Importing goods into the United States involves more than just the purchase price. Several duties and fees are levied by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and other government agencies. This calculator provides an estimate of these costs, helping you budget more accurately for international shipments.
Key Components of Import Costs:
Declared Value of Goods: This is the value of the merchandise as stated on the customs declaration. It typically includes the price paid for the goods plus any costs for international shipping and insurance up to the U.S. port of entry.
Duty Rate: This is a tariff imposed on imported goods. The rate varies significantly based on the type of product and its country of origin. You can often find specific Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) codes and their corresponding duty rates through CBP resources. For this calculator, an estimated percentage is used.
Merchandise Processing Fee (MPF): This fee is assessed by CBP to cover the costs of processing imported merchandise. The standard rate is 0.345% of the declared value, with a minimum and maximum fee that can apply depending on the value and type of entry. This calculator uses the standard percentage.
Other Fees: This category can include a wide range of charges such as Inland Freight, insurance, harbor maintenance fees, IRS fees (for certain regulated goods), and more. These are often variable and depend on the specifics of the shipment.
How the Calculator Works:
The calculator estimates your import costs using the following logic:
Import Duty: Calculated as (Declared Value of Goods) * (Duty Rate / 100).
Merchandise Processing Fee (MPF): Calculated as (Declared Value of Goods) * (MPF Rate / 100).
Total Estimated Taxes & Fees: Calculated as (Import Duty) + (Merchandise Processing Fee) + (Other Fees).
Total Estimated Cost: Calculated as (Declared Value of Goods) + (Total Estimated Taxes & Fees).
Note: This is an estimation. Actual costs may vary due to specific HTS codes, customs rulings, de minimis value thresholds (generally $800 for most goods entering the US, below which duties and taxes may not apply), and other potential fees not covered in this simplified model. Always consult official CBP guidelines or a customs broker for precise figures.
function calculateImportTax() {
var declaredValue = parseFloat(document.getElementById("declaredValue").value);
var dutyRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById("dutyRate").value);
var mpfRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById("merchandiseFee").value);
var otherFees = parseFloat(document.getElementById("otherFees").value);
var importDuty = 0;
var mpf = 0;
var totalTaxesAndFees = 0;
var totalCost = 0;
var breakdown = "";
// Validate inputs
if (isNaN(declaredValue) || declaredValue < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid Declared Value for Goods.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(dutyRate) || dutyRate 100) {
alert("Please enter a valid Duty Rate between 0 and 100.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(mpfRate) || mpfRate 100) {
alert("Please enter a valid Merchandise Processing Fee Rate between 0 and 100.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(otherFees) || otherFees < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid amount for Other Fees.");
return;
}
// The de minimis threshold for the US is generally $800.
// If the declared value is below this, most duties and taxes may not apply.
var deMinimisThreshold = 800.00;
if (declaredValue <= deMinimisThreshold) {
importDuty = 0;
mpf = 0; // MPF is typically not applied below de minimis for most shipments, though exceptions can exist.
totalTaxesAndFees = otherFees; // Only other fees might apply
totalCost = declaredValue + totalTaxesAndFees;
breakdown = `De Minimis Value Threshold ($${deMinimisThreshold.toFixed(2)}) met. Duties and MPF typically waived. `;
breakdown += `Other Fees: $${otherFees.toFixed(2)}`;
} else {
// Calculate Import Duty
importDuty = declaredValue * (dutyRate / 100);
// Calculate Merchandise Processing Fee (MPF)
mpf = declaredValue * (mpfRate / 100);
// Sum up all taxes and fees
totalTaxesAndFees = importDuty + mpf + otherFees;
// Calculate total cost including goods value
totalCost = declaredValue + totalTaxesAndFees;
// Build breakdown string
breakdown = `Declared Value: $${declaredValue.toFixed(2)}`;
breakdown += `Import Duty (${dutyRate}%): $${importDuty.toFixed(2)}`;
breakdown += `Merchandise Processing Fee (${mpfRate}%): $${mpf.toFixed(2)}`;
breakdown += `Other Fees: $${otherFees.toFixed(2)}`;
breakdown += `Total Taxes & Fees: $${totalTaxesAndFees.toFixed(2)}`;
}
document.getElementById("result-value").innerHTML = "$" + totalCost.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById("result-breakdown").innerHTML = breakdown;
}