US customs clearance fees are the combined charges you pay to bring imported goods into the country: mandatory government processing fees collected by Customs and Border Protection, import duties set by the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, any additional tariffs in effect, a customs bond premium, and the service fees your broker charges to file the entry. For a routine formal entry in 2026, plan on at least $33.58 in processing fees, plus duties on the goods, a bond premium, and broker charges that typically run $150 to $300. On a shipment of any real size, duties and tariffs are almost always the largest piece of the bill.
Government Processing Fees
Every import triggers a Merchandise Processing Fee (MPF) collected by CBP. How it’s calculated depends on whether your shipment is a formal or informal entry.
Informal entries cover shipments valued at $2,500 or less. The MPF is a flat $2.69, $8.06, or $12.09, depending on how the entry is filed and whether CBP personnel prepare it.1U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Customs User Fee – Merchandise Processing Fees
Formal entries apply to shipments over $2,500. The MPF is 0.3464% of the goods’ value, excluding duty, freight, and insurance.1U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Customs User Fee – Merchandise Processing Fees For fiscal year 2026, the minimum is $33.58 and the maximum is $651.50. Paper filing adds a $4.03 surcharge.2U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Information on Customs User Fee Changes Effective October 1, 2025 These figures adjust annually for inflation.
Ocean shipments also owe the Harbor Maintenance Fee (HMF), calculated at 0.125% of cargo value with no cap.3eCFR. 19 CFR 24.24 – Harbor Maintenance Fee On a $500,000 ocean shipment, the HMF alone is $625. Air freight is not subject to the HMF.
Import Duties and the Harmonized Tariff Schedule
Duties are usually the single largest line on your clearance bill, and the hardest to predict without knowing exactly what you’re bringing in. The Harmonized Tariff Schedule assigns a classification code to every type of product, and each code carries its own duty rate.4United States International Trade Commission. Harmonized Tariff Schedule Some raw materials enter duty-free. Certain finished goods carry 20% or more before any additional tariffs stack on top.
You calculate duty by multiplying the HTS rate against the entered value of the goods, which is generally the transaction price at export. A $50,000 shipment at a 5% rate owes $2,500. Misclassifying the same goods into a 2% code understates duty by $1,500, which CBP will catch during liquidation and bill back with interest. Look up your product’s HTS code through the International Trade Commission’s search tool before you ship.5U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Harmonized Tariff Schedule – Determining Duty Rates
Additional Tariffs Stacking On Top in 2026
Standard HTS rates are the starting point. Several layers of additional tariffs are active in 2026, and they stack on top of normal duties. Depending on origin, these can double or triple your duty bill.
Reciprocal tariffs impose a baseline additional 10% on goods from most countries. Many trading partners face higher rates: India at 25%, Vietnam at 20%, Taiwan at 20%, Switzerland at 39%, Bangladesh at 20%. The European Union faces a minimum combined rate of 15% (regular duty plus reciprocal tariff together). Goods transshipped to avoid these duties face a 40% penalty rate.6The White House. Further Modifying the Reciprocal Tariff Rates
Section 232 tariffs target steel, aluminum, and copper. As of April 2026, the rate on most steel and aluminum articles is 50%, with copper articles at 25%. Limited exceptions apply to products whose metal content was smelted and poured entirely in the United States (10%) or the United Kingdom (25% for steel and aluminum, 15% for certain derivatives).7The White House. Strengthening Actions Taken to Adjust Imports of Aluminum, Steel, and Copper Into the United States
Section 301 tariffs apply specifically to Chinese-origin goods and have been in place since 2018. Base rates range from 7.5% to 25% across roughly $370 billion in product categories. In 2024, additional increases of 25% to 100% hit specific sectors including electric vehicles, semiconductors, solar cells, and medical products. These layer on top of both HTS duties and reciprocal tariffs, so a Chinese-made product can easily face a combined rate well above 50%.
Because these programs change frequently through executive orders and trade negotiations, the rates in effect when your goods arrive may not match what applied when you placed the order. Build a buffer into your cost projections.
De Minimis No Longer Clears Small Shipments Duty-Free
If you’ve imported before and assumed shipments under $800 come in duty-free, that assumption no longer holds. The statute still sets an $800 de minimis threshold, but executive orders have suspended duty-free de minimis treatment for shipments from all countries as of 2025.8Federal Register. Continuing the Suspension of Duty-Free De Minimis Treatment for All Countries Executive Order 14388 continued the suspension in February 2026.
Under current rules, virtually all commercial shipments must go through formal or informal entry and pay applicable duties regardless of value. Narrow carve-outs remain for bona fide personal gifts, certain informational materials, and non-merchandise mail like documents and letters.9U.S. Customs and Border Protection. E-Commerce Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re ordering goods from abroad for resale or business use, budget for duties and processing fees on every shipment.
Customs Bond Costs
CBP will not release your goods without a customs bond in place. The bond is a financial guarantee backed by a surety company that the government gets paid for all duties, taxes, and fees owed.
There are two types. A single entry bond covers one shipment. The bond amount is typically the value of the goods plus estimated duties and fees, and it may be set higher for shipments regulated by agencies like the FDA or USDA. The regulatory minimum is $100.10eCFR. 19 CFR 113.13 – Amount of Bond What you actually pay is the surety premium, a fraction of the bond amount that varies by provider.
A continuous bond covers every entry you file for one calendar year. The minimum limit of liability is $50,000, and the amount scales up at 10% of the total duties, taxes, and fees you paid in the previous calendar year, rounded to the nearest $10,000.11U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Monetary Guidelines for Setting Bond Amounts If you paid $300,000 in duties last year, your bond would be set at $30,000, but the $50,000 floor still applies. Annual premiums for a $50,000 continuous bond commonly run from roughly $500 to $1,000 depending on the surety and your risk profile.
If your import volume grows past what your bond covers, CBP can declare it insufficient and require a larger one before releasing more shipments. Keep the bond amount aligned with your actual duty payments to avoid that disruption.
Customs Broker Service Fees
Hiring a broker isn’t required, but most commercial importers do. A licensed broker handles classification, document preparation, electronic filing, and communication with CBP. Broker fees sit on top of any government charge.
A standard entry fee for a routine shipment typically runs $150 to $300, covering the preparation and electronic transmission of the entry package to CBP. Complex entries with multiple HTS codes, partner government agency filings, or goods requiring special permits cost more.
Ocean freight also requires an Importer Security Filing (ISF), sometimes called “10+2,” submitted electronically before the vessel departs for the United States. Brokers typically charge $30 to $50 per ISF. Don’t skip it or file it late: CBP can issue liquidated damages of $5,000 per violation for inaccurate, incomplete, or untimely ISF submissions.12U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Import Security Filing (ISF) – When to Submit to CBP
Brokers may bill separately for binding ruling requests, coordinating inspections with other agencies, or post-entry amendments. When comparing quotes, ask for a full fee schedule rather than only the base entry rate.
Other Agency Fees That Can Apply
CBP isn’t the only agency that touches your shipment. Products regulated by the FDA, USDA, EPA, or other partner government agencies can trigger additional fees and filing work.
The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service charges agricultural quarantine inspection user fees on most commercial shipments, varying by mode of transport. For fiscal year 2026, a commercial truck crossing is $14.50, a commercial vessel pays $3,059.61 per arrival, and commercial aircraft are assessed $320.61.13APHIS. AQI User Fees Explained – A Small Entity Compliance Guide These fees apply to the conveyance, not the individual importer, but carriers routinely pass the cost through.
The FDA does not charge a per-shipment inspection fee for most food and consumer products, though importers of regulated goods like medical devices, drugs, and certain food products may face registration fees, prior notice requirements, and detention costs if goods are held for examination. EPA-regulated products, such as those containing certain chemicals, may require TSCA certifications filed through the Automated Commercial Environment. The filing itself carries no EPA fee, but compliance work adds broker time to your entry.
When and How You Pay
CBP collects duties, MPF, and HMF electronically, primarily through the Automated Clearing House (ACH) system. With ACH Debit, CBP pulls funds from your bank account about 10 business days after your shipment clears. With ACH Credit, you push the payment to CBP yourself.14U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Automated Clearinghouse High-volume importers can consolidate through Periodic Monthly Statements, which roll all duties from a month into a single payment due on the 15th business day of the following month; your broker can set that up.
The amounts you pay at entry are estimates. CBP has up to 314 days after entry to liquidate the entry and finalize the duty calculation. If they determine you owe more, you’ll be billed. If you overpaid, you’ll receive a refund through ACH.
Port Storage and Demurrage
One cost that surprises first-time importers has nothing to do with duties. When your container arrives at a marine terminal, you get a few days of free time to pick it up. After that, daily storage charges (demurrage) start around $75 to $150 per container per day and escalate the longer the cargo sits. A shipment delayed by a CBP exam, missing paperwork, or a bond problem can rack up hundreds or thousands in storage charges quickly.
Shipping lines also charge detention fees for keeping their container equipment past the allowed free time after it leaves the terminal. Between demurrage at the port and detention on the container, there’s a strong financial incentive to have your clearance paperwork, bond, and broker lined up before your goods arrive.
Putting the Total Together
Consider a $20,000 ocean shipment of consumer electronics from a country subject to a 15% reciprocal tariff, with a standard HTS duty rate of 3%:
- HTS duty (3%): $600
- Reciprocal tariff (15%): $3,000
- MPF (0.3464%): $69.28
- HMF (0.125%): $25
- ISF filing: about $40
- Broker entry fee: about $200
- Single entry bond premium: varies, often $50 to $100+
The total lands around $3,985 to $4,035 before any port storage or additional agency fees. Duties and tariffs account for more than 90% of that. Calculate your landed cost before committing to a purchase order, and check current tariff rates against your origin country close to the shipment date, because those numbers move.