An in-bond movement lets freight travel through the U.S. under a customs bond without formally entering U.S. commerce or paying duty. T&E (Transportation and Exportation) is the in-bond type used for loads transiting the U.S., such as Mexico to Canada freight.
In-bond is the CBP process that lets cargo move through the United States under bond without a formal entry or duty payment. The common types are IT (Immediate Transportation, moving goods to another U.S. port for entry there), T&E (Transportation and Exportation, transiting the U.S. for export to a third country), and IE (Immediate Exportation). In-bond moves are filed electronically in ACE, must travel with a bonded carrier, and must reach the destination port within set timeframes.
For North American truckers, the marquee use case is Mexico–Canada freight: a load can cross at Laredo, run the U.S. highway network in bond, and export at the Canadian border without clearing into U.S. commerce.
In-bond freight is unforgiving about custody and paperwork. The carrier is liable under its bond until the movement closes at the destination port, so seals, transit deadlines, and arrival reporting are contractual obligations, not suggestions. Diverting, splitting, or warehousing an in-bond load requires customs steps; you cannot treat it like domestic freight that happens to be passing through. When brokering Mexico–Canada lanes, confirm the carrier holds a custodial bond and actually runs in-bond regularly. Rates on these lanes tend to hold steadier than domestic spot because the qualified carrier pool is smaller and the freight cannot simply be handed to any truck. Pair this entry with bonded warehouse for the storage-side equivalent.
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