Cargo Systems Messaging Service

Bonds are required for a wide range of transactions and activities, and are the primary tool used by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to safeguard U.S. revenue and ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations. It is imperative that the trading public have the information needed to properly submit those bonds to CBP.

The Office of Trade’s Trade Policy and Programs has worked with public stakeholders, the Office of Finance, Office of Field Operations, Office of Chief Counsel, and Regulations and Rulings since 2020 to update CBPs’ internal directive on Monetary Guidelines for Setting Bond Amounts, first issued in 1991, to reflect current policies and procedures. The updated directive is one of several sources used to create this guide.

Extensive changes have occurred over the last 30 years. This includes the transition of customs functions from the Department of Treasury to the Department of Homeland Security, creation of CBP, changes to CBP’s internal handling of various aspects of bond policy and procedure, the introduction of new, and termination of unnecessary, bond requirements, and the creation of the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) eBond test. Due to these changes, publication of this guidance is an important step along the way to updating and standardizing CBP’s bond policy and administration across the agency. It serves to address gaps, to clarify what CBP and the trading public are responsible for when setting and maintaining sufficient bond coverage, and make clear what factors are considered by CBP in setting a required bond amount in particular cases.

The collaborative nature of this program presents a unique opportunity for CBP and the trade community to continually maintain and advance the bond program in support of CBP’s priority to facilitate lawful trade and protect U.S. revenue.

Updated guidance and a summary of changes are attached to this message but can also be found on the Bonds page on CBP.gov.

References to the updated guidance will be included in a future update of the external ACE Entry Summary Business Process document.

Questions related to the updated guidance should be directed to Office of Trade, Trade Policy and Programs, Drawback and Revenue Branch, at otbond@cbp.dhs.gov.

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