Import Duty Calculator — China to USA
One calculator for duties worldwide. Pick your destination — US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia, or India — enter your product value and HTS/HS code, and see the total government charges before your goods leave the port.
Based on published HTS, CBP, USTR, and other official tariff guidance in effect at the last review date.
Use this for planning. Final duty liability depends on HTS classification, origin, exclusions, non-stacking rules, and customs review.
import duty calculator
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Importing goods from China means navigating multiple layers of US customs costs — and understanding every fee before your shipment arrives is the difference between a profitable import and an expensive surprise.
This import duty calculator uses official US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) formulas to estimate your total customs costs: the basic HTS duty, Merchandise Processing Fee (MPF), and Harbor Maintenance Fee (HMF). For Section 301 tariffs on China-origin goods, use our dedicated Section 301 calculator.
Duties are assessed on your CIF value (Cost + Insurance + Freight) — not the factory price alone. Many importers make the mistake of calculating duty only on the product price and forget to include shipping, which increases the dutiable value by 10–30%.
How US Import Duty Is Calculated
Step 1 — Calculate CIF Value:
CIF = FOB Value + Freight Cost + Insurance
Step 2 — Calculate Basic Duty:
Duty = CIF Value × Duty Rate
Step 3 — Calculate MPF:
MPF = max($32.71, min($634.62, CIF × 0.3464%))
Step 4 — Calculate HMF (sea shipments only):
HMF = CIF × 0.125%
Total Customs Cost = Duty + MPF + HMF
| Variable | Definition |
|---|---|
| FOB | Free on Board — factory price before shipping |
| CIF | Cost + Insurance + Freight — the standard US dutiable value |
| Duty Rate | Found in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) at hts.usitc.gov |
| MPF | Merchandise Processing Fee — min $32.71, max $634.62 per entry |
| HMF | Harbor Maintenance Fee — 0.125% of CIF, sea shipments only |
Worked Example: Importing 500 Bluetooth Speakers
Scenario: You're importing 500 Bluetooth speakers from Shenzhen at $9 FOB each. Sea freight to Los Angeles costs $650. Your HTS rate is 4.9% (HTS 8518.22.0000).
| Item | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| FOB Value | 500 × $9 | $4,500 |
| Sea Freight | — | $650 |
| Insurance (0.5%) | ($4,500 + $650) × 0.5% | $26 |
| CIF Value | $4,500 + $650 + $26 | $5,176 |
| Basic Duty | $5,176 × 4.9% | $253.62 |
| MPF | max($32.71, $5,176 × 0.3464%) | $32.71 (min applies) |
| HMF | $5,176 × 0.125% | $6.47 |
| Total Duties | $253.62 + $32.71 + $6.47 | $292.80 |
| Landed at Port | $5,176 + $292.80 | $5,468.80 |
| Per Speaker | $5,468.80 ÷ 500 | $10.94 |
Note: These speakers may also be subject to Section 301 tariffs at 7.5–25% additional. Check your specific HS code at USTR's Section 301 list.
Common Import Duty Rates for China Products (2026)
| Product Category | Example HTS Codes | Standard Rate | Section 301 Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Electronics | 8471, 8517, 8518 | 0–2% | +7.5% to +25% |
| Clothing & Apparel | 6101–6117 | 12–32% | +7.5% |
| Furniture | 9401–9403 | 0–5.3% | +25% |
| Toys & Games | 9503 | 0% | +7.5% |
| Plastic Products | 3926 | 3.4–5.3% | +25% |
| Steel & Metal Products | 7301–7326 | 0–7.9% | +25% |
| Machinery & Equipment | 8428–8479 | 0–3.9% | +25% |
| Footwear | 6401–6405 | 6–37.5% | +7.5% |
| Bags & Luggage | 4202 | 3.4–20% | +25% |
| Rubber Products | 4001–4017 | 0–4.2% | +25% |
Rates are indicative. Always verify at hts.usitc.gov with your 10-digit HTS code.
7 Tips to Minimize Import Duty Costs
Verify your HTS code before ordering. A single 10-digit HTS number determines your duty rate. Wrong classification means wrong duties — and CBP can reclassify and bill you for arrears. Use CBP's CROSS database for binding rulings.
Check Section 301 separately. Section 301 China tariffs are in addition to the standard rate and calculated on FOB value only. Many products have a 0% standard duty but still carry a 25% Section 301 tariff.
Understand the de minimis threshold. Shipments with a declared value under $800 qualify for duty-free informal entry under Section 321. This is useful for samples and test orders — but can't be used repeatedly for the same goods.
Use a licensed customs broker. For shipments over $2,500 (formal entry), a licensed broker reduces errors, catches classification issues, and typically pays for itself by avoiding delays and penalties. Fees: $150–300 per shipment.
Apply for binding rulings. If you import unusual products or disagree with a classification, request a binding ruling from CBP before importing. It gives you legal certainty and protects against audits.
Explore first sale valuation. If you buy through a trading company or intermediary, you may declare customs value based on the first sale (factory price) rather than the middleman's price, reducing dutiable value legally.
Consider duty drawback programs. If you import goods, pay duties, and later export them (or manufactured products that incorporate them), you can recover up to 99% of duties paid through the duty drawback program.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is US import duty calculated from China?
US import duty is calculated on the CIF (Cost + Insurance + Freight) value of goods. Multiply the CIF value by your product's duty rate from the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS). Additional fees include MPF (0.3464%, min $32.71, max $634.62) and HMF (0.125% for sea shipments).
Do I pay Section 301 tariffs on top of regular duties?
Yes. If your product is on US-China Section 301 tariff lists, you pay the regular HTS rate PLUS the Section 301 additional tariff (7.5% or 25%) on the FOB value. Use our Section 301 Tariff Calculator for the combined total.
What is the MPF (Merchandise Processing Fee)?
MPF is a US Customs fee of 0.3464% of CIF value, with a minimum of $32.71 and maximum of $634.62 per entry. It applies to all formal entries (shipments over $2,500). Most importers pay the minimum for small shipments.
How do I find the correct duty rate for my product?
Visit hts.usitc.gov and search for your product. The 10-digit HTS number shows your Column 1 duty rate (applies to most countries including China). If your product has a Section 301 tariff, add that rate separately.
Is duty calculated on FOB or CIF value?
In the United States, duty is assessed on CIF value (FOB + freight + insurance). This differs from some countries that use FOB-only valuation. Always include your shipping cost when calculating US duties.
Can I reduce import duties legally?
Yes — through first sale valuation (if you buy through an intermediary), duty drawback (if you later export the goods), foreign trade zones, or by choosing a different HTS classification with a lower rate. Consult a licensed customs broker for legal strategies specific to your products.
What happens if I under-declare customs value?
Under-declaring value is customs fraud. CBP can impose fines up to 4× the unpaid duty, seize your goods, and refer cases for criminal prosecution. It is never worth the risk — CBP uses market price databases to detect undervaluation.
How to use the import duty calculator
Calculator queries that rank well in Google usually do more than output a number. Searchers want to know what the number means, which inputs move it the most, and how to validate it before money is committed. That is the role of this import duty calculator — china to usa. It is designed to turn a rough import question into a structured planning exercise by collecting inputs such as FOB Product Value, Freight Cost, Insurance Rate, Duty Rate (HTS), and Section 301 Tariff and converting them into outputs such as CIF Value, Basic Import Duty, Section 301 Tariff, China IEEPA Tariff, and MPF + HMF. For an importer, that is the difference between a vague estimate and a number that can actually be used in sourcing, budgeting, freight planning, or internal margin review.
The best workflow is to start with the facts you can verify today and then rerun the tool as better information arrives. A supplier quotation, an updated incoterm, a revised carton size, or a new customs assumption can all move the answer materially. That is why this tool works best when it is used early and then used again before approval, payment, and shipment. The goal is not to create a perfect forecast on the first pass. The goal is to identify the inputs that matter enough to justify deeper checking with your broker, forwarder, lab, supplier, or finance team.
For this category, the main planning drivers are classification, customs value basis, Section 301 or similar trade actions, anti-dumping exposure, and destination-market VAT or GST. If you only review one part of the calculation, review those items first. They are the assumptions most likely to change the landed cost, compliance burden, lead time, or working-capital requirement enough to affect the final decision. SERP leaders in calculator queries tend to win because they help users understand those drivers instead of leaving them with a black-box result, so this page now does the same.
What to gather before you trust the result
Before relying on any output, gather a precise product description, material composition, invoice value, incoterm, country of origin, freight assumptions, and the tariff code you expect to declare. Those details are what convert a generic calculator into a commercially useful one. If the supplier changes the price basis, if the shipment mode changes, if the product classification shifts, or if the destination market introduces a different rule, the result should change with it. Many thin calculator pages fail in Google because they give the user a number without explaining what inputs deserve attention. This page is meant to close that gap by making the calculation part of a repeatable decision workflow, not a one-click shortcut.
Google SERP patterns for calculator and import-guide queries consistently reward pages that explain manual logic, practical use, and next-step validation. In practice, that means using the result as a planning range instead of a guaranteed final cost. Run a base case using the most likely assumptions, a conservative case using slower clearance or higher fees, and a stress case if the product sits in a sensitive category. That approach is especially useful for importers because one small error in customs, freight, or compliance assumptions can wipe out a margin that looked healthy in a single optimistic scenario.
A useful internal question is simple: if the answer is worse than expected, which input would you negotiate first? Sometimes the answer is unit cost. Sometimes it is packaging, payment terms, route selection, or certification scope. The calculator helps you find that lever sooner. Look up your HS code first. Your HTS/HS code determines your duty rate. Use hts.usitc.gov (US), trade.gov.uk/tariff (UK), or cbsa-asfc.gc.ca (Canada) — not your supplier's guess. When you combine that discipline with supplier documents and published government references, the result becomes much more useful for real purchasing decisions.
How to validate the estimate with official sources
The final step is verification. Planning tools should help you discover what to check next, not tempt you to skip the check. That is why this page pairs the calculator with official references such as USITC HTS, USTR Section 301, and GOV.UK Trade Tariff. Those sources are where you confirm the live rule that applies to your shipment, product, or destination market. They are especially important when tariff treatment, import valuation, documentation, or regulatory scope can change after an update from customs or a regulator.
For this category, the safest workflow is to classify the product first, confirm how the destination market measures duty, add any extra trade measures, and then layer in VAT, GST, or entry fees. If the answer from the calculator and the answer from the official source tell different stories, the official source wins and the model should be updated. That sounds obvious, but many import losses happen because a business keeps using an old spreadsheet or an old rule after the commercial facts have moved. Verifying the current rule before approving production or booking freight is usually far cheaper than fixing a customs, compliance, or margin problem after the shipment is already moving.
The core risk to avoid here is using a supplier guess for the tariff code, ignoring extra trade measures, or treating customs charges like one flat percentage. That risk usually appears late, when leverage is weakest and the cost of correction is highest. Use the result from this page as the first pass, then pressure-test it with supporting documents and government guidance. That mirrors the way high-performing calculator pages on Google support user intent: a fast answer first, followed by explanation, formula context, interpretation, and the path to real-world validation.
Official Sources for Import Duties & Taxes
Use these government sources to confirm the live rule, tariff treatment, valuation basis, or import procedure behind the estimate on this page before you rely on it for a shipment, quotation, or reorder decision.
- USITC HTS - Official U.S. tariff schedule and duty lookup.
- USTR Section 301 - Official Section 301 tariff actions and exclusions.
- GOV.UK Trade Tariff - UK commodity codes, duty, and VAT measures.
- ICEGATE Duty Calculator - Official India customs duty calculation portal.
Tips for China Importers
- Look up your HS code first. Your HTS/HS code determines your duty rate. Use hts.usitc.gov (US), trade.gov.uk/tariff (UK), or cbsa-asfc.gc.ca (Canada) — not your supplier's guess.
- Check for Section 301 exemptions. Some products have granted exclusions at ustr.gov. These can eliminate the additional 7.5–25% tariff entirely. Verify before every order.
- First Sale Valuation can lower your duty base. If buying through a trading company, CBP may allow you to declare the factory price (not the middleman price) as the dutiable value — ask your customs broker.
- Get a Binding Ruling for anything uncertain. CBP can issue a written classification ruling at no charge through its binding-ruling process. It can help when your product classification is unclear.
- Keep import records for 5 years. CBP can audit any entry up to 5 years post-import. Store your commercial invoices, packing lists, and entry summaries.