A bonded carrier is a motor carrier authorized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection to transport freight that has not yet cleared customs. To earn that authorization it posts a customs bond — a financial guarantee that duties and taxes will be paid and that the goods will reach their designated customs destination without being diverted or released prematurely.
Bonded status matters in drayage because imported containers are frequently moved "in bond" from the port of arrival to an inland customs facility, bonded warehouse, or a container freight station before they are formally entered and cleared. Only a bonded carrier can legally perform that in-bond move.
The concept overlaps with programs like C-TPAT (a voluntary supply-chain security partnership with CBP), but they are distinct: a customs bond is a financial authorization to carry in-bond cargo, while C-TPAT is a security certification. Both are self-declared credentials to verify directly with the carrier.
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