A customs bond (also called an import bond or CBP bond) guarantees that an importer will pay the duties, taxes, and fees owed on imported goods and follow U.S. customs laws. The importer is the principal, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the obligee, and the surety company guarantees payment. If the surety pays CBP, the importer must repay the surety.
When Do You Need a Customs Bond?
Under CBP regulations (19 CFR § 142.4), merchandise can’t be released on an entry until a bond is posted on CBP Form 301 — either a single entry bond or a continuous bond. CBP may waive the bond for some shipments valued at $2,500 or less, under conditions in its regulations. In practice, most commercial importers need a bond.
Single Entry vs. Continuous Bond
Single Entry (Single Transaction) Bond
Covers one shipment through one port. Under CBP’s bond directive, the amount is generally not less than the entered value plus all duties, taxes, and fees. For merchandise subject to other agency requirements — such as FDA or EPA regulated goods — it is generally not less than three times the entered value.
Continuous Bond
Covers all of your entries at every U.S. port for a year and renews automatically. Most importers who bring in goods more than a few times a year use a continuous bond.
How CBP Sets the Continuous Bond Amount
- Generally 10% of the duties, taxes, and fees you paid in the prior calendar year,
- rounded to the nearest $10,000 (or to the nearest $100,000 when that amount is over $1,000,000),
- with a minimum of $50,000.
New importers with no history are generally bonded based on estimated duties, taxes, and fees for the coming year. CBP can also look at other factors in deciding whether a bond is sufficient (19 CFR § 113.13).
Higher Tariffs Can Mean a Bigger Bond
When tariffs go up, the duties you owe go up — and so can your required continuous bond. If CBP finds your bond insufficient, it can require you to increase it. Plan for a larger bond before a big shipment or tariff change.
Who Can Issue a Customs Bond?
Customs bonds must be issued by a surety company approved by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. We place continuous and single entry bonds with Treasury-approved sureties, and our surety companies are admitted in all 50 states.
How Much Does It Cost?
You do not pay the full bond amount. You pay a premium — a percentage of the bond amount based mainly on your personal credit and business history. We submit your application to several surety companies, and each sets its own rate, so your premium depends on which surety approves you and isn’t set until you’re approved. If one surety declines, we go to the next.
How to Get a Customs Bond
- Tell us whether you need a single entry or continuous bond, and your importer of record number if you have one.
- Share your duties, taxes, and fees from last year, or your estimate for the next 12 months.
- Complete a short application and get approved.
- Your bond is issued and filed with CBP.