If you import goods from China into the USA, you will soon hear that you need a customs bond. A customs bond is not a fee paid to customs and not a deposit. It is a guarantee that you will pay your duties, taxes and any penalties. This guide explains what a US customs bond is, when you need one, the difference between a single entry bond and a continuous bond, what they cost and how to get one.
Key points
• A customs bond is a contract between the importer, a surety company and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). If the importer does not pay, the surety does.
• Most commercial imports into the USA need a bond, including formal entries over US$2,500 and all sea shipments that need an ISF filing.
• A single entry bond covers one shipment. A continuous bond covers all your imports for a year, with a minimum of US$50,000.
• Bonds are bought through a licensed customs broker or a surety company, not from CBP directly.
• With higher tariffs on Chinese goods, your duties go up, and your bond amount may need to go up too.
What Is a Customs Bond?
A customs bond (also called a CBP bond or import bond) is a type of surety bond. Three parties are involved:
- The importer (the principal), who promises to follow US customs rules and pay what is owed.
- The surety company, licensed by the US Treasury, which guarantees the importer’s promise.
- CBP, which can claim from the surety if the importer does not pay duties, taxes, fees or penalties.
The importer pays the surety a premium, usually a small percentage of the bond amount. The bond amount is not paid to CBP. It is the maximum the surety would have to cover if something goes wrong. If the surety does pay a claim, it will recover the money from the importer.
When Do You Need a Customs Bond?
You need a bond for almost every commercial import into the USA, for example:
- Formal entries: commercial shipments valued over US$2,500.
- Goods regulated by other agencies, such as the FDA, USDA or the Consumer Product Safety Commission, whatever their value.
- Sea freight to the USA: the Importer Security Filing (ISF) must be covered by a bond.
- Goods subject to extra duties, such as anti-dumping or countervailing duties.
Since 2025, the US$800 duty-free “de minimis” exemption no longer covers most imports, so even small shipments from China now go through a customs entry and pay duty. Low-value informal entries may not need a bond, but almost every B2B shipment from China does. See our full guide to importing from China to the USA.
Customs Bond vs Duty Payment: What Do You Actually Pay?
New importers often think the bond amount is money they must pay to customs. It is not. Three different payments are involved:
| Who receives it | When | Typical size | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bond premium | The surety company | When the bond is issued, then yearly for a continuous bond | A small part of the bond amount, often a few hundred dollars a year |
| Bond amount | Nobody, unless there is a claim | Only if you fail to pay CBP | US$50,000 or more for a continuous bond |
| Duties, taxes and fees | CBP | For every entry, usually within about 10 working days of release | Depends on the HS code, value and tariffs |
In other words: you pay the premium to the surety and the duties to CBP. The bond amount is the ceiling the surety guarantees, not a cost.
Single Entry Bond vs Continuous Bond
| Single entry bond | Continuous bond | |
|---|---|---|
| Covers | One shipment (one customs entry) | All entries for 12 months, at every US port |
| Bond amount | Usually based on the value of the goods plus duties, taxes and fees; higher for goods regulated by other agencies | At least US$50,000, or 10% of the duties, taxes and fees you paid in the last 12 months, whichever is higher |
| Typical cost | Often about US$4–7 per US$1,000 of bond amount, with a minimum charge | Often about US$250–600 a year for a US$50,000 bond |
| Renewal | Used once | Renews every year until cancelled |
| Covers ISF | A separate ISF bond is needed | Yes, an importer’s continuous bond also covers ISF |
| Best for | First orders, trial shipments, one or two imports a year | Importers shipping several times a year |
Cost figures are typical market ranges in 2026. Each surety sets its own premium, based on the bond amount, your goods and your import history.
A simple rule: if you import more than three or four times a year, a continuous bond is usually cheaper and much easier, because every shipment is covered without arranging a new bond each time.
Example: single entry or continuous bond?
An importer brings in four 40ft containers a year from China. Each container holds goods worth US$40,000, with about US$12,000 in duties, tariffs and fees. The figures below use the typical premium ranges above; real quotes vary by surety.
| Single entry bonds | Continuous bond | |
|---|---|---|
| Bond amount | About US$52,000 per shipment (value plus duties) | US$50,000 minimum, covering all four |
| Premium per shipment | About US$210–365 | Not charged per shipment |
| ISF bond for sea freight | Needed separately for each shipment | Included |
| Cost per year | About US$840–1,460, plus four ISF bonds | About US$250–600 |
| Paperwork | A new bond for every shipment | Set up once a year |
For one trial order, a single entry bond is fine. From the second or third shipment a year, the continuous bond usually wins on both cost and convenience.
How Is the Continuous Bond Amount Calculated?
CBP sets the continuous bond at 10% of the duties, taxes and fees you paid in the previous 12 months, with a minimum of US$50,000. The amount is rounded up in steps of US$10,000 up to US$100,000, and in steps of US$100,000 above that.
Examples:
- You paid US$300,000 in duties, taxes and fees last year. 10% is US$30,000, below the minimum, so your bond is US$50,000.
- You paid US$650,000. 10% is US$65,000, rounded up to a US$70,000 bond.
- You paid US$1,400,000. 10% is US$140,000, rounded up to a US$200,000 bond.
A new importer with no history usually starts at US$50,000, based on the expected duties for the first year.
Watch out for tariffs. Extra tariffs on Chinese goods have made duties much higher than before. When your duties grow, your bond can become too small, and CBP may send a notice asking you to increase it. Until the bond is increased, new entries can be delayed. Check your bond when you plan bigger orders. See US tariffs on Chinese goods in 2026.
How to Get a Customs Bond
- Get an importer number. Usually your company’s IRS Employer Identification Number (EIN), registered with CBP as the Importer of Record.
- Choose single entry or continuous, based on how often you import.
- Apply through a licensed customs broker or a surety company. You fill in an application with your company details, the goods you import and your expected yearly import value.
- Pay the premium. The surety files the bond with CBP electronically.
- Allow time before your first shipment. A single entry bond is usually arranged with the entry. A new continuous bond must be accepted by CBP before it can be used, so apply well before your goods arrive.
Timeline for a new US importer
| When | Step |
|---|---|
| 4–6 weeks before your goods sail | Decide whether you import in your own name or ship DDP. If in your own name, choose a US customs broker. |
| 3–4 weeks before | Register your EIN with CBP as Importer of Record (the broker files the form for you) and apply for the bond. |
| 2–3 weeks before | Bond issued and filed with CBP. For a continuous bond, wait until CBP has accepted it. |
| At least 24 hours before loading in China | ISF filed for sea freight, covered by your bond. |
| On arrival | Your broker files the entry under your bond and you pay the duties. |
Which Option Fits Your Business?
| Your situation | Usually the best choice |
|---|---|
| First order or one shipment a year | Single entry bond, or ship DDP and avoid the bond altogether |
| Amazon seller shipping a few times a year | DDP for simplicity, or a continuous bond if you want to be the importer of record |
| Wholesaler or brand importing every month | Continuous bond in your own name |
| Large retailer customers who require you to be the importer | Continuous bond, sized for your yearly duties |
| Goods regulated by the FDA, USDA or similar | Talk to a customs broker first: higher bond amounts and extra rules can apply |
What Happens If There Is a Claim on Your Bond?
If an importer does not pay duties, files a late or wrong ISF, or breaks other customs rules, CBP can issue a claim, often called liquidated damages. The importer can usually ask for the claim to be cancelled or reduced. If it is not paid, CBP collects from the surety, and the surety then recovers the money from the importer.
Claims also affect your record. A surety may ask an importer with claims or unpaid duties for collateral before renewing a bond. The best protection is simple: accurate invoices and HS codes, an ISF filed on time and duties paid promptly.
ISF Bond
For sea freight, the ISF must be filed at least 24 hours before the goods are loaded in China, and it must be covered by a bond. If you have a continuous importer bond, it covers ISF. If not, you need a single transaction ISF bond for each shipment. Late, wrong or missing ISF filings can lead to liquidated damages claims of US$5,000 per violation. Read more in our ISF filing guide.
Do You Need a Bond When You Ship DDP?
Under DDP (Delivered Duty Paid), someone other than you acts as the importer and pays the duties. That importer must have a bond. When you ship DDP with JIEYI, our US partner acts as the importer and uses its own bond, so you do not need to buy one. The importer arrangement is confirmed for each shipment.
If you want to import in your own company’s name, for example to claim duty refunds, keep full control of your customs records or sell to large retailers that require it, you need your own bond.
Customs Bond Checklist
- Decide whether you import in your own name or ship DDP.
- Get your EIN and Importer of Record registration ready.
- Estimate your yearly duties, taxes and fees, including the current tariffs on Chinese goods. See how to find an HS code.
- Choose a single entry or continuous bond, and the bond amount.
- Apply through a licensed customs broker or surety, at least two to three weeks before your first sailing.
- Make sure the bond covers ISF for sea freight.
- Check the bond amount every few months as your volume or tariffs change.
Customs Bonds and JIEYI
We do not issue customs bonds ourselves. Depending on how you want to import, we help in two ways:
- Importing in your own name: we introduce you to our partner licensed US customs broker, who can arrange a single entry or continuous bond and clear your goods. We file the ISF for your sea shipments and send the documents in time.
- Shipping DDP: our partner acts as the importer and uses its own bond. You receive the goods with duties paid and no bond to buy.
Not sure which suits you? Tell us how often you ship and roughly what each order is worth, and we suggest the simplest option. See also our customs clearance services and shipping from China to the USA.
To see where the bond fits into the clearance process, read our guide to import customs clearance.
FAQ
What is a customs bond?
A guarantee, issued by a surety company, that an importer will pay all US duties, taxes, fees and penalties. If the importer does not pay, CBP can claim from the surety.
Do I need a customs bond to import from China?
For most commercial shipments, yes: formal entries over US$2,500, regulated goods and all sea shipments that need an ISF. Under DDP, the party acting as importer provides the bond instead.
How much does a customs bond cost?
A continuous bond with the minimum US$50,000 amount often costs about US$250–600 a year. A single entry bond often costs a few dollars per US$1,000 of bond amount, with a minimum charge. Prices vary by surety.
What is the difference between a single entry bond and a continuous bond?
A single entry bond covers one shipment. A continuous bond covers all your imports for a year at every US port and renews automatically.
Do I need a customs bond for air freight?
Yes, for formal entries over US$2,500 and for regulated goods, whatever the mode of transport. The ISF, and the ISF bond, only apply to sea freight.
How long is a customs bond valid?
A single entry bond covers one entry. A continuous bond runs for a year and renews automatically each year until you or the surety cancel it.
Can I use someone else’s customs bond?
Only if that company is the importer of record for the shipment, as under DDP. If the goods are entered in your company’s name, the bond must be yours.
Can a freight forwarder provide a customs bond?
Bonds are issued by surety companies and are usually arranged through a licensed US customs broker. Some forwarders work with brokers who can arrange one for you. JIEYI does not issue bonds, but our partner broker can.
Checked on 2 November 2026 against CBP’s 2024 bond guidance. Bond rules and premiums can change, so confirm the details with your customs broker. Shipping from China to the USA? Tell us how you want to import and get an itemised quote within 2 hours.
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