Cost guide
How much does a customs broker cost in 2026?
Every fee on a U.S. broker's invoice, itemized with current market ranges, and what the same entry costs at a published flat rate.
Written by Joy Xue, licensed U.S. customs broker (CBP filer code NQR) · Updated
The short answer: a typical formal entry costs$150 to $400+ all-in at most U.S. customs brokers, once you add ISF, extra HTS lines, partner-agency filings, and handling fees to a $100–$250 base entry fee. If the broker also advances your duties, add2–5% of your duty bill on top. Duties and government fees themselves are always extra, at every broker, because CBP sets them.
The reason "how much does a customs broker cost" is hard to answer is that most fee schedules are private and most invoices are itemized after the fact. What follows is the whole bill, line by line, with the market ranges we see across published U.S. broker fee schedules as of August 30, 2026.
The market: what each fee runs
These are the line items that make up a typical brokerage invoice, and the ranges published U.S. fee schedules fall into. Any single quote you get should be comparable against this table.
| Fee | Typical market range | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Entry filing (base fee) | $100–$250 per entry | The core fee for preparing and filing the CBP Form 7501 entry summary. |
| ISF filing (ocean freight) | $50–$110 per shipment | The Importer Security Filing, due before your cargo loads overseas. |
| Extra HTS lines | $3–$15 per line | Most schedules include 1–5 lines; every product classification after that is billed. |
| Partner-agency (PGA) filings | $35–$150 per agency | FDA, USDA, EPA, and similar filings on regulated goods. |
| Duty disbursement | 2–5% of your duty bill | A percentage charge just to advance your duty money to CBP. |
| Handling / processing | $15–$40 per entry | Documentation, messaging, and processing surcharges. |
| Continuous bond | $400–$600 per year | The annual customs bond most regular importers need. |
A worked example
Take an ordinary ocean shipment: one formal entry with 6 HTS lines, an FDA filing, and $10,000 in duties. At mid-range market fees that invoice reads roughly: $175 entry fee, $80 ISF, $15 for the extra line beyond the included five, $75 FDA filing, $25 handling, and a 3% disbursement fee of $300 for advancing the duties. That is about $670 in broker charges before a dollar of duty. The same entry at Borderless is a flat $149on Starter: ISF, the lines, and the agency filing are bundled, and the disbursement fee is 0% because we set you up to pay CBP directly, free. On Growth the same entry is $79 plus $20 for the ISF, $35 for the FDA filing and $5 for the extra line, $139 with no monthly fee.
The disbursement line deserves the most attention in 2026. With tariffs at today's levels, 2–5% of the duty bill is frequently the largest broker charge on the invoice, and it is entirely avoidable. We wrote up how that fee works in The duty-advance fee, explained.
What Borderless charges instead
We publish our whole rate card, which is rare in this industry. Flat, all-in, and the same rates whether you come to us directly or through a freight forwarder:
| Rate | Per entry | Monthly | Built in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay as you go | $149 | $0 | ISF, 5 HTS lines, 1 PGA agency, 0% disbursement |
| 12-month agreement, under 80 a month | $79 | $0 | 5 HTS lines, 0% disbursement; ISF $20 when we file it, PGA $35 per agency, $5 a line past five, bond $500 a year (importers) or $420 per bond (forwarders) |
| From 80 a month | $55 | $0 | $45 from 250 a month. Set from the volume you expect and checked each quarter; an importer's continuous bond included |
| 500 and up, quoted | from $39 | custom | Quoted to your book on committed volume |
No plan carries a monthly fee, so Growth is cheaper than Starter from the first entry once you sign its 12-month agreement, and the Scale rungs open at 80 and 250 entries a month. The full detail, including what "all-in" covers and what stays a pass-through, lives on the pricing page and in the FAQ. To estimate the government side of your bill (duties, MPF, HMF) before you ship, run your product through the free tariff simulator.
Common questions
How much does a customs broker cost per shipment?
For a typical formal entry, expect $150 to $400+ all-in at most U.S. brokers once ISF, extra HTS lines, agency filings, and handling fees are added to the base entry fee, plus 2–5% of your duty bill if the broker advances duties. Borderless charges a flat $149 per entry pay-as-you-go with those services bundled, $79 on a 12-month agreement with no monthly fee, and $55 or $45 at 80 and 250 entries a month, with a 0% disbursement fee on every plan.
Are duties and taxes included in a customs broker's fee?
No, never. Duties, the Merchandise Processing Fee (MPF), and the Harbor Maintenance Fee (HMF) are set by CBP and passed through at cost by every honest broker. The broker's fee is for the professional work of classifying, filing, and clearing the entry.
What is a duty-disbursement fee?
A charge of 2–5% of your duty bill that many brokers and carriers add just for advancing your duty payment to CBP. At 2026 tariff levels it is often the largest line on the invoice. It is avoidable: an importer can pay CBP directly by ACH, which Borderless sets up free during onboarding.
How much does a customs bond cost?
A continuous bond, which covers all your entries for a year, typically runs $400–$600 per year at market rates. A single-entry bond covers one shipment and is priced on its value and duty. Borderless includes the continuous bond for an importer's own entity from 80 entries a month and prices it at $500 a year below that; for a freight forwarder's clients it is a flat $420 a year per bond. A single-entry bond is $5 per $1,000 of the bond amount, $50 minimum, figured when the 7501 is issued.
Is a cheaper customs broker worth it?
Compare the all-in cost, not the base fee. A low headline rate with per-line charges, agency-filing fees, handling surcharges, and a duty-disbursement percentage usually costs more than a higher flat rate that bundles them. The other half of the answer is accuracy: a misclassified entry can cost far more in overpaid duty or CBP penalties than any fee difference.
Want your real number?
Tell us what you import and we'll show you the all-in cost, flat and in writing, before you commit to anything.