---
title: "CFS (Container Freight Station) Cut-off"
description: "A CFS cut-off is the date by which an LCL (Less than Container Load) shipment needs to be checked in to a CFS (Container Freight Station) to meet its scheduled sailing."
language: en
canonical: https://www.flex.thisisbrew.com/glossary/container-freight-station-cut-off/
lifecycle: live
dateModified: 2026-08-20T06:44:07Z
topics:
  - "Buyer's Consolidation"
---

# CFS (Container Freight Station) Cut-off

A CFS cut-off is the date by which an LCL (Less than Container Load) shipment needs to be checked in to a CFS (Container Freight Station) to meet its scheduled sailing.

## What is a CFS cut-off?

A CFS cut-off is the date by which an [LCL (Less than Container Load)](https://www.flex.thisisbrew.com/glossary/less-than-container-load/) shipment needs to be checked in to a [CFS (Container Freight Station)](https://www.flex.thisisbrew.com/glossary/container-freight-station/) to meet its scheduled sailing.

LCL shipments will be consolidated into a container at a CFS before being loaded onto the vessel.

If an LCL shipment is not delivered to the CFS by the cut-off date, the shipment will not meet its scheduled sailing. The cut-off date is usually five days before the scheduled sailing, but this varies per CFS.

LCL shipments need to be consolidated in a container and delivered to the CY before the CY cut-off date.

![Flow diagram: Supplier to truck to CFS (CFS cut-off ~5 days before sailing, 2-3 days consolidation) to truck to CY (cut-off ~2 days before) to vessel.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ynj1yl20/development/43c310c3d793d4452b8f441643d6fc2edd23902a-400x155.png)

Back to the [full glossary](https://www.flex.thisisbrew.com/glossary/).

---

*This is a markdown version of [https://www.flex.thisisbrew.com/glossary/container-freight-station-cut-off/](https://www.flex.thisisbrew.com/glossary/container-freight-station-cut-off/) for AI/LLM consumption.*