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CARM bond pricing
A CARM bond costs $250 CAD for a 1-year term on bond amounts up to $25,000. The premium is based on the bond amount the CBSA requires from you, which is 50% of your highest month of duties and taxes, with a $5,000 minimum per RM account. Longer terms cost less per year.
Terms are how long you prepay. The bond itself stays continuous until you cancel it or it lapses for non-payment, so a 3-year term is the same bond at a lower annual cost. If your required security amount increases, your bond amount can be increased to match.
What's included at that price
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Zipments vs a traditional surety broker vs a cash deposit
What is a CARM bond, and is it the same as an RPP bond?
A CARM bond and an RPP bond are the same thing. It is a surety bond you post in the CBSA CARM Client Portal to hold Release Prior to Payment privileges, which let you take delivery of commercial goods before duties and taxes are paid. “CARM bond” names the system you post it in. “RPP bond” names the privilege it protects. You will also see it referred to as a customs bond, a CARM surety bond, or a security bond. Same product.
Without it, every shipment sits until you have paid the CBSA in full.
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The CBSA system that manages importer accounts, duties, taxes, and financial security.
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Release Prior to Payment, the privilege that gets your goods released first and lets you pay duties and taxes later.
Who needs a CARM bond?
Any business that imports commercial goods into Canada and wants them released before payment is due must post security in CARM. That applies to:
Resident importers of record bringing commercial goods into Canada
Non-resident importers of record, including foreign businesses importing into Canada
Customs brokers, freight forwarders, and trade consultants arranging security for importer clients
Since CARM Release 2, you cannot use your broker's bond. The security has to be in your own name, on your own RM account.
If you skip it, you lose RPP. That means paying all duties and taxes upfront for every shipment before the CBSA releases it, tying up cash and holding your goods at the border.
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How to buy your CARM bond from Zipments
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Already have a Zipments account? Buy it from your dashboard.
How much bond do you need?
Your required bond is 50% of your highest single month of duties and taxes over the last 12 months, with a minimum of $5,000 per RM account and a maximum of $10 million. If you post cash instead, the CBSA requires 100% of that highest month.
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Your exact required amount is shown in your CARM Client Portal. To estimate the duty and tax figures for your products, run them through the duty and tax calculator.
Surety bond or cash deposit?
Most importers post a surety bond because it meets the full requirement for a small premium, rather than locking up their own capital.
Covers 50% of your highest duty month. You pay a premium of $250 and up depending on the bond amount and term. Your working capital stays in the business. This iswhat most importers and brokers use.
Covers 100% of your highest duty month. No premium, but the cash sits with the CBSA and is unavailable to you until it is released.
In a $40,000 highest-duty month, the choice is $250 for the year versus $40,000 taken from your account. That is the entire argument.
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When to buy
RPP security is mandatory now. There is no grace period left, so the bond must be active before you request a shipment release, not after.
Practical guidance: buy ahead of your peak shipping season, and buy before your import volume grows enough to raise your required security. Issuance takes 24 to 48 hours, and the CBSA portal can take another 1 to 2 business days to show it, so give yourself the better part of a week.
Why importers buy their CARM bond from Zipments
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Frequently asked questions
How much does a CARM bond cost?
A CARM bond costs $250 CAD for a 1-year term on bond amounts from $5,000 to $25,000, $450 for 2 years, and $600 for 3 years. Bonds from $25,001 to $50,000 cost $500 for 1 year, $750 for 2 years, and $1,000 for 3 years.
What is the cheapest way to get a CARM bond?
The lowest published price for a small CARM bond in Canada is $250 for a 1-year term, which is what Zipments charges on bond amounts up to $25,000. Longer terms cost less per year, so a 3-year term at $600 works out to $200 a year. Surety premiums are broadly standardized across providers, so the real differences are turnaround time, whether the price is published, and whether you can buy online without a sales call.
Can I buy a CARM bond online with a credit card?
Yes. Zipments is a fully digital checkout. You enter your bond amount, see the price, pay by credit card, and the bond is issued in 24 to 48 hours and filed to your CARM Client Portal.
How fast can I get a CARM bond?
Zipments issues CARM bonds in 24 to 48 hours. It then takes 1 to 2 business days for the bond to appear in your CARM Client Portal.
How much bond do I need for CARM?
Your required bond is 50% of your highest month of duties and taxes over the past 12 months, with a minimum of $5,000 per RM account and a maximum of $10 million. Your exact amount is shown in your CARM Client Portal.
What is a CARM surety bond?
A CARM surety bond is an RPP bond backed by a licensed surety provider and posted in the CARM Client Portal. It guarantees to the CBSA that you will pay your duties and taxes, allowing you to release commercial goods before payment.
Do I pay the CARM bond premium every year?
Only if you buy a 1-year term. The bond is continuous, and terms are how long you prepay. A 3-year term at $600 covers you for 3 years and then renews.
Can a non-resident importer buy a CARM bond?
Yes. Non-resident importers of record can post RPP security and buy a CARM bond. Zipments supports non-resident applications.
What happens if I don't post an RPP bond?
You lose Release Prior to Payment privileges, meaning you must pay all duties and taxes to the CBSA before each shipment is released. That delays your goods and ties up cash.
Can I use my customs broker's bond instead?
No. Since CARM Release 2, importers must post their own security under their own RM account. Broker bonds no longer cover importer obligations.
What does CARM stand for?
CARM stands for CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management, the Canada Border Services Agency system that manages importer accounts, duty and tax assessment, and financial security.
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