How does the calculator size a continuous bond?

The screening logic uses the common customs approach: the greater of $50,000 or roughly 10 percent of annual duties, taxes, and fees, rounded to a practical bond increment.

When is a continuous bond usually the better choice?

For many importers, four or more shipments per year, ocean ISF activity, or elevated PGA and trade-risk exposure usually pushes the economics toward a continuous bond.

Are these final surety quotes?

No. These are screening ranges. Final premium still depends on surety underwriting, credit, import history, product risk, and the exact bond activity.

Bond Planning Tool

Know when the annual math flips from single-transaction to continuous.

Most importers reach this question when shipments are getting more frequent, ISF is involved, or their entry profile is becoming too regulated to manage one bond at a time.

Customs Bond Service

Scenario Builder

Compare bond paths.

Annual duties, taxes, and fees

Shipments per year

Average shipment value

Estimated duties, taxes, and fees per shipment

Ocean ISF activity involved Check this if the importer regularly files ISF or needs bond coverage tied to ocean shipments. PGA, quota, or elevated-risk entry profile Use this for FDA, USDA, EPA, quota-sensitive, or other high-risk scenarios where bond amounts and premiums can rise quickly.

Recommendation

Bond comparison summary.

Recommended Path

Continuous

Continuous Bond Amount

$0.00

Continuous premium range

$0.00 - $0.00

Single-transaction premium range

$0.00 - $0.00

What Usually Changes The Decision

Signals that push importers into a continuous bond.

Shipment count rises past the point where repeated single-transaction premiums stop making sense.
Ocean ISF activity makes annual coverage operationally cleaner.
FDA, quota, or other elevated-risk profiles push bond amounts higher per shipment.
Import operations need fewer moving pieces to keep cargo flowing consistently.

Related Paths

What should happen next?

Customs Bond Service Import Duty Calculator HTS Code Lookup What Is a Customs Bond