How much money should I pay in customs for my goods? This is one of the most frequently asked questions when importing.
The customs debt, that is, the amount an importer must pay to the customs authorities for their goods, should be calculated considering the following factors:
- The origin (country) of the goods.
- The customs value of the cargo.
- The applicable tariff or tax rate.
In this article, we will explain how to calculate customs taxes in the Dominican Republic, so you can use the customs calculator to determine the amount to pay for the goods you import.
Customs Tax Calculator in the Dominican Republic
For goods valued below US $200.00, the only payment will be a fee of US $0.25 per kilo imported and cleared through customs, according to Decree 627-06 of the Dominican Republic.
How much does customs charge in the Dominican Republic?
According to Decree No. 402-05, which approves the Regulations for the Express Clearance of Shipments in the Dominican Republic, customs categories and charges are established for each type of goods.
These categories are:
If you need advice on calculating customs value or paying customs in the Dominican Republic, at Contadores Dominicanos we have highly qualified professionals ready to help you.
Category A: Correspondence and documents, free of duties and taxes
- Correspondence such as written messages, postcards, and commercial content letters.
- Printed material such as commercial materials like insurance, documents, bank statements, legal documents, airline tickets, and business correspondence.
- Texts recorded on any type of computer media.
Category B: Low-value shipments, free of duties and taxes
- Goods with a FOB value equal to or less than US $200.00.
- Mass distribution materials in commercial quantities, such as certain types of literature, newspapers, magazines, and printed documentation.
- Commercial samples, personal effects, and unsolicited gifts valued at no more than US $200.00.
Category C: Low-value shipments subject to duties and taxes
- Goods with a FOB value over US $200.00 up to US $2,000.00.
- Note: For these shipments, a commercial invoice (original or copy) or an electronic invoice will be required.
Category D: High-value or restricted shipments
- Goods with a FOB value over US $2,000.00.
- Shipments subject to tariff restrictions, such as origin, quotas, safeguards, countervailing duties, among others.
Why is customs duty paid?
Customs duty must be paid for your goods to enter their destination country, whether by air, sea, or land.
This amount is known as the customs debt and does not apply to all types of goods, only those subject to duties and taxes, according to Decree No. 402-05 of the Dominican Republic.
How to determine the customs value?
The customs value is determined according to the Valuation Methods established by the WTO. These methods are:
- Transaction value.
- Transaction value of identical goods.
- Transaction value of similar goods.
- Deductive method.
- “Constructed value” method.
- “Fallback” method.
How to pay customs duties?
To pay customs duties, you can make a direct payment to the account of the Dirección General de Aduanas, requesting your PIN via email to make the corresponding payment via Internet Banking.
On the Dirección General de Aduanas website, you can also calculate taxes for online purchases in the Dominican Republic.
You can also make the payment by certified check or bank draft, for the indicated amount payable to the Dirección General de Aduanas.
You may be interested in learning about tariffs in the Dominican Republic.
Find out how to become a Customs Agent in the Dominican Republic.
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