The ultimate guide to importing goods from China, checking tariffs and taxes

Understanding import duties, port charges, VAT, and other taxes are crucial when importing products from China, However, each country or market have its own import duty rates and customs value calculation methods.

Here is a summary of a few websites for you:

1. U.S. International Trade Commission official website：

https://hts.usitc.gov/

Query method: enter the above website, enter the first 6 digits of China HS CODE in the search box under HTS Search, such as desk lamp 940520****, the left frame of the search result page has a detailed HTS CODE, choose it according to your product.

For specific products, you can see that there are several columns in “Rates of Duty”. Which column should you look at?

 “General” in “1” refers to the tariffs of most imported products from the world (including China), “Special” refers to the import tariffs of countries that have related free trade agreements with the United States; “2” refers to trades that have no trade relations with the United States Import tariffs of restricted special countries (such as North Korea).

Below follows a list of products and their respective duty rate in the United States:

• Wristwatches: 9.8% + US$1.53 per unit
• Tablet PC: 0%
• Solar Panels: 0%
• T-Shirts: 16.5%
• Electric Bikes: 0%
• LED Bulb Lights: 3.9%
• Peanuts: 131.8%

Notice that these rates don’t take the additional 10% to 25% tariff into consideration

Here we have compiled and listed the unified tariff table and general instructions, which you can download directly.

2. European Union

The most important aspect of EU trade policy is the customs union. Products imported from a third country are subject to the same import tariffs regardless of which country they enter the EU.

The 27 EU countries are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Romania, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.

EU Tariff Database (TARIC)

Below follows a list of common products and their respective duty rate in the EU:

• • Wristwatches: 4.5% (Min: €0.30, Max: €0.80)
  • Tablet PC: 0%
  • Solar Panels: 0%
  • T-Shirts: 12%
  • Electric Bikes: 6%
  • LED Bulb Lights: 4.7%
  • Peanuts: 12.8%

3. Russia

Official website of Russian import tariff

You can also query the code in the left column, and download the tax rate documents of specific tax rules in the right part.

4. Japan

Starting from April 1, 2019, Japan will no longer grant tariff preferences to China’s GSP for goods exported to Japan.

Official website of Japan’s import tariff

The latest version in April 2019 is also in accordance with the tax rules. Look at the column of WTO member tax rates.

The CODE used by the supplier may not necessarily be the HS-CODE used by the buyer during customs clearance. At present, the first 6 digits of HS CODE in the world can be basically the same, but the last few digits will be refined and different from country to country, and we need to compare the detailed description of the product.

5. Canada

Canada FOB method.

Import and Export

6. Australia

https://www.abf.gov.au/

7.New Zealand

https://www.customs.govt.nz/personal/duty-and-gst/

8. Singapore

https://www.customs.gov.sg/

9. Malaysia

https://www.customs.gov.my/

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