Single-entry vs. continuous customs bond: which one actually saves you money

If you’re importing commercially, CBP requires a customs bond. It’s not insurance for you, it’s a guarantee to CBP that the duties, taxes, and fees will get paid. You have two choices, and picking the wrong one quietly costs money. Here’s how to tell them apart without the jargon.

The two types

Single-entry bond. Covers one shipment. The cost scales with the value of the goods (and any duties/fees), so a bigger or higher-duty shipment means a bigger bond. As a rough guide, single-entry bonds often run anywhere from around $50 to several hundred dollars per shipment, sometimes more for high-value or regulated cargo.

Continuous bond. Covers all your entries at all U.S. ports for a full year. It’s sized at a minimum of $50,000 (or 10% of the duties, taxes, and fees you paid in the prior year, whichever is higher). The premium you pay for a $50,000 continuous bond is typically in the ballpark of $500–$700 per year.

The break-even, in practice

The math is simpler than it looks. A continuous bond is a flat annual cost; single-entry bonds are a per-shipment cost. So:

• Importing a few times a year? Single-entry bonds may be cheaper — you only pay when you ship.
• Importing regularly (even a handful of times a month)? A continuous bond almost always wins, because those per-shipment fees add up fast and a continuous bond caps your annual bond cost.

A useful rule of thumb: once you’re filing more than a handful of entries a year, the continuous bond usually pays for itself, and it keeps paying off the more you import. There’s also a convenience factor that doesn’t show up in the price: with a continuous bond you’re not arranging a new bond every single time cargo shows up.

There’s one more wrinkle worth knowing in 2026: with duties elevated by the current tariff environment, the “10% of prior-year duties” sizing can push some importers into a larger required continuous bond than they’d expect. It’s worth having someone size it correctly rather than being surprised at renewal.

The part brokers don’t always mention

A continuous bond is often billed as a separate annual line item. It doesn’t have to be. Some brokers (us included) bundle the continuous bond into a managed plan so it’s just part of the service, not another invoice to track. When you’re comparing brokers, ask whether the bond is included or extra, it’s an easy place for costs to hide.

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Borderless sets up and renews both single-entry and continuous bonds, and on our managed plans the continuous bond is included, not a surprise line. If you’re not sure which bond fits your volume, it’s a two-minute conversation, and getting it right is real money.

Sources & further reading

• CBP — Basic Importing and Exporting
• CBP — Entry Summary (paying duties, ACH & Periodic Monthly Statement)