Landed cost calculator

See what your imported goods cost once customs duty, import VAT and delivery costs are included. Search by HS code or product name and we will help you find a likely duty rate.

FIND YOUR DUTY RATE

Start with the goods you are importing. Type an HS code or a plain product name. Choose the closest result, then review the duty rate before you calculate.

HS / tariff code (optional) Try an HS code, laptop, solar panel or t shirt.

Customs duty rate (%) We fill this in when a tariff line has a percentage rate. Enter 0 for duty free goods.

Where are the goods from? SACU origin goods do not get the usual 10% VAT uplift.

ADD YOUR COSTS

Enter the amounts you already know. Use the goods value, transport and any charges you expect to pay locally.

Goods value, FOB (R) This is the goods price before freight and insurance.

Freight (R)

Insurance (R)

Other local costs (R) For example clearing, cartage, port or courier charges.

An estimate only. Rates can change and some goods have extra duties.

Tariff line

Customs value (FOB)

Customs duty

Import VAT (15% on the added tax value)

Freight, insurance and local costs

Total landed cost

Cost on top of the goods price

Import VAT is claimable back if you are VAT registered - your real cost is then the total minus the VAT. Duty rates vary by HS code and trade agreement; anti-dumping and safeguard duties can apply on top.

How landed cost works in South Africa

Three amounts stack on an import. First the customs value: South Africa uses the FOB price of the goods - freight and insurance stay out of it, which surprises importers used to EU-style CIF valuation. Second, customs duty: the tariff book rate for your HS code applied to that FOB value. Third, import VAT: 15% charged on the "added tax value" - the customs value uplifted by 10% (unless the goods come from a SACU member), plus the duty.

Your landed cost is goods plus freight, insurance and local charges, plus duty, plus import VAT. If you are VAT registered, the VAT comes back through your VAT return - but you still fund it at clearing time, which is a cash-flow reality many first-time importers miss.

Not sure of your duty rate? We check it, free

The tariff book runs to thousands of lines, and the difference between two similar codes can be 0% versus 30% - or an anti-dumping duty you did not see coming. Email the product description and, if you have one, your HS code to [email protected] and a person verifies the classification and current rate against the tariff book - answered within one business day, free.

Frequently asked questions

What is an HS code?

The Harmonised System code - the international numbering that classifies every tradeable product. The first two digits are the chapter, four digits the heading, and South Africa uses eight-digit tariff subheadings to set the duty rate. Get the code wrong and you pay the wrong duty, which SARS can reassess years later.

Why is freight excluded from the customs value?

South Africa applies FOB valuation under the Customs and Excise Act. Many countries (the EU among them) use CIF, which includes freight and insurance - so imported cost comparisons across countries can mislead. Freight still counts in your landed cost, just not in the duty calculation.

What is the 10% uplift on import VAT?

Import VAT is not charged on the bare customs value: the value is increased by 10%, then the duty is added, and 15% VAT applies to that total. Goods originating in SACU countries (Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, eSwatini) skip the uplift.

Do I need my own customs code to import?

Anything commercial or repeated needs your own SARS customs client code - clearing agents will insist. We sort the registration for a fixed R1 990.

Keep exploring

Import & export codes, R1 990 Trade compliance help VAT registration guide All free tools

Estimates on the standard valuation rules (Customs and Excise Act FOB basis; VAT Act added tax value). Preferential trade agreement rates, rebates, anti-dumping and provisional payments can change the outcome - the free verification checks your actual line.