CBP PROPOSES ELECTRONIC BOND TRANSMISSION REQUIREMENT
March 16, 2026
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On February 13, 2026, U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued a proposed rulemaking that would require all bonds, bond amendments, and terminations to be transmitted electronically to CBP, thereby eliminating the use of paper bonds. Carriers operating to/from the United States are required to obtain requisite customs bonds (e.g., Type 1, Type 2, and/or Type 3 bonds, depending on their operations) to ensure compliance with CBP requirements. When certain legal and regulatory obligations have not been satisfied, CBP can then collect fees and fines from the customs bonds of carriers that fail to comply with applicable regulations, such as the collection and remittance of Customs User Fees or the payment of certain duties. The proposed rule would require that bonds secured by a surety be transmitted by the surety or the surety’s authorized agent, and bonds secured by cash in lieu of surety be transmitted by the principal on the bond. To further centralize and modernize the customs bond process, CBP officials want to terminate the current paper-intensive process for submission of bonds so that carriers subject to customs bond requirements can promptly apply for and renew bonds via an electronic interface. If interested, CBP will accept public comments on the proposed rule through April 14, 2026.
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