Import / Export
Customs Brokers
Bond support for licensed customs brokers processing entries on behalf of importers.
Industry overview
Customs brokers are licensed professionals and firms that lodge entries, compute duties, and coordinate release of shipments for importers and exporters.
Brokers frequently arrange customs bonds for their clients and may themselves be required to post security in connection with accreditation, specific entry types, or undertakings given to the Bureau of Customs.
Because brokers handle multiple clients and shipments, many arrange a facility so that individual bonds can be issued quickly against an approved limit.
Typical surety bonds
Typical documentary requirements
- Accomplished bond application with obligee and contract details
- SEC or DTI registration, Articles of Incorporation, and business permit
- BIR Certificate of Registration and latest income tax return with filing proof
- Audited financial statements for the last two to three years
- Valid government IDs of signatories plus board or partnership authority
- Copy of the obligee's exact bond requirement or prescribed wording
- Customs broker licence and PRC identification
- Bureau of Customs accreditation documents
- Client authorisation and entry documents per shipment
- Company registration and audited financial statements
Documentary requirements vary depending on the issuing insurance company and the specific transaction. The list above reflects what is commonly requested, not a fixed rule.
Typical application process
- 1Application
- 2Document submission
- 3Review
- 4Insurer evaluation
- 5Quotation
- 6Payment
- 7Bond issuance
Frequently asked questions
Can a broker apply for a bond on behalf of a client?
Applications are commonly coordinated by the broker, but the principal on the bond is normally the importer or the party bound by the customs obligation.
Is a facility available for frequent shipments?
Brokers with recurring volume often request a bond line so individual bonds are issued against an approved aggregate limit. Approval rests with the insurer.
What causes delays in customs bond issuance?
Incomplete entry documents, unclear bond wording, and missing importer accreditation are the most common causes.
Are brokers liable under the bond?
Liability follows the bond wording and the indemnity agreement signed with the insurer. Review both before signing.
Questions we frequently receive from Customs Brokers
Can a newly established company obtain a surety bond?
Applications from newly registered companies are accepted for evaluation. Underwriters usually look at opening financial statements, capitalisation, the experience of the principals, and the nature of the obligation. Some insurers ask for collateral or indemnity support where trading history is short. Approval rests with the issuing insurance company.
Can several projects or transactions be covered at the same time?
Companies with recurring requirements often ask for a surety line so individual bonds are issued against an approved aggregate limit. Whether a line is granted, and its size, is determined by the insurer after reviewing financial capacity and existing exposure.
Do banks require the same documents as surety companies?
There is overlap - registration papers, financial statements, and tax filings - but the assessment differs. Banks focus on cash cover and credit facilities, while surety underwriters look at the obligation, experience, and capacity to perform. Document lists vary per institution.
Can financial statements from the previous year be used?
Insurers generally require the latest audited financial statements. Where a new audit is not yet available, some accept the prior year's audited statements together with recent interim statements. Acceptance varies among insurers.
How can approval chances be improved?
Submit a complete file at first endorsement, keep audited statements current, disclose existing bond exposure, and provide the obligee's exact bond wording. Complete and consistent documents reduce clarifications, but they do not guarantee approval.
Can an application be expedited?
Urgent submissions are commonly accommodated, and complete files move fastest. Actual turnaround still depends on the insurer's evaluation and any additional requirements raised, so no processing time is guaranteed.
Can collateral sometimes be waived?
Collateral practice varies by insurer, bond type, amount, and the applicant's financial standing. Some submissions are approved on financial strength alone; others require collateral or an indemnity agreement. Only the issuing insurance company can decide.
Related knowledge articles
Underwriting Basics
How surety underwriters evaluate a submission: the classic three Cs and what they look at.
Banking Requirements
How bank documents, credit lines, and collateral arrangements interact with surety underwriting.
Corporate Surety
How corporations and groups use surety facilities across multiple obligations.
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Start your application
Send us the obligee's bond requirement and we will advise the documents needed for your transaction.
SuretyPH is a digital information and lead-generation platform owned and operated by McMatthise Global Group Corporation. It does not independently underwrite, approve, bind, issue, or guarantee any insurance policy or surety bond. Evaluation, underwriting, premiums, approval, and issuance remain the responsibility of the relevant duly licensed insurance company.