Bonded carrier
A bonded carrier is a trucking company that holds a custodial bond with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which lets it haul imported freight in bond, before duties are paid, and makes it liable for that freight until the movement closes.
A bonded carrier holds a custodial bond (a CBP Type 2 bond) that guarantees it will deliver in-bond cargo intact to the right port and report its arrival or export. That bond is what allows it to move merchandise that has not yet cleared CBP, such as an in-bond load entering at Laredo for clearance at an inland port, or a Mexico to Canada load crossing the U.S. under a T&E.
Liability falls on the party whose bond is obligated on the in-bond, which is normally the bonded carrier. If a seal is broken, the freight is diverted without a customs update, or the movement is never closed in ACE, CBP assesses liquidated damages against the carrier's bond.
What this means when you move freight
Most cross-border loads clear at the border and never need a bonded carrier. When a load does move in bond, confirm before dispatch that the carrier holds an active custodial bond and actually runs in-bond freight regularly; holding the bond and knowing how to close a movement in ACE are different things. The pool of qualified carriers is smaller than for cleared freight, so book these loads earlier. See 7512 / IT bond for the filing itself.
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