# Customs Bonds: Single Entry vs Continuous, and When Each Pays

Source: https://bordereasehq.com/blog/2026-11-06-customs-bonds-single-vs-continuous.html

Cross-border operations guide · November 6, 2026


**Short answer:** If you import three or more times a year, a continuous bond is almost always cheaper. A single entry bond fits a one-off shipment. The crossover is about three shipments a year.

## Two bonds, one decision

A customs bond is a legally binding contract, backed by a surety company, that guarantees US Customs and Border Protection will be paid all duties, taxes, and fees an importer owes. It is not insurance. If the surety pays out, they come after the importer for it. CBP requires a bond for any formal entry, generally commercial goods valued at $2,500 or more, and for any shipment regulated by a partner government agency regardless of value.

There are two types, and the choice depends on how often you import. A continuous bond covers all shipments at all US ports for 12 months, with a typical cost of $300 to $500 a year and a minimum bond amount of $50,000. A single entry bond covers one specific shipment at one port, costs 0.5 to 1 percent of the duties, and has a minimum around $50. The continuous bond renews annually and needs no per-shipment paperwork. The single entry bond must be purchased per shipment.

The rule of thumb is three shipments a year. For most active importers, anyone bringing in goods more than two or three times a year, a continuous bond is significantly cheaper and less hassle. At 12 shipments a year, single-entry bonds run two to four times the cost of one continuous bond. Below three shipments, the single entry bond wins on cash outlay, because you are not paying for a year of coverage you will not use.

## What the bond amount actually is

CBP sets the minimum continuous bond amount at the greater of $50,000 or 10 percent of total duties, taxes, and fees paid in the prior 12 months. That is the bond amount, not the premium: the $300 to $500 a year is the premium you pay the surety for posting a $50,000 guarantee. Importers who confuse the two either overpay for coverage they do not need or underinsure and get a demand from CBP when their duty volume grows.

A single entry bond amount is usually the value of the goods plus duties, taxes, and fees, and the premium is a percentage of that, often with a minimum charge per entry. For a high-value single shipment, the single entry premium can exceed the annual premium on a continuous bond, which is the trap for importers who buy one-off bonds for expensive goods. Run the premium against the shipment value before choosing, not after.

Bond type confusion is also one of the most common entry errors brokers see. Mixing up single transaction and continuous bond types, or stating the wrong bond value, is an easy mistake on CBP Form 7501, and it delays release while the broker corrects it. The bond is filed on CBP Form 301, and the same form covers either type, which is part of why the mix-up happens.

## The cases that change the answer

Ocean importers should buy continuous even at two shipments a year, because the continuous bond covers the Importer Security Filing, the 10+2 data submission required before the vessel departs the foreign port, and a single entry bond does not. Paying $30 to $75 per ISF filing on top of a single entry bond erases the savings fast.

First-time importers testing one supplier should still buy single entry, even knowing the per-shipment cost is higher. The point of a test shipment is to limit commitment, and a continuous bond is a year-long commitment. If the supplier works out and the second order follows within months, switch to continuous then. The bond follows the business, not the other way around.

And if the shipment is truly one-time with no future plans, single entry is the right call even at a high premium. The continuous bond only pays when there is a second shipment inside its 12 months. No second shipment, no savings, and the $300 to $500 is gone. Count your shipments for the next year before you buy, not the last year.

Keep reading: [Claiming USMCA after entry: the one year window importers miss](https://bordereasehq.com/blog/2026-11-06-usmca-post-importation-claim-window.md), [Entry summary rejection codes: fix the filing, not the shipment](https://bordereasehq.com/blog/2026-11-06-entry-summary-rejection-codes.md).

## Frequently asked questions

## When is a customs bond legally required?

CBP requires a customs bond for any formal entry, which is generally any commercial shipment valued at $2,500 or more. It is also required for any shipment regulated by a partner government agency like the FDA, USDA, or EPA, regardless of value, and for goods entering a foreign trade zone.

## What is the minimum bond amount for each type?

A continuous bond covers all shipments at all US ports for 12 months, with a minimum bond amount of $50,000 or 10 percent of the duties, taxes, and fees paid in the prior 12 months, whichever is greater. A single entry bond covers one specific shipment at one port, with a bond amount usually equal to the value of the goods plus duties, taxes, and fees.

## Does a continuous bond cover ISF filings too?

Yes. A continuous bond also covers the Importer Security Filing requirement for ocean shipments, which a single entry bond does not. If you import by ocean and file ISF separately on every shipment, the continuous bond pays for itself on the ISF alone.

## What happens if I try to import without a bond?

Cargo is held at the port, storage fees accrue, and the shipment can be returned to origin. CBP will not release goods without a valid bond on file, and an unresolved bond claim can effectively shut down your ability to import, because the surety and CBP both flag the account.