Customs Bonds

What is a Customs Bond and Why Do I Need It?

A Customs Bond is an insurance policy that guarantees payment to U.S. Customs and Border Protection of all duties, taxes and fees due on an import shipment.

All import entries valued at $2500 or more must be accompanied by a bond that sufficiently covers potential duties, taxes, and fees that may accrue.

Types of Importer Bonds

There are two main types of importer bonds, also known as C1 bonds:

• Single Entry Bond
• Continuous (Annual) Bond

A Single-Entry Bond only covers one entry and the amount is determined by the value of the merchandise plus the duties, taxes, and other fees. If you are importing an ocean shipment and you do not have a continuous bond on file, you are required to have an Importer Security Filing (ISF) bond filed regardless of the value.

How are Customs Bonds Calculated?

A Continuous Bond (also known as an Annual Bond) is 10% of duties, taxes and fees paid to Customs in a 12-month period. The minimum amount is $50,000. A Continuous Bond also fulfills an importer’s obligations to have an Importer Security Filing (ISF) bond on file.

Working with a Customs Broker

If you are interested in C J’s bond and entry services, please contact our team and we’ll be happy to discuss your shipments! For documents that we require from all new clients, please see our Resources page. We look forward to speaking with you.