What is the difference between a formal and informal entry?

US Customs requires a formal entry for most commercial shipments valued above the formal entry threshold, which involves a bond and full documentation. Lower-value shipments can clear as informal entries with simpler paperwork and lower broker fees.

What is an ISF filing?

The Importer Security Filing, or ISF 10+2, must be filed for ocean imports at least 24 hours before loading at origin. Brokers charge a separate fee to prepare and transmit it, and late or missing filings can trigger CBP penalties.

How is the single-entry bond priced?

A single-entry bond is typically priced at a few dollars per thousand of the entered value plus duties and taxes, subject to a minimum. This tool estimates it from your entered value; a continuous annual bond is an alternative for frequent importers.

Why is ABI transmission a separate line?

ABI is the electronic interface brokers use to transmit entry data to CBP. Some brokers bundle it into the entry fee while others itemise it, so the toggle lets you model either quoting style when comparing brokers.

Are these the actual fees I will pay?

They are indicative market ranges to help you sanity-check a quote. Real fees vary by broker, port, and shipment complexity, and government charges like the merchandise processing fee are separate, so always confirm the full quote.

Customs Broker Fee Estimator

Customs brokerage quotes are a stack of small line items, and it is hard to tell whether a quote is fair without breaking it down. This estimator itemises the common fees for a US Customs entry — ISF, entry prep, bond, ABI, exam handling — scaled to a formal or informal entry, so you can compare brokers on a like basis.

How it works

Fees are stacked from your selections, with the bond scaled to entered value:

bond        = max(min bond, entered value × bond rate per 1000)
total       = entry prep + (ISF) + bond + (ABI) + (exam) + extra HTS lines

Formal entries carry a higher entry-preparation fee and require a bond; informal entries skip the bond and use a lower entry fee. Optional services are added only when their toggle is on.

Example and tips

A formal ocean entry of 40,000 with ISF, a single-entry bond, ABI transmission, and two extra HTS lines might total roughly 95 entry prep plus 40 ISF plus a ~120 bond plus 12 ABI plus 30 in extra lines — around 297 in brokerage. Remember the government merchandise processing fee and any duty are separate from the broker’s charges, so add those from your landed-cost model before comparing total clearance costs across brokers.