If you’re importing clothing, for example, this is usually as simple as listing the country listed on the tag—if it says, “Made in Sri Lanka,” then you’re importing Sri Lankan goods, even if you’re buying them from a seller in Singapore. With some products, such as electronics, you might need to list multiple countries. For example, you might have a computer that was “assembled in China from components of Cambodia. “[3] X Trustworthy Source U. S. Customs and Border Protection Federal law enforcement agency responsible for monitoring U. S. borders, facilitating international trade, and upholding customs laws Go to source
For example, if you’re importing votive candle holders, you’d type “votive candle holders” in the HTS search bar and click “Search. " Scrolling down the search results, you see “Votive-candle holders” listed as 7013. 99. 3500. Click the item on the search results to see the full information for that item. If you have an ad blocker running on your browser, disable it before using the HTS. The database uses pop-ups to provide explanatory information that you’ll likely want to access. If you’re unsure about the classification, call the nearest port of entry and ask to speak to a CBP import specialist. They can help you figure out the right classification for the goods you’re importing so you don’t run into any problems down the line. [5] X Trustworthy Source U. S. Customs and Border Protection Federal law enforcement agency responsible for monitoring U. S. borders, facilitating international trade, and upholding customs laws Go to source
Column 1 is subdivided into “general” and “special. " If your item’s country of origin is listed under the “special” heading, no import duties are owed for the item. The duty rates listed in Column 2 only apply to products from countries with which the US does not have normal trade relations—as of 2022, Cuba and North Korea. For example, votive candle holders have a general rate of 6. 6%. If you happened to be importing votive candle holders from either Cuba or North Korea, you would pay import duties at a rate of 55%.
For example, if you purchased 2,000 votive candle holders at $1 a piece, your total cost would be $2,000. In rare instances, you might need to use more complicated methods to find a valuation of your imports, in which case it’s a good idea to work with a specialist rather than trying to figure it out on your own.
For example, if you purchased votive candle holders from China, your duty rate would be 5. 5%. For a total cost of $2,000, you’d owe $110 in import duties.
For example, if your goods are valued at $7,500, 0. 3464% of that value would be $25. 98, so you would pay an MPF of $27. 75. Imports from some countries are exempt from the MPF. Look up the country of origin for the goods you’re importing on the CBP table of Preferential Trade Programs and Free Trade Agreements to see if your shipment qualifies.
For example, alcoholic beverages and tobacco products are subject to a federal excise tax. If you’re not sure if the goods you’re importing are subject to any other taxes, ask a CBP import specialist at your nearest port of entry. They’ll be able to tell you. Other taxes, such as state and local sales tax, would come into play if you later sold the goods, but you don’t need to worry about those at the import stage. CBP doesn’t collect taxes on behalf of individual states.
Pros: cheapest delivery, can be handled in a single trip to the local post office Cons: no tracking numbers, can be slow There are exceptions to the $2,000 limit for postal service delivery. If you’re importing footwear, handbags, leather, plastics, rubber, and some toys or sporting equipment, the maximum total value is $250. Check the full list to make sure your goods don’t fall under any of these exceptions. If the declared value is less than $800, you typically won’t owe any import duties, although CBP may charge a processing fee.
Pros: tracking number so you can easily trace your shipment Cons: can be costly depending on the size of the shipment
Pros: most economical option for large purchases Cons: freight companies typically don’t provide door-to-door delivery, you might have to clear your goods through customs yourself
Keep in mind that it’s ultimately CBP that decides how much you owe in duties—not you, the seller, or the shipper of your goods. If CBP determines you owe duties, you’re responsible for paying them. If you used international mail or courier service, you might have to pay duties that were paid on your behalf when your goods are delivered.
If you’ve arranged for door-to-door delivery of your goods, the port of entry might not matter as much. But it’s still a good idea to choose one as close to you as possible—you might have to make a trip to the port of entry if a problem comes up with your goods. If you’re importing goods valued at more than $2,500, the CBP requires you to use formal entry, which means filing documentation of your shipment, paying a deposit, and getting a customs bond. You might also have to travel to the port of entry to enter the goods yourself.
International courier services, such as Fed-Ex or DHL, automatically use a customs broker to clear your goods on your behalf (and include it in your total shipping cost)—just another benefit of using one of these services rather than trying to deal with everything yourself. Customs broker fees vary depending on the size and complexity of your shipment. For a simple shipment that only involves 1 or 2 types of goods, you’ll likely pay a couple of hundred dollars. [17] X Research source
The import specialist will likely encourage you to hire a licensed customs broker, especially if you don’t have any experience importing goods into the US. They can help connect you with a broker who operates out of that port of entry.
It typically takes CBP 3-5 days to process ACE applications, but might take longer depending on the volume of applications. If your application is approved, you’ll get an email with a temporary user ID and password for you to use for your initial login to the system. If CBP can’t establish your account, you’ll get an email explaining why. You can email ACE. Support@cbp. dhs. gov for more information or to correct any errors on your application.
CBP Form 5106 (Create/Update Importer Identity Form) CBP Form 7501 (Entry Summary) Invoice (in English) Packing list (if available) Shipping documents (in English) Any other specialty forms required for your class of goods
Fill out CBP Form 301 (Customs Bond) reflecting the details of the bond you purchased and upload it so you can file it through ACE along with your other entry documents. It can take up to a year for CBP to make a final determination on your entry and calculate the duties, fees, and taxes owed. Your bond won’t be released until CBP makes this final determination, referred to as “liquidating” the entry.
Even if you haven’t hired a customs broker, your shipper will often take care of this document for you. They usually have agents to file these. If you’ve arranged for the goods to be shipped on directly to your address, the shipper will normally take care of this for you. Just know that you’re ultimately responsible for it.
This is important even if you’re working with a customs broker. They’ll likely have you look over and approve the forms before they submit them, so you need to make sure you’ve given them your okay within 15 days of the date your goods arrive.
CBP holds your deposit until it makes the final determination of your duties, then credits your deposit toward the duties you owe.
CBP will release your goods provided everything is in order. If CBP confiscates your goods for some reason, you can file a protest through your ACE account. CBP can require examination of your goods before releasing them. In that case, your goods would be transported to another site for examination before release. This takes at least another day. Remember, even though your goods have been released, that doesn’t mean the import process is over. You’ll get a statement when CBP has liquidated the entry, which could be up to a year from the date the goods were released. If CBP determines that you overpaid your duties, you’ll get a refund plus interest. For example, if you paid a deposit of $2,000 and CBP determined you only owed $1,500, you’ll receive a refund for $500 plus interest that has accrued from the date of release. On the other hand, if you underpaid your duties, you’ll get a bill for the difference plus interest. For example, if you paid a deposit of $1,000 and your entry liquidated at $1,200, CBP will send you a bill for $200 plus interest.
