
In Box 41, CERTIFICATION, the applicant acknowledges any false statement or material misrepresentation in this application may cause their access to the Customs Security Area to be revoked or suspended.
Sign in Box 41 at Signature and enter the Date.
More rules for Form 3078
The estimated average burden associated with this collection of information is 17 minutes per respondent or recordkeeper depending on individual circumstances.
Providing this information is not legally required and is voluntary. However, failure to do so may result in CBP's inability to conduct the background investigation required to issue the identification card or to grant clearance to CBP POE.
Common questions about Form 3078
What is CBP Form 3078?
Form 3078 is the Application for Identification Card of the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The primary purpose for soliciting this information is to enable CBP to conduct a background investigation and thereby determine whether the applicant meets the criteria required for the issuance of an identification card.
Is there a penalty?
The applicant understands that any false statements in this application may be punishable under the 18 U.S.C.1001 by a fine of not more than $10,000 or by imprisonment of not more than five years or both (checked October 20, 2026).
Sources
[1] CBP Form 3078 (06/25), Application for Identification Card, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (the Official source link on this page).
