Free Tool

UK Import Duty & Landed Cost Calculator

Estimate UK import duty, import VAT and total landed cost in £ GBP in seconds. This free calculator uses the HMRC CIF method — duty on the customs value plus freight, then VAT on the duty-inclusive total. Model your costs, then get the exact commodity code and rate with TTVerified.

HMRC CIF method
£ GBP & live VAT
No sign-up required

Calculate your landed cost

Enter your figures below. The breakdown on the right updates instantly.

£
£
VAT rate (standard UK rate is 20%)
Your estimateLive
Customs value of goods£10,000.00
Shipping & insurance£500.00
= Duty basis (CIF)£10,500.00
Import duty @0%£0.00
Import VAT @20%£2,100.00
Total landed cost
£12,600.00

Estimates only. Actual duty depends on the exact 10-digit commodity code, origin and any trade measures (preferential rates, anti-dumping, CBAM). For the exact code and rate, classify with TTVerified.

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The Method

How import duty is calculated in the UK

UK import charges are built up in a specific order, and the sequence matters. HMRC uses the CIF basis — the customs value of the goods plus the cost of insurance and freight to the UK border. Getting any one figure wrong changes everything downstream.

First, import duty is applied to that CIF value using the duty rate for your product. That rate is driven entirely by the commodity code — the 10-digit number that classifies your goods. Two visually similar products can sit in different headings and attract very different rates.

Then import VAT is charged on a duty-inclusive value: the customs value, plus freight, plus the duty you just calculated. Because VAT sits on top of duty, an incorrect commodity code inflates both charges and your final landed cost. That is why classification accuracy — not just the calculator — protects your margin.

1
Duty basis (CIF)
customs value + shipping & insurance
2
Import duty
duty basis × duty rate (commodity code)
3
Import VAT
(customs value + shipping + duty) × VAT %
=
Total landed cost
goods + shipping + duty + import VAT
The Rate Driver

Why the commodity code matters

The duty rate this calculator uses is illustrative. In reality, your rate is set by a single number: the 10-digit commodity code that classifies your product in the UK tariff. The right code determines the duty rate, the import VAT treatment, and whether preferential or anti-dumping measures apply.

Classification is genuinely hard — especially in sectors like food and drink, where ingredients, composition and processing methods push products across headings. TTExplore helps your team search and understand the tariff, while TTVerified delivers expert-verified codes with a full audit trail for HMRC.

Working with food and drink? See our reference guides on HS codes for food productsand the food & drink classificationindustry page.

Unsplash 1611273426858 450d8e3c9fce Ab70b6
Commodity Code
6204.62.31
Cotton trousers — 12% duty
Expert-Verified
Audit-ready for HMRC
Frequently Asked

Import duty & landed cost questions

The essentials on how UK import duty, import VAT and landed cost fit together — and where the commodity code comes in.

UK import duty is calculated on the customs value of your goods plus the cost of shipping and insurance to the UK border (the CIF value). That duty basis is multiplied by the duty rate for your commodity code. For example, goods worth £10,000 with £500 shipping have a duty basis of £10,500; at a 12% duty rate the import duty is £1,260. The exact rate depends entirely on the 10-digit commodity code and the country of origin.
Yes. UK import VAT is charged on a duty-inclusive value. The VAT base is the customs value plus shipping and insurance plus the import duty already calculated. Import VAT (standard rate 20%) is then applied to that total, so you effectively pay VAT on the duty as well as on the goods and freight. Reduced 5% and zero rates apply to some goods.
Landed cost is the total cost of getting goods to your door, including the customs value of the goods, shipping and insurance to the UK border, import duty and import VAT. It gives a true picture of what imported goods actually cost once all border charges are added, which is essential for accurate pricing and margin planning.
Your commodity code is the 10-digit number that determines the duty rate, import VAT treatment and any trade measures for your product. You can look it up in the UK Integrated Online Tariff, but classification is complex and getting it wrong can lead to HMRC penalties and back-duty demands. TTVerified provides expert-verified commodity codes so your duty calculations start from the correct rate.
No. This calculator uses illustrative standard UK duty rates so you can model landed cost quickly. Preferential rates under free trade agreements, tariff quotas, anti-dumping duties and CBAM are not applied automatically because they depend on origin, proof of origin and the exact commodity code. For the precise applicable rate, classify your product with TTVerified.
Get the Exact Rate

Stop estimating. Start with the correct code.

The calculator gives you a fast estimate. TTVerified gives you the exact, expert-verified commodity code and duty rate — with a full audit trail for HMRC. Get free codes when you sign up.

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