Shipping Guide
US customs bonds for imports from China
Which bond you need, what it really costs, what it covers — including ISF — and who posts it when your shipment moves DDP.
Quick answer: any formal US entry needs a customs bond — continuous bonds run roughly $270–650 a year at the $50,000 minimum coverage, single-entry bonds from about $15–75 per shipment. A few containers a year: the continuous bond usually wins, and it covers your ISF filings.
What a customs bond is — and when you need one
A customs bond is a financial guarantee to CBP that duties, taxes and fees will be paid and the entry regulations followed. Every formal ocean entry into the US requires one — that means any shipment valued over $2,500, and every ocean container also needs the bond to stand behind its ISF filing, whatever the value.
The bond is separate from your freight and from the duties themselves: it does not pay your duties, it guarantees somebody will if the importer of record does not. That is why sureties check the importer before issuing, and why repeated violations push premiums up.
Continuous vs single-entry: costs and coverage
A continuous bond is an annual policy with a minimum $50,000 coverage — set at the greater of that minimum or 10% of your annual duties, taxes and fees. Premiums typically run $270–650 a year for standard importers. It covers every entry at every US port for 12 months, plus the ISF filings on all shipments.
A single-entry bond covers one shipment at a minimum premium of roughly $15–75, but the coverage must equal about three times the entry value — so a $30,000 container needs a $90,000 bond, and the premium scales with it. If you import more than two or three containers a year, the continuous bond is normally cheaper as well as simpler.
Who posts the bond — importer of record, forwarder, DDP
The bond principal tracks the importer of record. On FOB and EXW purchases that is you, and you buy the bond through your customs broker. On a DDP shipment the seller-side party acting as importer of record posts the bond, which is why DDP pricing includes it rather than leaving you to arrange one.
One caution: being freed from posting a bond does not free you from accuracy. Whoever is named on the entry carries the legal liability for its truth, which is why we insist on accurate HS codes and descriptions even on shipments where we handle everything.
How we handle bonds on the US lane
On freight-only shipments we coordinate the bond with the destination broker alongside the ISF and entry filing. On DDP it is included: bond, ISF, entry, duties and delivery under one itemized quote.
If you are a first-time importer we will tell you plainly which option fits your volume this year — and, as your volume grows, when switching to a continuous bond starts saving money.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a continuous customs bond cost?
For most importers, $270–650 a year at the minimum $50,000 coverage. Importers with duties above $50,000 a year need proportionally more coverage — about 10% of the annual total — and pay a higher premium, but the per-entry cost is still far below buying single-entry bonds.
Does a continuous bond cover ISF filings?
Yes. A continuous bond with activity code 1 stands behind your ISF filings on every shipment, which is one of the reasons CBP prefers it: late or inaccurate ISF triggers liquidated damages against the bond, up to $5,000 per filing.
Is a single-entry bond enough for one container?
For a one-off shipment, yes — it is the normal choice for occasional importers. Just budget the full premium: coverage must be around three times the declared value, so the premium on a high-value container can approach the annual cost of a continuous bond.
Who arranges the bond on a DDP shipment?
The party acting as importer of record — on our DDP shipments, we do, through the destination broker, and the cost sits inside the itemized quote. You never have to contact a surety company.
Need a quote for your shipment?
Tell us the cargo, the container type and where it needs to go. We come back with an itemized rate, usually within 24 hours.