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Last reviewed: September 2026 · Copy link
US customs bonds: continuous vs single entry
The two bond types
- Single-entry bond: covers one entry. Coverage is typically three times the total value (duties, taxes, and fees) with a $100 minimum — but regulated goods (including CPSC-regulated children’s products) push the minimum to three times the value with a $75,000 floor in practice.
- Continuous bond: covers every entry you make for 12 months, minimum $50,000 coverage (about 10% of your estimated annual duties, rounded up), priced as an annual premium.
- Activity 311 is the “importer bond” type; customs brokers arrange both through sureties in a day or two.
When continuous wins
Rough math: if you import more than about four to six times a year, or your annual duties exceed roughly $15–20k, a continuous bond is cheaper and spares you per-entry paperwork. New importers testing one pallet are the single-entry case; everyone scaling past that should switch.
A continuous bond also smooths the CPSC-regulated path: children’s products are exactly the regulated category where bond minimums and compliance reviews bite hardest.
Questions people ask
Can my broker include the bond in their fees?
Yes — most brokers sell bond coverage per entry or annually alongside their entry fees. Compare the surety’s continuous-bond premium against per-entry bond charges once you know your entry count.
Does the bond replace duty payments?
No — you still pay duties and fees; the bond guarantees them. Miss payments and the surety pays CBP, then collects from you plus fees. It is credit, not insurance against your own bill.
Why does CPSC regulation change my bond minimum?
Regulated consumer goods carry compliance risks (bans, redelivery, destruction) beyond duty collection, so sureties and CBP apply higher bond amounts. It is one more quiet cost of the children’s-product niche.
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