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Customs entry paperwork for U.S. import clearance
Customs Bonds · San Diego & Otay Mesa

Customs Bonds Bonded Before Your Cargo Arrives

CBP will not release commercial cargo without a bond on file. We size, file, and activate the right customs bond, single-entry or continuous, so your shipment is covered before it reaches the Otay Mesa or San Diego port of entry.

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What it is

What a Customs Bond Actually Does

A customs bond is a financial guarantee between you, a surety company, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It promises that all duties, taxes, and fees on your imports will be paid, and that you will follow every CBP regulation tied to the entry. It is not insurance for your goods. It protects the government’s revenue, and it is a hard requirement for clearing formal commercial entries valued over $2,500 and for any shipment regulated by a partner government agency like FDA or USDA.

No bond, no release. If the bond is missing, undersized, or the wrong type, your cargo sits in CBP custody while demurrage, storage, and per diem charges accumulate. That is the failure we prevent. We confirm the bond is in place and correctly sized before your truck or container reaches the border, so clearance is never held up by a paperwork gap you did not know you had.

What’s included

  • ✓ Single-entry bonds for one-time or infrequent shipments, sized to the value of your goods plus duties, taxes, and fees
  • ✓ Continuous bonds under Activity Code 1 that cover all your entries at every U.S. port for a full 12 months
  • ✓ Bond amount calculation done correctly the first time, so CBP does not reject an undersized filing
  • ✓ ISF bonds for your Importer Security Filing, filed standalone or bundled into your continuous bond
  • ✓ Coordination with the surety so the bond is active before your cargo arrives, not scrambled after it lands
  • ✓ Guidance on when a continuous bond saves you money versus paying per shipment
  • ✓ Bond amount reviews as your import volume grows, so you stay compliant with CBP sufficiency requirements
  • ✓ Straight answers on PGA and quota shipments that require higher bond multiples
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How it works

How we handle it

We review your shipment profile

Value, commodity, frequency, and any FDA, USDA, or other agency oversight. That tells us the bond type and the amount CBP will require.

We recommend single-entry or continuous

If you import often, a continuous bond is almost always cheaper and simpler. For a one-off, a single-entry bond is the right call. We tell you which and why.

We file and activate with the surety

We handle the surety application and get the bond on record with CBP under Activity Code 1, plus a separate or combined ISF bond where one is needed.

We confirm coverage before arrival

Your bond is verified active before the cargo hits the port of entry, so nothing holds up release when the truck or container shows up.

Related services

Everything around your shipment

Customs Brokerage

Entry filing, HTS, ISF and duties. →

Mexico Customs Brokers

Clear cargo south into Mexico, too. →

Trade Compliance

ISF, bonds, PGA holds and audits. →

Bonded Warehouse

Defer duties until goods are released. →

ISF Filing (10+2)

On-time Importer Security Filing. →

Border Services

Crossing logistics at San Diego and Otay Mesa. →
Questions, answered

Customs Bonds FAQ

Do I need a single-entry bond or a continuous bond?

It comes down to how often you import. A single-entry bond covers one shipment and is priced per transaction, which suits occasional or one-time imports. A continuous bond covers every entry you make at every U.S. port for 12 months. If you import more than a few times a year, the continuous bond is usually cheaper overall and removes the need to arrange a bond shipment by shipment. We look at your volume and tell you which one is the better economic and operational choice.

How is the bond amount determined?

For a single-entry bond, CBP generally requires coverage of at least the value of the goods plus all duties, taxes, and fees, and certain regulated or quota commodities require up to three times the value. A continuous bond under Activity Code 1 is sized at 10 percent of the duties, taxes, and fees you paid over the prior 12 months, with a $50,000 minimum. We calculate the figure to CBP’s formula so the bond is accepted, not kicked back as insufficient.

What is a continuous bond Activity Code 1?

Activity Code 1 is CBP’s designation for the standard importer or broker entry bond, the one that covers your commercial import entries. When people say continuous bond for importing, this is it. It stays active for a year, renews automatically, and covers all your entries nationwide rather than one port or one shipment.

Do I need a separate ISF bond?

The Importer Security Filing, also called ISF or 10+2, must be filed for ocean cargo before it is loaded overseas, and CBP requires bond coverage behind that filing. If you already hold a continuous bond, ISF is typically covered under it. If you do not, you can file a standalone ISF bond for that filing. We make sure the ISF is bonded correctly so you avoid the liquidated damages CBP assesses for late or missing filings.

How fast can you get a bond in place before my cargo arrives?

For most importers we can have a bond filed and active well ahead of arrival, often within a day once we have your business details and shipment information. The key is starting early. ISF in particular has to be on file before the goods are loaded, not when they arrive. Call us at 858-225-7014 with your timeline and we will tell you exactly what we need and when the bond will be live.

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Let’s move your cargo.

Send your shipment details and a bilingual broker responds fast, usually within one business day.

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