Indian customs are a difficult topic as there are no definitive guides on how much the customs duties would cost for each item you ship from overseas to India.
We surveyed in 2024 and discovered that our customers in India pay 10% to 80% of the value of goods for customs, the majority being between 30% to 50%. To help ZenMarket customers better estimate the customs duties they will need to pay for shipping Japanese goods to India, this is a helpful guide on some resources for reference.
*ZenMarket does not hold any responsibility on estimating the customs and the information provided is only for your reference based on our customers' feedback.
How are Customs calculated for shipments to India?
The customs duty in India varies depending on the type of goods being imported and their declared value.
Here is a general outline of the customs duties in India:
- Basic Customs Duty (BCD): This is the standard duty applied to goods at varying rates depending on the product category. Rates typically range from 5% to 40%.
- Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST): Applied on the value of the imported goods plus the BCD. The rate of IGST usually aligns with the GST rates for similar goods sold within India, generally between 5% and 28%.
- Social Welfare Surcharge: This is levied at 10% on the aggregate of customs duties, excluding IGST.
- Additional Customs Duty/Countervailing Duty (CVD): In some cases, additional duties are applied to counterbalance domestic taxes.
- Anti-dumping Duty: Applied to specific goods that are imported at a price lower than their normal value to protect domestic industries.
- Safeguard Duty: Imposed on certain products to protect the domestic industry from an unexpected surge in imports.
To get an estimated amount on customs, it is essential to know the specific product category, the value, and the applicable customs rates.
You can refer to the details on the CBIC website to estimate the customs. Another way is to consult a customs broker for more detailed and accurate information on imports to India. There is a Customs Duty Calculator on the CBIC website, however it seems to be unavailable at the moment.
Also Read: ABOUT PAYING CUSTOM FEES FOR ZENMARKET ORDERS
Case Example 1 : Shipping Anime Figures to India
Here is an example to understand more about how Indian customs work.
We take an example of shipping "Anime Figures" to India from Japan and here are the customs estimations:
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Basic Customs Duty (BCD): For toys and collectible items such as anime figures, the BCD rate typically ranges around 20%.
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Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST): The IGST for toys and collectibles is generally around 18%.
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Social Welfare Surcharge: This is 10% of the aggregate of customs duties (excluding IGST).
To calculate the customs for anime figures valued at 10,000 INR (~18,000JPY):
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Basic Customs Duty (BCD):
- BCD = 20% of 10,000 INR = 2,000 INR
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Social Welfare Surcharge:
- Social Welfare Surcharge = 10% of BCD = 10% of 2,000 INR = 200 INR
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Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST):
- IGST is calculated on the value of the goods plus BCD and Social Welfare Surcharge.
- Total value for IGST = 10,000 INR + 2,000 INR + 200 INR = 12,200 INR
- IGST = 18% of 12,200 INR = 2,196 INR
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Total Customs Duty:
- Total Customs Duty = BCD + Social Welfare Surcharge + IGST
- Total Customs Duty = 2,000 INR + 200 INR + 2,196 INR = 4,396 INR
So, for anime figures valued at 10,000 INR, the total customs duty could be approximately 4,396 INR. (43.96%)
However, this is just an estimation and actual customs duties will vary based on the changes in regulations and local authorities.
It is the customer's responsibility to understand their local customs duties and taxes when ordering from ZenMarket as regulations vary based on different locations and items.
Also Read: ABOUT ZENMARKET INVOICING
Case Example 2: Shipping Zakka to India
We collected information from one of our customers where the customer shipped zakka, stationery, and some other accessories. The customer was charged 42.08% for customs duties. So it would be safe to assume around 50% customs for your ZenMarket parcel if you are unsure.
Resources for Calculating India Customs
If you prefer a more straightforward approach, you can use third-party customs duty calculators available online:
FAQ
Here are some common questions for India shipments. You can check more FAQ on this page.
Q. How much can the total shipping charges possibly be in case of 15 books worth 5116 yen?
A: This will depend largely on the exact size of the books and their weight once they have been packed into a parcel. It will also depend on the shipping method you choose. You can use our shipping calculator to get an estimate.
For domestic shipping from the seller to the ZenMarket warehouse, you should be able to get an estimate to Osaka on the item listing. If it is a Mercari listing, often domestic shipping is free.
Q. Do I have to pay customs/taxes separately and not along with the total? If so then when and how do I need to pay the taxes?
A: Yes. You will need to pay customs taxes separately. India does not currently have a VAT levying system in place like Europe's IOSS so you will need to pay these when your parcel arrives in India.
This will depend on your local authority's regulations. For example, in some countries when the parcel arrives at the border you will get a notification that the item is in customs - when you pay, they will release the parcel from customs and ship it to you. This can be handled online or over the phone. In some countries, the parcel would be delivered to a local post office, and you would pay the fee when you go to pick up your parcel.
In other countries, you pay the delivery person the VAT fee when the parcel is handed to you.
Q. How much the shipping charges, service fees and customs charges might amount to?
A: The service fee will depend on whether you are buying the items in a single listing altogether, or buying them individually per order. If you bought them all together on a single listing, the ZenMarket service fee would be just 500 yen, but if you bought all of them individually, it would be each item + 500 yen.
For information about shipping charges, please estimate the weight and dimensions of the parcel and input them into our shipping calculator.
As for customs, based on feedback from some of our Indian customers, the customs fee can vary from 10% to 80% based on what items you buy, with the majority being between 30% and 50%. Some users have also reported that on occasion their parcels have just been waived through with no charge. It is suggested to include an estimate of 50% customs fee if you are unsure.
*ZenMarket does not hold any responsibility on estimating the customs and the above is only for your reference based on our customers' feedback.
Q. What shipping method should I choose?
A: The shipping method is based on your preference. If you want the parcel to arrive fast, we suggest using courier services like FedEx or international postal services like EMS. On the contrary, if you do not mind receiving your parcel after a few months and want lower shipping costs, you can choose surface shipping.
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