How is import duty calculated?
Customs typically starts from an assessable value (often the shipment value plus freight and insurance, sometimes called the CIF value), then multiplies it by a duty rate that depends on the product’s HS/tariff code and its country of origin. This calculator follows that structure: enter your shipment value, freight, insurance, and duty rate, and it returns the duty amount, the tax on top of it, and the total.
How much is import duty, in general?
It depends entirely on the product and the destination — duty rates for the same item can range from 0% (many trade-agreement or de minimis cases) to well over 100% for specific protected categories. There is no single “import duty” percentage; you need your product’s HS/tariff code and destination country to find the real rate, then this calculator turns that rate into a dollar figure.
Does this look up my HS code or the exact duty rate for my product?
No — doing that requires a live, licensed tariff database (the kind commercial customs-broker tools use), which this calculator does not have access to. Instead, look up your product’s HS/tariff code and the resulting rate with your destination’s official customs authority (ICEGATE/CBIC for India, the USITC HTS search for the USA, the EU’s TARIC database for Europe), then enter that rate here to see the dollar amount.
How does India’s Basic Customs Duty, Social Welfare Surcharge, and IGST work?
India charges Basic Customs Duty (BCD) on the CIF value, then a Social Welfare Surcharge fixed by law at 10% of the duty amount (not the goods value), then IGST on the CIF value plus the duty plus the surcharge — so IGST is effectively charged on the duty too. Select India mode and this calculator runs that exact cascade; only the BCD and IGST rates need to be entered, since the surcharge is a fixed 10% by CBIC Circular No. 3/2022.
Is there a minimum shipment value below which I owe no duty?
It depends on the country, and it changes — for example, the United States indefinitely suspended its long-standing $800 duty-free de minimis exemption in 2026 (effective June 24, 2026, per the Federal Register), so essentially every US-bound commercial shipment now owes duty regardless of value. Always check your destination country’s current de minimis threshold rather than assuming an old figure still applies.
Does this work for the USA, Europe, or any other country?
Yes — Global mode is a generic duty-then-tax calculation that works for any country: enter your destination’s duty rate and its import VAT, GST, or sales tax rate (0 if your country charges no import tax, as the USA generally does at the federal level), and it computes duty, tax, and total landed cost in whatever currency you use.
What is Compensation Cess, and when does it apply?
It’s an additional Indian import charge on a specific list of goods — tobacco and tobacco products, aerated or sugary drinks, coal, certain luxury and SUV-category vehicles, and a few others — calculated the same way as IGST, on the CIF value plus duty plus surcharge. Leave it at 0 unless you know your specific product is on that list.
Does this calculate export duty?
No — this calculator is import-focused. Most countries do not charge export duty at all; where it exists (India charges it on a short list of items like iron ore and some minerals), it is a separate, much narrower calculation that this tool does not model.
Does this replace ICEGATE, a customs broker, or an official duty calculator?
No. ICEGATE is India’s official government customs portal, and a licensed customs broker or your destination’s official duty calculator can give you the actual rate and file your declaration. Use this calculator to turn a rate you’ve already found into a dollar estimate — not as a substitute for the official lookup or filing.
Can I use this for any currency?
Yes. Keep every input — shipment value, freight, insurance — in the same currency, and the duty, tax, and total will come out correctly in that same currency, whether you are working in dollars, euros, pounds, rupees, or any other.
What is the difference between the duty and the total landed cost?
Duty is just one component — the customs charge on the assessable value. Total landed cost is the full real cost of the shipment: the original shipment value plus freight plus insurance plus every duty, surcharge, tax, and cess. Total landed cost is the number to use for pricing or budgeting; duty alone understates what you’ll actually pay.
Why is import tax charged on the duty amount, not just the goods value?
In most VAT/GST/IGST systems, the import tax base is defined as the customs value plus the duty already charged (and, in India, the surcharge too) — not the bare goods price. That’s a deliberate rule in most tax codes, not a calculation error, so this calculator applies tax to the duty-inclusive base to match how it actually works at the border.
Where do I find the correct duty rate for my HS code?
Each country publishes its own tariff schedule, searchable by HS (Harmonized System) code: India’s CBIC/ICEGATE portal, the US International Trade Commission’s HTS search, and the EU’s TARIC database are the official starting points. A customs broker or freight forwarder can also classify your product and confirm the rate if you are not sure of the code.