What actually happens when your order reaches your own customs?
The framework that applies everywhere — HS codes, valuation, and documentation — since the actual rates depend entirely on your own country.
Customs duty is entirely a function of your own country’s rules, not the fair’s or the supplier’s — what’s consistent everywhere is the framework you’ll need to work through, even though the actual rates and requirements are specific to where you’re importing to.
Get the product classification right
Every product is classified under a Harmonised System (HS) code, which determines the duty rate and any special requirements that apply. Getting this classification wrong — whether by mistake or by a supplier’s convenient suggestion — can mean paying the wrong duty rate or running into a compliance problem you didn’t expect. If you’re not confident in the correct code for your product, a licensed customs broker in your own country is worth the cost of getting it right the first time.
Declared value needs to be accurate
The value declared for customs purposes should reflect the actual transaction value — what you actually paid. Under-declaring value to reduce duty is customs fraud in the importing country, not a grey area, and it exposes you to real legal and financial risk if discovered, regardless of whether the idea originated with you or with the supplier.
Documentation the shipment will need
A commercial invoice, packing list, and — depending on your shipping terms — a bill of lading or airway bill typically travel with the shipment and support the customs declaration on arrival. Getting the purchase order and invoice details right upfront makes this paperwork straightforward rather than a scramble once the shipment is already in transit.
Some categories need more than a customs declaration
Certain products — anything with safety, electrical, or consumer-protection certification requirements in your home market — may need specific import permits or certificates beyond the standard customs process. This is worth checking for your specific category well before you place an order, not after a shipment is already held at the border.
Where to get the actual numbers for your market
Your own country’s customs authority publishes tariff schedules, and a licensed customs broker can apply them to your specific product and situation more reliably than a general guide covering many different countries at once. Where this guide has a market-specific companion page — such as for Indian buyers — that page goes into more local detail; for most other markets, your own country’s customs authority is the right next step.
What’s next
If you’re importing into India specifically, read the dedicated page for the local detail this general framework doesn’t cover, or go back to the shipping-terms page if you haven’t settled that first.
Frequently asked questions
How much duty will I pay on goods from the Canton Fair?
Should I ask my supplier to under-declare the value to reduce duty?
Do I need a customs broker to import from the Canton Fair?
Keep planning
- Working with Suppliers from the Canton FairSourcing agents, factory verification, negotiation, samples, payment safety, and how the fair compares to buying through 1688 or Alibaba instead.
- FOB vs CIF Shipping ExplainedWhat each term determines about cost, risk, and control, and which one gives a first-time buyer more say over the shipping process.
- GST and Customs Duty for Indian BuyersThe general mechanism — IGST, basic customs duty, and the import-export code — plus what to verify with a professional before you commit to an order.
- Purchase Orders and Contracts with Chinese SuppliersThe specific terms worth pinning down in a purchase order, and why a written agreement protects both sides, not just you.