How to read your duty results
Understand what the postal and commercial totals mean.
- Postal duty total – the duty amount applicable to postal shipments under current U.S. rules.
- Commercial duty total – the duty amount typically used for private carriers and commercial shipments.
- Breakdown by rate type – including standard rates and any additional tariffs that may apply.
- Per-shipment duty estimate – the amount you should plan to prepay before your parcel enters the U.S.
What to do with this information
Use the duty estimate to meet U.S. requirements and set prices correctly.
- Include the duty amount before mailing your parcel to the U.S.
- Build duties into your product prices when selling to U.S. customers.
- Communicate the duty cost to the recipient ahead of time.
- Use the estimate as part of your overall landed cost for international pricing.
1. Enter shipment and item details
Add a clear product description, shipment value, and currency. Include the destination country (United States) and any other requested information so the calculator can determine the correct duty.
2. Classify your item
If you know the HS code, you can enter it directly. If not, use our classification tools to help identify the right tariff code, improving duty accuracy.
3. Review postal vs. commercial duty totals
The calculator will display duty estimates for both postal and commercial shipments. For postal parcels entering the U.S. under $800 USD, use the postal duty total.
4. Prepay duties before you ship
Use the postal duty total to determine how much to collect or pay before mailing your parcel. This helps ensure your shipment complies with U.S. import rules and avoids issues at the border.
Zonos is a trusted leader in cross-border technology, helping businesses and shippers calculate duties and taxes accurately for international shipments.
For more than 16 years, we’ve been powering cross-border commerce with HS classification and duty and tax calculation technology that supports global brands, logistics providers, and thousands of ecommerce businesses.
Our goal is to make cross-border shipping simple, transparent, and compliant—whether you ship via postal operators, private carriers, or full logistics networks.
What is Item Quoter?
Item Quoter is a free tool from Zonos that estimates duty amounts for parcels shipped to the United States. It helps shippers understand how much duty should be prepaid on postal shipments under current U.S. rules.
Who should use this calculator?
This calculator is designed for anyone shipping parcels to the U.S., including individuals, small businesses, postal shippers, and ecommerce merchants who need to understand duty costs before they ship.
What’s the difference between the postal and commercial duty totals?
The postal duty total reflects duty amounts for postal shipments under current U.S. requirements, while the commercial duty total is more relevant for private carriers and commercial imports. If you are shipping via a postal operator, use the postal duty total as your reference.
Does this calculator pay duties for me?
No. This tool provides a duty estimate so you know how much to collect or pay before shipping. It does not make the payment itself. Zonos offers additional products and integrations that support duty and tax collection and remittance.
How accurate are the duty estimates?
Duty estimates are based on the information you provide (product description, HS code, value, origin, and destination) and current U.S. tariff data. Providing more accurate and detailed item information will result in more accurate duty calculations.
Do I need an HS code to use the calculator?
No, but providing an HS or HTS code improves accuracy. If you don’t know the code, you can start with a detailed product description and use our classification tools to help identify the correct HS code.
How many free calculations can I run?
You can run a limited number of free calculations each month directly on this page. If you need higher volumes, automated workflows, or full integration with your systems, contact our sales team to learn more about Zonos products.
Does this calculator reflect recent U.S. changes to postal duties?
Yes. The duty estimates are designed to reflect current U.S. rules, including the requirement that duties on postal shipments under $800 USD be calculated and paid before entering the country, as of August 29, 2025.
Calculate duties before you ship
As of August 29, 2025, U.S. rules require duties on postal shipments under $800 USD to be calculated and paid before entering the country. Use this free calculator to estimate required U.S. duties for your parcels.
Talk to sales about duty automation
Free to try: You can run up to 5 duty calculations on this page before needing a full Zonos account.