US Tariffs on Coffee 2026: Navigate Duties, Cut Costs, Stay Compliant

United States Coffee Import Duty Overview

The United States maintains a largely duty-free environment for coffee imports, facilitating a robust domestic market. While base tariffs are generally non-existent for most coffee varieties, importers must account for administrative fees and potential trade enforcement actions. Understanding these secondary costs is vital for accurate landed cost calculations and profit margin protection.

• Ad Valorem: Most coffee products enter at a 0% rate, meaning no percentage of the customs value is charged. This applies to the majority of HTS Chapter 9 entries.

• Specific Duty: There are no fixed dollar amounts per unit of weight applied to standard coffee imports. This simplifies the entry process for volume-based shipments.

• Compound Duty: This hybrid of percentage and unit-based rates is not applicable to the coffee sector. It is typically reserved for more complex agricultural products.

• Section 301: Additional duties may target coffee originating from specific countries like China. These rates can reach 25% and are subject to periodic regulatory updates.

• Antidumping: These duties protect domestic industries from foreign goods sold at less than fair value. Currently, there are no significant AD orders on raw coffee beans.

• Excise Tax: Coffee is exempt from federal excise taxes in the United States. This distinguishes it from other commodities like fuel or tobacco.

• MPF: The Merchandise Processing Fee is an ad valorem fee on formal entries. It is capped at a maximum of $634.62 per entry, aiding high-value importers.

• HMF: The Harbor Maintenance Fee applies only to cargo arriving via ocean freight. It supports the upkeep of U.S. ports and is calculated at 0.125% of the cargo value.