How to Import from China to the USA: Duties Compliance and Supplier Risk

Executive summary: A commercial import from China to the United States requires more than a supplier, a freight quote and a customs broker. The buyer must define the product, establish the importer of record, classify the goods under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, check all current Chapter 99 and trade-remedy measures, identify the responsible federal agencies, verify country-of-origin marking, perform supplier and forced-labor due diligence, prepare entry documents and calculate the total landed cost before placing the order.

Quick answer: To import commercially from China to the USA, determine the importer of record and importer number, confirm the HTS classification, check current general and additional duties, identify product-specific agency rules, verify supplier and supply-chain evidence, arrange a customs bond and broker where appropriate, file ocean Importer Security Filing data on time, prepare accurate commercial documents and retain the entry records. There is no single tariff rate for all Chinese goods.

Important: This is a practical B2B planning guide, not legal, customs or tax advice. Requirements depend on the product, materials, origin, intended use and shipment date. Tariffs and agency rules change. Verify them immediately before ordering and again before shipment.

Use this page as your working import plan

Bookmark this guide and complete it one control point at a time. The official links take you to the relevant U.S. government source. Zignify supports established companies and commercial bulk buyers with paid supplier sourcing, validation and procurement projects; we do not sell individual products from stock and are not a free shopping service.

The China-to-USA import process at a glance

1. Define the exact product and commercial requirement.
2. Identify the importer of record and importer number.
3. Map every agency that regulates the product.
4. Determine and document the HTS classification.
5. Check current duties, Chapter 99 measures and exclusions.
6. Calculate the complete landed cost.
7. Verify origin, marking and forced-labor risk.
8. Qualify the manufacturer and compliance evidence.
9. Approve samples, testing and quality controls.
10. Set Incoterms, insurance, broker, bond and ISF responsibilities.
11. Prepare entry and shipping documents.
12. Review entry, release, records and post-entry obligations.

Skipping a step does not remove the requirement. It usually moves the discovery to a more expensive point—after a deposit, production run or freight booking.

Step 1: Define the product before requesting quotations

The product description drives classification, compliance, testing, marking and cost. Build one controlled specification containing:

• Function, intended users and sales channels
• Drawings, dimensions, materials and composition
• Electrical, wireless, chemical or food-contact characteristics
• Performance criteria and acceptable tolerances
• Packaging, labels, warnings and instructions
• Order quantity and forecast demand
• Destination state and delivery location
• Required testing, inspection and document set
• Target landed cost, not only target factory price

Use the same specification for every potential manufacturer. Otherwise, apparently comparable quotations may describe different products.

Step 2: Identify the importer of record

The importer of record is responsible for using reasonable care when entering goods and for the accuracy of classification, value, origin and applicable duties—even when a licensed customs broker files the entry.

A U.S. importer commonly uses its IRS Employer Identification Number as its importer number. The IRS issues an EIN free of charge. Foreign entities and other importers may need to establish an importer identity with U.S. Customs and Border Protection using CBP Form 5106. Confirm the correct structure with a customs professional before goods ship.

Do this now: If you are forming a U.S. entity, complete the entity registration first and then use the official IRS EIN service. Review CBP's importer-number guidance if the importer is foreign or does not use an EIN.

Step 3: Map the product to the responsible U.S. agencies

CBP manages entry, but many products are governed by a partner government agency. The correct agency map depends on the product—not the supplier’s industry label.

This table is a starting point, not an exhaustive decision. One product can fall under several agencies. Establish the requirements before asking a factory to confirm compliance.

Step 4: Determine the HTS classification

U.S. tariff classification uses the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States. The code affects normal duty, special programs, Section 301 measures, other trade remedies, reporting and admissibility.

Classification is based on the product’s objective characteristics and the legal tariff rules. Request material composition, principal function, construction, technical diagrams and photographs. Do not accept an unverified code merely because it appears on a supplier invoice.

Use the current USITC HTS search and record the edition reviewed, reasoning and product evidence. When the financial or compliance consequence is material, request a CBP binding ruling or obtain qualified customs advice.

Step 5: Check duties and China-specific measures—at the right date

There is no universal China import duty. A shipment may involve:

• The general duty rate in the product’s HTS provision
• Additional Chapter 99 tariffs, including applicable Section 301 measures
• Antidumping or countervailing duties for certain products and origins
• Merchandise-processing, harbor or other applicable fees
• Product-specific exclusions or temporary measures

Time-sensitive tariff update — last reviewed 1 September 2026: The current HTS and related presidential or trade actions may contain temporary surcharges, suspensions or Chapter 99 reporting instructions. Never reuse a rate from an old article or quotation. Recheck the live HTS, the USTR Section 301 China page and CBP Section 301 guidance immediately before the purchase decision and shipment.

Potential antidumping or countervailing duty exposure requires special care. A low supplier quote does not protect the importer from an assessment. Ask a customs professional to check product scope and case instructions when there is any indication that a trade-remedy order may apply.

Step 6: Calculate total landed cost

The commercial decision should be based on landed and compliant cost, not the EXW or FOB unit price.

Factory product price + tooling and engineering allocation + packaging and labeling + testing, certification and inspection + China inland freight and export charges + international freight and insurance + normal customs duty + additional tariffs and trade-remedy exposure + customs brokerage, bond and entry fees + port, terminal, drayage and storage + domestic delivery and fulfillment + expected defect, delay and warranty cost = true landed commercial cost

Model more than one scenario for freight, exchange rate and duty treatment. If the project works only under the most optimistic assumptions, it is not ready for an order.

Step 7: Verify country of origin, marking and forced-labor risk

Country of origin is a legal determination, not simply the country from which the parcel was shipped. Most foreign-origin articles must be marked legibly, permanently and conspicuously with the English name of the country of origin unless an exception applies. Confirm the rule and placement before mass packaging is printed.

The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act creates a rebuttable presumption for goods mined, produced or manufactured wholly or partly in Xinjiang, or by listed entities. Importers need supply-chain visibility and evidence that reaches beyond a first-tier factory. Map critical raw materials, subcontractors and processing locations; retain purchase, production, transport and payment records that connect the chain.

Use CBP's UFLPA resources and country-of-origin marking guidance. High-risk supply chains require specialist legal and traceability review.

Step 8: Qualify the manufacturer and its evidence

A business licence or certificate image is not proof that the factory can produce the compliant product. Verify:

• Legal entity, registered address and operating site
• Manufacturer versus trader status
• Product-specific capability and machinery
• Capacity, subcontracting and peak-season plan
• Quality system and process controls
• Certificate issuer, scope, entity, site and validity
• Test-report model, materials and traceability
• Export history to the United States
• Corrective-action and recall processes
• Raw-material and forced-labor traceability

Use Zignify's supplier-certificate verification guide and supplier evaluation scorecard to make the review repeatable.

Step 9: Approve samples, testing and quality controls

Turn the approved sample into a controlled reference. Agree the critical-to-quality requirements, inspection method, sample size, defect classifications, acceptance criteria and remedy before production.

Regulatory testing and commercial quality inspection answer different questions. A passing laboratory report does not prove that every production unit matches the tested model. A visual inspection does not prove regulatory compliance. Connect the bill of materials, approved sample, laboratory evidence, production controls and shipment inspection.

Step 10: Set Incoterms, customs and logistics responsibilities

An Incoterm allocates delivery tasks, costs and risks; it does not automatically determine title, product compliance, tax responsibility or every customs obligation. Record:

• Named place and Incoterms rule/year
• Export and import clearance responsibilities
• Freight, insurance and destination charges
• Importer of record and customs broker
• Customs bond arrangement
• Ocean ISF filer and data deadlines
• Required pre-alert and document timing
• Inspection and nonconformity remedies

For ocean cargo, Importer Security Filing data is generally due no later than 24 hours before loading at the foreign port. Late or inaccurate filing can produce penalties and disruption. Review CBP's ISF 10+2 guidance and assign each data element in writing.

Step 11: Prepare accurate entry documents

A typical shipment file may include:

• Commercial invoice with buyer, seller, detailed goods, quantities, values, currency, terms and origin
• Packing list
• Bill of lading or air waybill
• Entry and bond information
• HTS and Chapter 99 determinations
• Agency filings, permits or certificates
• Test reports and conformity evidence
• Country-of-origin and label approvals
• Insurance documents
• Purchase order, payment and valuation support
• ISF confirmation for applicable ocean shipments

Review CBP's commercial-invoice requirements. Keep descriptions specific enough to support classification and agency review.

Step 12: Review entry, release and records

Cargo release is not the end of the importer's responsibility. Compare the filed entry with the approved classification, value, origin, Chapter 99 codes and agency data. Resolve discrepancies promptly with the broker and retain the records required for the transaction.

Record actual landed cost, delays, examinations, defects and supplier performance. Feed those results into the next supplier decision rather than repeating the same assumptions.

Common China-to-USA importing mistakes

• Comparing suppliers before standardizing specifications
• Treating the supplier’s HTS code as final
• Quoting one generic “China tariff”
• Checking agency rules after production
• Using DDP without understanding the importer and entry structure
• Filing late or incomplete ocean ISF data
• Confusing certificates with product-specific evidence
• Ignoring origin marking and raw-material traceability
• Calculating margin from factory price instead of landed cost
• Failing to review the customs entry after release

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a customs broker to import from China?

Importers may file their own entries, but many commercial importers use a licensed customs broker because classification, bonds, partner-agency data and entry procedures can be complex. The importer remains responsible for exercising reasonable care. Use CBP's broker information to verify and select a licensed broker.

How much is import duty from China to the USA?

There is no single rate. It depends on the HTS classification, current general duty, applicable Chapter 99 measures, exclusions, origin and possible antidumping or countervailing duties. Verify the live tariff immediately before ordering and shipping.

Does the supplier handle U.S. compliance?

The supplier provides essential evidence and controls, but the U.S. importer and other responsible parties retain legal obligations. Contract language cannot replace the importer’s own classification, agency and evidence review.

Is a CE mark useful in the United States?

CE marking relates to applicable European Union rules; it is not a general U.S. approval. U.S. requirements must be mapped separately by product and agency.

Can Zignify buy one or two products for a private customer?

No. Zignify is a paid sourcing and procurement service for established companies, brands and commercial bulk buyers. It finds and qualifies manufacturers; it does not hold retail stock or provide free shopping assistance.

Final buyer checklist

Before approving the purchase order, confirm that you have:

• A complete and version-controlled specification
• A documented importer of record and importer number
• A product-specific agency map
• A defensible HTS classification
• A dated tariff and Chapter 99 check
• A landed-cost model with risk scenarios
• An origin-marking and forced-labor due-diligence file
• Verified manufacturer and compliance evidence
• Approved samples and inspection criteria
• Written Incoterm, broker, bond and ISF responsibilities
• A complete shipping and entry document checklist
• An owner for entry review and record retention

The safest import decision is made before production, not at the port. The objective is not merely to get a shipment released. It is to build a compliant, traceable and commercially viable supply chain.