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Import Duty Calculator

Calculate import duty, VAT and the total landed cost of a shipment.

About Import Duty Calculator

Duty is charged on the CIF value including freight and insurance, and VAT is then charged on the duty-inclusive total. This compounding means the effective uplift exceeds the sum of the two rates. Registered importers usually reclaim the VAT but never the duty, which is why the duty rate matters far more to landed cost than the VAT rate does.

Formula

Import Duty

Duty on CIF value; VAT on CIF plus duty; landed cost adds clearance fees

CIF value
Cost, insurance and freight, the usual customs valuation basis
VAT on duty
Import VAT is charged on the duty-inclusive value, compounding the two

Worked example

With the default values below, Import Duty Calculator returns Total Landed Cost of $20,587.90. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Value of goodsminimum 0
15,000
Freight costminimum 0
1,200
Insurance costminimum 0
150
Duty rateaccepts 0–100 %
4.5 %
Import VAT rateaccepts 0–40 %
20 %
Customs clearance feeminimum 0
85

Results

Total Landed Cost
$20,587.90
Customs Value
$16,350.00
Duty Payable
$735.75
Import VAT Payable
$3,417.15
Uplift Over the Goods Value
37.25%

Step by step

  1. 1Values used
  2. 2Import Duty
  3. 3Total Landed Cost= 20,587.90
  4. 4Customs Value= 16,350.00
  5. 5Duty Payable= 735.75
  6. 6Import VAT Payable= 3,417.15
  7. 7Uplift Over the Goods Value= 37.25

Assumptions and limits

  • The result is derived only from the 6 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
  • In particular, this calculator does not take inflation or compounding frequency into account.
  • Figures are rounded for display to 2 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
  • Duty rates depend on the commodity code, country of origin and applicable trade agreements, and misclassification carries penalties. This is a general calculation and not customs advice. Consult a customs broker or the relevant authority.
  • This is an estimate for general information and not professional financial, tax or legal advice. See the full disclaimer for the limits that apply to this kind of calculator.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Duty rates depend on the commodity code, country of origin and applicable trade agreements, and misclassification carries penalties. This is a general calculation and not customs advice. Consult a customs broker or the relevant authority.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is Import Duty calculated?

Duty on CIF value; VAT on CIF plus duty; landed cost adds clearance fees Duty is charged on the CIF value including freight and insurance, and VAT is then charged on the duty-inclusive total. This compounding means the effective uplift exceeds the sum of the two rates.

Why does Import Duty matter?

Registered importers usually reclaim the VAT but never the duty, which is why the duty rate matters far more to landed cost than the VAT rate does.

What values do I need to enter?

This calculator takes 6 inputs: Value of goods, Freight cost, Insurance cost, Duty rate, Import VAT rate, Customs clearance fee. The pre-filled defaults are a realistic starting point — replace them with figures from your own environment for a result you can act on.

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