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There is no single U.S. import-duty rate for goods from India. To estimate duty, identify the product’s full U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) classification, confirm its country of origin and the tariff provisions effective on the entry date, and apply the correct rate to the customs value. Then add applicable customs fees, taxes, freight, insurance, and other costs to estimate what delivery will actually cost.
This distinction matters when an Indian exporter quotes a U.S. buyer: customs duty is only one part of the buyer’s delivered cost, and neither can be reliably calculated from “India” or a six-digit HS code alone.
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How do I calculate U.S. import duty from India?
Use this sequence: describe the product precisely, determine its U.S. HTS classification, verify the origin-specific provisions in effect for the shipment’s entry date, establish the customs-value basis, calculate duty according to the tariff’s formula, and add the fees and logistics costs that apply to the shipment. The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) publishes the HTS; U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) administers it and processes import entries. CBP describes the HTS as the authoritative compilation of U.S. tariff and statistical provisions for goods in trade.
The answer depends on the product, not just the exporting country. Materials, construction, how an item is made, intended use, transaction details, and origin can affect classification or applicable tariff measures. A rate found for another Indian product—or in an older ruling—does not establish the rate for your goods now.
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Start with a complete product description
Before searching tariff schedules, document what the item is, what it is made of, how it is manufactured or assembled, and what it is used for. Include relevant technical details and components. A broad commercial label such as “textile,” “machine part,” or “household goods” may not distinguish among classifications. If the item has multiple materials or functions, record those facts rather than assuming one feature decides its classification.
Find the full U.S. HTS code
Search the current USITC schedule at the USITC HTS site. Do not treat a six-digit international HS code as a complete U.S. import classification. The first six digits are shared internationally, but the U.S. classification extends beyond them. Trade.gov explains the distinction in its HS codes guidance; the U.S. HTS is used for imports, while Schedule B is used for U.S. exports.
Read the notes and tariff text that apply to the candidate classification, including relevant section and chapter notes and any Chapter 99 provisions. A search result is a starting point, not a substitute for checking whether its description and legal notes fit the actual product. For difficult classifications, Trade.gov points to CROSS, CBP’s rulings database, for official classification rulings. A customs broker or tariff-classification adviser can help assess product facts; an importer can also seek a CBP ruling when a binding determination is needed.
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Use the goods’ actual country of origin, not simply the country they ship from. The applicable rules for origin can be different from the route or port of export. Then check the live HTS revision for the shipment’s entry date, including the general duty rate and any additional duty, exception, or exclusion that applies to that classification and origin.
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For example, the USITC search result for HTS provision 99030594 surfaces India-related additional-duty language and exceptions. That is not a blanket rate for Indian goods: its relevance depends on the product, associated tariff provisions, exceptions, and effective date. The schedule is subject to revision; the USITC page identifies a 2026 Revision 21, and later revisions may appear. Recheck the current schedule when preparing a quote and again for the actual entry rather than relying on an old result.
Apply the tariff’s actual calculation method
For an ad valorem line, duty is generally calculated by multiplying the applicable rate by the correct customs-value base. Some tariff lines instead use a specific amount per unit, or a compound formula combining a percentage and a per-unit amount. The HTS tariff text determines which method applies; do not assume every product uses a simple percentage.
Let V be the established CBP customs value and r the applicable ad valorem rate for the product, origin, and entry date. For an ad valorem line:
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This is a formula, not a rate quote. If the line is specific or compound, use its stated units and formula instead. If the tariff text or valuation rules call for adjustments, account for them before treating the result as an estimate.
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What value should I use for U.S. customs duty?
Customs value is not automatically the eventual U.S. retail price or the entire delivered-cost total. Where transaction value applies, CBP says the commercial invoice should reflect the price the U.S. buyer paid or is to pay for the goods—not the price at which the buyer later resells them. Review CBP’s guidance on the value to show on the commercial invoice.
Freight and insurance are generally excluded from the price-paid duty basis unless another valuation measure applies. CBP addresses this distinction in its cost, insurance, and freight (CIF) duty guidance. Do not subtract or add amounts mechanically: the governing valuation basis and transaction facts matter.
CBP identifies items that may need to be included in customs value when applicable, such as selling commissions, assists, royalties, production costs, packing, and proceeds. Work through the transaction documents to determine whether any such additions apply; a low invoice figure by itself does not establish the correct customs value. Show invoice and entry-document amounts in U.S. dollars, converting foreign-currency amounts as required for those documents.
How do I calculate the landed cost of shipping to the U.S.?
Landed cost is broader than customs duty. Trade.gov defines it as the total price of a product once it has arrived at the buyer’s doorstep and lists product price, freight, insurance, tariffs and taxes, and other fees in its landed-cost and export-price guidance. The agreed delivery point and shipment arrangement determine which costs belong in the estimate.
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For a shipment with an ad valorem duty line, a useful structure is:
Estimated delivered cost = product price + freight (F) + insurance (I) + duty + MPF + applicable HMF + other commodity taxes (T) + other shipment costs (O)
Here, F is freight and I is insurance. “Other shipment costs” may include brokerage, handling, or inland transport where those charges are part of the buyer’s expected cost. This framework must be adjusted if customs-value additions apply, the tariff is specific or compound, or shipment rules change a fee calculation. Keep the customs-value calculation separate from the delivered-cost sum: they answer different questions, and combining them carelessly can cause freight or insurance to be counted twice.
Include the entry fees that fit the shipment
CBP’s published FY2026 guidance gives these Merchandise Processing Fee (MPF) amounts. Formal-entry MPF is calculated on merchandise value excluding duty, freight, and insurance, subject to the stated minimum and maximum. Fee amounts and applicability can change; verify the current CBP guidance before quoting or entering goods.
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| Fee or scenario | CBP figure in FY2026 guidance | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Formal-entry MPF | 0.3464% of merchandise value; $33.58 minimum and $651.50 maximum | Whether the shipment is a formal entry and how the fee base applies |
| Manual-filing surcharge | $4.03 | Whether manual filing applies to the entry |
| Informal-entry MPF | $2.69, $8.06, or $12.09 | Which amount applies to the entry and shipment; these are not one universal informal-entry fee |
| Harbor Maintenance Fee (HMF) | 0.125% of commercial cargo value on qualifying cargo | Whether the cargo travels through an identified port and the HMF applies |
CBP’s current MPF guidance explains fee amounts, while its guidance on duties, taxes, and other import fees covers additional charges. CBP says HMF can apply to commercial cargo shipped through identified ports; it is not collected on air or mailed cargo. Do not add HMF solely because an item is imported into the United States.
Other federal taxes depend on the commodity. State and local taxes are distinct from CBP collection and may affect the buyer’s overall cost. The shipment’s transport mode and entry type matter because they can change which fees or charges apply. Verify fee rules, exemptions, and the entry arrangement for the specific shipment.
Add the logistics costs once
Use freight and insurance amounts tied to the delivery arrangement being quoted. Add relevant brokerage, handling, inland transport, and other charges to the buyer’s delivered-cost estimate. Check whether any are already included in the product price or a freight quote before adding them. A pro forma invoice can show the U.S. buyer the estimate and its assumptions; Trade.gov includes landed-cost estimates as part of determining an export price.
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A useful estimate is auditable: another person should be able to see which classification and assumptions produced it. State the estimate date because tariff schedules and fee figures can change before goods enter the United States. Distinguish a confirmed charge from one that remains subject to classification, entry, or carrier details.
- Product description, materials, construction, and intended use used to identify the HTS classification.
- Full U.S. HTS code and the current tariff provisions reviewed, including any relevant Chapter 99 provision or exception.
- Assumed country of origin and the expected entry date or date range.
- Customs-value basis, invoice currency conversion, and any additions considered under CBP valuation guidance.
- Duty method and calculation: ad valorem, specific, or compound, as stated by the applicable tariff line.
- Freight, insurance, delivery point, and whether those amounts are included in another quoted charge.
- Expected mode of transport, entry type, and applicable MPF, HMF, or other taxes and fees.
- Other included shipment costs, plus charges that are not yet confirmed and may change the final total.
Do not label the estimate as a guaranteed landed total if the classification, origin, customs value, entry type, or freight arrangement is unresolved. If the HTS classification is genuinely uncertain, resolve that issue with professional classification help or a CBP ruling before relying on the tariff calculation.
Quick Recap
Common calculation mistakes to avoid
- Using “India” as the rate lookup. Origin is only one input; the product’s HTS classification and applicable entry-date provisions determine the tariff treatment.
- Stopping at six HS digits. That international level is not the complete U.S. import classification. Confirm the full U.S. HTS line and its notes.
- Copying an old rate. A prior ruling or saved search may not reflect current tariff provisions, exceptions, or entry-date changes. Review the live HTS revision.
- Using the U.S. resale price as customs value. CBP’s price-paid guidance distinguishes the import transaction from the buyer’s later resale.
- Assuming duty is always a percentage of invoice value. Tariff lines can use specific or compound methods, and customs valuation may require additions.
- Calling duty the landed cost. Fees, taxes, freight, insurance, and other delivery costs can add to the buyer’s total.
- Applying every fee to every mode. Entry type, manual filing, and whether cargo moves through a qualifying port affect fee treatment; HMF is not collected on air or mailed cargo.
- Counting freight or insurance twice. Compare the commercial price, freight quote, invoice, and delivered-cost worksheet before adding the amounts.
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