🇬🇧 UK Import Duty Calculator
UK Import Duty Calculator — find out what your goods really cost
Enter your product, country of origin and unit cost. Get the exact UK customs duty rate from HMRC Trade Tariff data — free, no account needed.
45 product categories
42 source countries
Live HMRC data
No account needed
How it works
Three inputs. Instant result.
No spreadsheets. No guesswork. No HMRC website hunting.
1
Select your product & origin
Choose from 45 product categories and 42 source countries — including China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, India, Turkey and more.
2
Enter your unit cost
The price you pay your supplier per unit in GBP. We use this to show the duty amount in pounds, not just the percentage.
3
Get your duty rate instantly
Your exact customs duty rate straight from the HMRC Trade Tariff, updated daily. Free with no account. Full landed cost requires a free account.
The formula
How UK import duty is calculated
Understanding the formula stops you from underpaying — and risking a penalty — or overpaying and losing margin on every order.
UK import duty is charged on the customs value, not just your supplier invoice. The customs value is the CIF value: supplier cost plus international freight plus insurance. If your supplier quotes FOB, you must add freight and insurance before calculating duty.
Customs value (CIF) = Supplier cost + Freight + Insurance
then
Import duty = Customs value × Duty rate %
then
Import VAT = (Customs value + Import duty) × 20%
Worked example: 500 cotton T-shirts from China
1
Supplier cost (FOB): 500 T-shirts at £4.00 each = £2,000
2
Sea freight to Felixstowe: £650 · Insurance: £10
3
Customs value (CIF): £2,000 + £650 + £10 = £2,660
4
Import duty at 12% (clothing, MFN rate from China): £2,660 × 12% = £319.20
5
Import VAT at 20%: (£2,660 + £319.20) × 20% = £595.84
Total border cost (duty + VAT)
£915.04
The supplier cost was £4.00 per T-shirt. The border alone adds £1.83 per unit before UK delivery. Landed cost — not supplier price — is the only number that matters for your margins.
What if you sourced from Bangladesh instead?
Bangladesh qualifies for 0% duty under the UK's DCTS Enhanced Preferences. On the same £2,660 customs value: import duty = £0. Import VAT = £2,660 × 20% = £532. Border saving vs China: £383 on a 500-unit order — before any difference in supplier price. Bangladesh import duty guide →
UK duty rates
Common UK import duty rates
Rates below apply to goods imported from China, USA, and most non-FTA countries (UKGT MFN rate). EU, FTA, and DCTS countries often qualify for lower or zero rates — use the calculator above to check your specific combination.
Clothing & Textiles
12%
Footwear
17%
Electronics
14%
Food & Drink
8%
Cosmetics & Beauty
6.5%
Bags & Luggage
3.7%
Furniture & Décor
5.6%
Toys & Games
4.7%
Kitchen & Cookware
4%
Sporting Goods
2.7%
Jewellery
4%
Health & Medical
0%
Plans
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The duty rate lookup is always free. A free account gives you the full picture — VAT, freight, margin, and saved products.
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Quick duty rate checks, no signup required.
- ✓Customs duty rate for any product & country
- ✓45 categories · 42 countries
- ✓Live HMRC tariff data
- —Import VAT (20%) calculation
- —Freight & insurance estimates
- —Total landed cost per unit
- —Margin analysis at your sell price
- —Saved product library
Free account
£0 / 3 full calculations per month
The complete picture. No credit card needed.
- ✓Everything in the free calculator
- ✓Import VAT (20%) calculated
- ✓Freight & insurance per unit (estimated)
- ✓Total landed cost per unit & per order
- ✓Gross margin at your sell price
- ✓Save products to your library
- ✓Rate change alerts (HMRC monitored daily)
- ✓AI-powered HS code classification
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FAQ
Common questions about UK import duty
Is the import duty calculator free to use?▾
Yes. The duty rate lookup is completely free with no account required. You can see the exact customs duty rate for your product and country of origin instantly. A free account unlocks your full landed cost breakdown including import VAT, freight estimates, and margin analysis.
Where do the duty rates come from?▾
All rates come directly from the HMRC Trade Tariff API — the official UK government source. LandedHQ checks the API daily and alerts users when rates change on their saved products.
What is the difference between customs duty and import VAT?▾
Customs duty is calculated as a percentage of the goods value based on the product's commodity code and country of origin. Import VAT (20%) is then charged on top of the goods value plus duty plus freight. Both are payable to HMRC when goods clear UK customs.
Does the calculator cover all countries?▾
The free calculator covers 23 of the most common sourcing countries including China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, India, Turkey, and the EU. Several countries such as Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Ethiopia qualify for 0% duty under the DCTS (Developing Countries Trading Scheme) — the calculator reflects this automatically.
What is a landed cost?▾
Landed cost is the total cost of getting a product to your door — supplier unit cost + customs duty + import VAT + freight + insurance. It is the true cost per unit before you set a selling price, and calculating it accurately is essential for protecting your margin.
What is the CIF customs value?▾
CIF stands for Cost, Insurance and Freight. HMRC calculates import duty on the CIF value — your supplier price plus the cost of international shipping plus insurance, up to the UK port of entry. If your supplier quotes FOB (Free on Board), you must add freight and insurance to arrive at the correct customs value. Declaring only the FOB price is one of the most common import declaration errors, and can result in penalties if HMRC audits the entry.
How is import VAT calculated on UK imports?▾
Import VAT is charged at 20% on the customs value plus import duty. For example: goods worth £2,660 CIF with 12% duty (£319.20) attract import VAT of (£2,660 + £319.20) × 20% = £595.84. VAT-registered businesses can reclaim import VAT on their next VAT return using the C79 certificate HMRC issues monthly. Non-VAT-registered businesses cannot reclaim it, making it a permanent cost on every order.
Is there a minimum value before customs duty applies?▾
For commercial business-to-business imports, there is no de minimis threshold — customs duty applies from the first pound of value on every commercial consignment. The £135 threshold only applies to personal imports sent by individuals as gifts or brought in by travellers, and a reduced 2.5% rate applies between £135 and £630. If you are importing goods commercially to sell, full duty rates apply regardless of consignment value.
Can I reduce my import duty by changing where I source from?▾
Yes — country of origin is one of the two main factors that determines your duty rate (the other is the commodity code). UK trade agreements and preference schemes can reduce duty to zero. Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Ethiopia qualify for 0% on most goods under DCTS. Turkey is 0% under the UK–Turkey FTA. Vietnam is reducing to 0% on clothing by 2031 under CPTPP. India and Pakistan qualify for around a 20% reduction from standard MFN rates. Switching sourcing country — with the right origin documentation — can eliminate duty entirely on high-rate categories like clothing and footwear.
Do I need an EORI number to import into the UK?▾
Yes. Any business importing goods commercially into the UK requires an EORI (Economic Operators Registration and Identification) number. It identifies your business on customs declarations. You can apply for a UK EORI number for free on GOV.UK — it is usually issued within three working days. Your freight forwarder cannot submit your import declaration without an EORI, and goods will be held at customs until one is provided.