Check your new CARM security number before 15 January
CBSA reviews every importer's financial security requirement once a year, over 20 October to 19 October, and the new amount applies from 15 January. Bond Sizer rebuilds your monthly balances from your own CARM statements, estimates the new requirement, compares it with what you have posted and shows your options, so you can close any gap before the new amount applies.
Updated
- Your monthly account receivable balance for the last 12 months, rebuilt from the statements you download from the CARM Client Portal, with the peak month marked.
- The estimated requirement next to your posted security, counting a written security agreement at 50 percent of the requirement and a deposit at 100 percent, with the CAN$5,000 bond minimum applied.
- A plain choice for each RM account: keep, top up the bond with your surety, add a deposit, or prepare a reduction request with projections.
Your security can fall short without anything changing on your side
Release Prior to Payment lets an importer get goods released before paying duties and taxes, and pay later. Since CARM became CBSA's system of record, importers post their own financial security in the CARM Client Portal: a bond from a surety, a cash deposit, or both. The amount is tied to how much the importer owes CBSA at its busiest.
That number moves. A strong season, new product lines, higher duties on some goods or a late GST payment can lift the peak balance. CBSA recalculates the requirement once a year, and the new minimum applies from 15 January. If posted security falls short, or utilization goes over 100 percent, CBSA can suspend or revoke the privilege, and goods wait at the border until duties are paid.
The other side is money left on the table. Importers whose volumes fell may be over-secured, paying a surety premium on a bond larger than they need or keeping cash tied up in a deposit. Reductions are possible but need CBSA's approval and sometimes projections and evidence.
- CBSA Memorandum D17-5-2 (revised 8 August 2025): CBSA reviews each RM account's financial security requirement annually over 20 October to 19 October; the new requirement is notified in the CARM Client Portal and takes effect on 15 January, the date by which importers must comply. Source: cbsa-asfc.gc.ca
- Under the same memorandum, at enrolment the requirement is based on the highest monthly account receivable balance of the previous 12 months for each RM account, counting duties, taxes including GST, interest and adjustments; both resident and non-resident importers must meet it. Source: cbsa-asfc.gc.ca
- A written security agreement must cover 50 percent of the requirement with a CAN$5,000 minimum per RM account; a deposit must cover 100 percent with no minimum; the maximum is CAN$10 million per RM account, and forms can be mixed (D17-5-2). Source: cbsa-asfc.gc.ca
- CARM notifies importers when utilization reaches 75 and 100 percent, utilization must stay under 100 percent, a reduction of the requirement needs CBSA approval, and CBSA may suspend or revoke the RPP privilege if security is inadequate (D17-5-2). Source: cbsa-asfc.gc.ca
Without it
- Doing it yourself in the portal: Free. The CARM Client Portal shows your security, utilization and statements, and CBSA notifies the new requirement…
- Your customs broker or surety provider: Brokers and surety providers arrange and adjust bonds, and many will raise the amount when asked. They are paid on the…
- Your accountant: An accountant can rebuild the balances from your statements. It works if they know CARM's statement layout; Bond Sizer…
With Bond Sizer
- Your monthly account receivable balance for the last 12 months, rebuilt from the statements you download from the CARM Client Portal, with the peak month marked.
- The estimated requirement next to your posted security, counting a written security agreement at 50 percent of the requirement and a deposit at 100 percent, with the CAN$5,000 bond minimum applied.
- A plain choice for each RM account: keep, top up the bond with your surety, add a deposit, or prepare a reduction request with projections.
- Monthly balance rebuild
- Requirement estimate
How it works
- 1
$19 utilization check
Send a screenshot or export of one RM account's financial security and current balance. Within one business day we tell you how close you are to the 75 and 100 percent alerts.
- 2
You download your statements
Account statements covering the last 12 to 15 months from the CARM Client Portal, plus your bond or deposit details. You keep your login.
- 3
We size the security
Monthly balances rebuilt, peak month found, requirement estimated and compared with what is posted, within two business days.
- 4
You act before 15 January
You ask your surety to change the bond, adjust the deposit in the portal, or submit a reduction request using the projection sheet we prepare with you.
Features
Monthly balance rebuild
Your account receivable balance month by month, split into duties, GST, interest and adjustments, so you can see what drove the peak.
Requirement estimate
The requirement estimated with the method CBSA's memorandum describes for enrolment, shown next to the figure CBSA notifies in the portal once you have it.
Bond and deposit mix
How much bond or deposit you need under each mix, with the 50 percent bond rule, the CAN$5,000 bond minimum and the CAN$10 million cap applied.
Reduction request pack
If you are over-secured, a projection sheet of expected monthly duties and taxes and the evidence list CBSA may ask for. You submit it in the portal.
Expiry and renewal dates
Your bond's validity dates and the notice CBSA sends within three months of expiry, so renewal does not slip into the January deadline.
Utilization headroom
How many weeks of normal imports you can absorb before reaching 75 and 100 percent utilization, based on your own monthly pattern.
A look inside
What you get: the working view and the delivery report.
Illustration of the layout, built from this page's own feature list. It shows no real results.
Who it's for
Small Canadian importers
You enrolled in RPP when CARM arrived and have not looked at the number since. You get a clear check before the January date.
Non-resident importers
You are a US or overseas seller importing into Canada under your own business number. You get the same review without learning CARM's statements.
Seasonal businesses
Your imports peak before the holidays. You get the peak month explained and a mix of bond and deposit that covers it.
Bookkeepers for importers
Clients ask why their surety premium or deposit changed. You get a review per client tied to their own CARM statements.
Works with
- CARM Client Portal statements of account (you download)
- Financial security details from the portal
- Surety bond documents
- Excel and CSV
- Google Sheets
- QuickBooks or Xero exports of CBSA payments
Pricing
Prices in US dollars, paid once. The $19 utilization check is credited in full against a review ordered within 30 days. We work only from statements and documents you download and send; we never log in to the CARM Client Portal, never contact CBSA or your surety for you, and never post or change security. CBSA sets the requirement; our figure is an estimate to plan with. Founding customer pricing applies to early-access orders.
Orders are subject to the Bond Sizer terms.
Utilization check
$19 one-time
One RM account, current position
- Current utilization against 75 and 100 percent
- Bond validity date
- What to download for a full review
- Reply within one business day
- The $19 is credited in full against a review ordered within 30 days
Annual review
$129 one-time
One RM account, before the 15 January date
- 12 to 15 months of balances rebuilt
- Requirement estimate and gap
- Bond and deposit mix options
- Utilization headroom
- Reduction request pack if over-secured
- One re-check when CBSA's notice arrives
Multi-account review
$290 one-time
Up to 5 RM accounts or client businesses
- Everything in Annual review, per account
- Summary across accounts
- Two utilization re-checks during the year
- Email help for 90 days
Compared with the alternatives
- Doing it yourself in the portal
- Free. The CARM Client Portal shows your security, utilization and statements, and CBSA notifies the new requirement there. If your imports are steady and well under the alerts, this is enough.
- Your customs broker or surety provider
- Brokers and surety providers arrange and adjust bonds, and many will raise the amount when asked. They are paid on the bond and brokerage, so ask whether they will also check if you are over-secured.
- Your accountant
- An accountant can rebuild the balances from your statements. It works if they know CARM's statement layout; Bond Sizer is a fixed-price pass focused on this one question.
From request to a sized security plan
Reviews are delivered within two business days of receiving your statements.
- Day 1: Utilization check on one RM account.
- Day 1: You download 12 to 15 months of statements and your security details.
- Day 2–3: Review delivered: balances, estimate, gap and options.
- When CBSA's notice arrives: One re-check against the official figure.
Security and data
- We never ask for or store CARM Client Portal logins.
- Statements are encrypted in transit and at rest and used only for your review.
- Only the people working on your order can open your files, and each access is logged.
- Files are deleted 60 days after delivery, or sooner on request.
Questions
When does the new requirement apply?
CBSA reviews the requirement over 20 October to 19 October and the new amount takes effect on 15 January, the date by which you must be compliant. For the period that ended on 19 October 2026, that is 15 January 2027.
How is the requirement calculated?
At enrolment, CBSA bases it on the highest monthly account receivable balance of the previous 12 months for each RM account, including duties, GST, interest and adjustments. A bond needs to cover half of it, with a CAN$5,000 minimum; a deposit needs to cover all of it.
What happens if my security is too low?
CARM sends alerts at 75 and 100 percent utilization. If coverage is inadequate, you must pay down the balance or add security, and CBSA may suspend or revoke your Release Prior to Payment privilege.
Can I lower my bond?
You can ask. Increases need no approval, but a reduction depends on CBSA's approval, and CBSA may ask for projections and evidence. Bond Sizer prepares the projection sheet; you submit the request in the portal.
Do non-resident importers need this?
Yes, if they use Release Prior to Payment. CBSA's memorandum applies the same financial security requirement to resident and non-resident importers.
Do you need my CARM login?
No. You download the statements and security details yourself and send them to us. We never log in, contact CBSA or change your security.
Is this legal or financial advice?
No. Bond Sizer is a calculation and record-keeping service, not legal, tax or customs brokerage advice, and Rotomal is not affiliated with CBSA. Confirm changes with your customs broker, surety provider or accountant.
Size your security before 15 January
A $19 utilization check, then a full annual review from $129, paid once. You stay in control of the portal.
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