Reviewed November 14, 2026. Calculate an illustrative US import-duty and landed-cost total using verified HTSUS and additional tariff rates. This tool does not provide live customs classification or binding assessments.
Enter verified rates. Default tariff fields are zero placeholders, not evidence that any shipment is duty-free. All amounts are in US dollars.
| Goods value | $10,000.00 |
| Freight and insurance | $440.00 |
| Ordinary tariff duty | $0.00 |
| Additional ad valorem tariff | $0.00 |
| Other entered specific duty | $0.00 |
| Merchandise Processing Fee | $34.64 |
| Harbor Maintenance Fee | $0.00 |
| Other government charges | $0.00 |
| Brokerage and carrier charges | $75.00 |
| Total estimated landed cash cost | $10,549.64 |
MPF for a qualifying formal entry uses 0.3464% with FY2027 minimum $34.58 and maximum $670.86, effective October 1, 2026. The automated informal option is only for shipments confirmed eligible for that specific $2.77 fee. Air cargo normally does not incur import vessel HMF. The calculator does not classify products or resolve overlapping duties automatically.
What does a US import duty calculator actually calculate?
A customs duty is the amount assessed using the relevant tariff rate and legal value of imported merchandise. A shipment can also incur CBP user fees, additional trade remedies, brokerage or carrier charges, freight and insurance. Our calculator separates these items and provides the total cash amount as well as an average per-unit estimate. The user supplies the tariff rates instead of the website claiming to have a live database of all HTSUS provisions.
The United States does not impose a single universal percentage on every imported product. Duty depends on the complete national tariff line, country of origin, product features, import procedure, additional measures and effective dates. A goods value entered as $10,000 does not establish whether a shipment is duty-free. The fields start at 0% for transparency, not as a rate recommendation.
How to find the correct HTSUS import duty rate
Start with an accurate description of the imported product, including its material, intended use, construction and country of manufacture. Search the official USITC Harmonized Tariff Schedule, then identify the ten-digit US statistical reporting line. Review the general or special duty treatment, any free trade preference and the detailed Chapter 99 rules relevant to the entry date.
US Customs and Border Protection makes official classification and entry determinations. If goods may qualify for a tariff exclusion, the full language and conditions of the notice matter, not just a similar product description. You can seek guidance from an import specialist or a licensed customs broker. For uncertain classifications, consider requesting a binding CBP ruling before ordering large quantities.
How to enter ordinary and additional duty percentages
Use the ordinary duty field for the legally applicable ad valorem tariff derived from the product’s base HTSUS classification. Enter a separate additional percentage only if you have confirmed the particular Section 301, Section 232 or other measure applies and can legally be combined with the ordinary rate. Some measures have exclusions, content-based valuation rules or anti-stacking conditions, so adding headline percentages without verifying them can be wrong.
For a specific duty based on weight, quantity or another fixed amount, calculate the actual amount independently and enter it in the separate dollar field. This tool does not attempt to classify complex compound duties automatically. If a shipment includes multiple types of goods with different tariff lines, calculate them separately and combine the line-level totals.
US customs transaction value versus total delivered cost
For many imports, the US ad valorem duty calculation begins with transaction value under customs law and any required adjustments. Separately stated international freight and insurance are not automatically added to the same duty base in the way that some countries use a CIF-based valuation. However, freight, insurance and destination delivery fees remain real commercial costs.
For example, $10,000 in goods value and $400 in international freight are not $10,400 in the customs goods-value field merely because the carrier charges for transport. Enter the freight in its separate field unless an applicable valuation adjustment requires otherwise. If the supplier invoice already includes shipping, make sure you do not double-count the same bill.
FY2027 Merchandise Processing Fee calculation
The formal-entry MPF rate is 0.3464% of applicable merchandise value, with minimum and maximum amounts adjusted each fiscal year. For FY2027, effective October 1, 2026, the limits are $34.58 and $670.86. The default formal-entry choice in this calculator uses these amounts for planning. Verify that your actual entry is subject to formal MPF and whether a preference program or another statutory provision exempts it.
At a $10,000 applicable goods value, raw formal MPF is $34.64, slightly above the $34.58 minimum. At $2,000, the raw amount of $6.928 is below the floor and the model would use $34.58 if the shipment really required formal MPF. At $300,000, the computed amount exceeds the ceiling and the modeled MPF is $670.86. A separate automated informal fee of $2.77 is offered only for the eligible FY2027 processing category, not as a universal parcel fee.
Harbor Maintenance Fee and other US entry charges
For many commercial vessel importations at HMF-covered US ports, the Harbor Maintenance Fee is generally 0.125% of applicable cargo value. If an eligible $20,000 import arrives by vessel, the simple HMF estimate is $25. Air freight or most overland movements do not attract this same import vessel fee. If you select the vessel option, verify coverage for your port and entry type.
A broker or courier may additionally charge entry preparation, bond, disbursement, advance-payment, storage, terminal or delivery service fees. Those private charges should not be mistaken for an extra federal customs duty rate. Enter them as brokerage or related service fees only once, based on your actual written quote.
Worked example: how tariffs change landed cost
Assume a shipment with $10,000 of goods, $400 of overseas freight, $40 insurance and $75 brokerage, imported by air as a qualifying FY2027 formal entry. If the tariff fields remain at 0%, the model shows $34.64 MPF and a cash landed cost of $10,549.64, or approximately $105.50 per unit for 100 units. The zero-rate example is arithmetic, not a claim that the goods legally face no customs duty.
Now suppose a verified 5% ordinary tariff and a separately applicable 10% additional tariff both apply without a stacking restriction. These add $500 and $1,000 in duties. The estimated landed cost rises to $12,049.64, or about $120.50 per unit. If the same goods instead arrive by qualifying commercial vessel, an illustrative $12.50 HMF adds further cost. Use actual customs notices and shipping terms before quoting a customer.
When and who actually pays import charges
For a business shipment, the importer of record generally bears customs filing obligations, while a customs broker or carrier often coordinates the payment and later bills the customer. With a DDP sales contract, the seller normally promises to handle destination duty costs. Under DAP, the buyer generally handles import clearance and taxes. This contract allocation does not remove the importer-of-record requirements imposed by US law.
Small parcels can be especially confusing because the historical US duty-free de minimis administrative exemption was suspended for most imports in August 2025, subject to legal exceptions. A low package value therefore does not guarantee zero duty, but the correct entry procedure and fee treatment still depend on carrier, product and regulations. Confirm your service with the broker or courier instead of assuming every parcel pays formal-entry MPF.
What is excluded from the calculation
The model does not search the live HTSUS, determine origin, decide if an additional measure can be stacked, calculate antidumping deposits or issue a binding customs ruling. It also does not automatically estimate federal excise tax, state use tax, customs bonds, port demurrage, local sales tax, regulatory permits or recoverable-tax accounting. Specific or compound duties must be entered as verified dollar amounts.
The computed average unit cost is a simple division by quantity. For a mixed shipment with multiple products, allocate freight and fees consistently and calculate distinct tariff lines separately. A business forecasting profit should also account for payment commissions, storage, advertising, returns, financing and other selling expenses.
Related calculators and official resources
For greater detail on customs user fees, use the US MPF and HMF calculator. For alternative Section 301 and Section 232 rate scenarios, use the US tariff-stacking scenario calculator. For a China-origin shipment, read the China to USA duty guide. To compare total pricing and target margins, use the global landed-cost calculator.
Official sources include the USITC Harmonized Tariff Schedule, CBP import guidance, and the FY2027 customs user-fee notice. Review the applicable notices for your entry date.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about US import duty
Does this tool automatically apply the tariff on goods from China?
No. Ordinary and additional tariffs must be verified for the product’s HTSUS line, origin, entry date, exclusions and non-stacking rules.
Is the former US $800 de minimis exemption still available?
The general duty-free de minimis treatment was suspended for most shipments in August 2025, subject to applicable legal exceptions. Small parcels can still use different entry procedures.
What is the difference between import duty and MPF?
Import duty is a tariff on merchandise. MPF is a separate US customs processing fee assessed under its own rules and limits.
Do I pay the same import taxes for air and ocean freight?
The product-specific customs duty can be similar, but eligible commercial vessel imports may incur HMF while ordinary air cargo does not.
Why does the calculator show 0% initially?
Zero is an unverified placeholder so the tool does not invent a legally applicable duty rate. Enter the exact verified rate before using the result.
These calculations are planning estimates. Confirm the applicable US customs classification, exemptions, filing procedure, fees and rate effective date with CBP or a qualified customs broker.