Does Singapore charge import duty on most goods?

No. Singapore is a free port and charges customs duty on only four categories: intoxicating liquor, tobacco products, motor vehicles and petroleum or biodiesel. Everything else — electronics, clothing, books — is duty-free. Only GST applies to those general goods.

How much GST do I pay on imports?

Singapore's GST is 9% and it applies to almost all imports. It is charged on the CIF value (cost, insurance and freight) plus any customs or excise duty. GST relief on low-value imports has been removed, so GST now applies regardless of the shipment's value.

What is the CIF value?

CIF stands for cost, insurance and freight — the value of the goods plus the cost of insuring and shipping them to Singapore. Customs uses CIF as the base for duty and GST, so it is the figure you enter into the calculator.

How is duty on cars and liquor worked out?

Cars carry a 20% excise duty on the customs value plus separate ARF, COE and registration levies. Liquor, tobacco and fuel use specific per-unit duties — per litre of alcohol, per stick, per litre of fuel — so enter the known duty amount manually rather than a percentage.

Is this an official customs quote?

No. It is an educational estimate of the main charges. Specific-rate duties, vehicle levies and clearance fees can change the final bill, so confirm with Singapore Customs or your freight forwarder before relying on a figure.

Singapore Import Duty & Customs Calculator

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A Singapore import duty and customs calculator built around the country’s free-port reality. Singapore charges customs duty on only four categories — liquor, tobacco, motor vehicles and petroleum — and levies 9% GST on nearly everything else. This tool computes the total landed cost from your CIF value.

How it works

Customs uses the CIF value (cost + insurance + freight) as the base. Duty, where it applies, is added first, then 9% GST is charged on the CIF plus duty:

duty      = CIF * duty rate      (0% for general goods)
GST base  = CIF + duty
GST       = GST base * 9%
landed    = CIF + duty + GST

For general goods the duty rate is 0%, so you pay only GST. For the dutiable categories, liquor, tobacco and fuel use specific (per-unit) duties rather than a percentage, so you enter the known duty amount; motor vehicles attract a 20% excise duty on the customs value plus separate ARF, COE and registration levies.

Example and notes

Import 1,000 SGD of electronics (general goods): duty is S$0, GST is S$90.00 (9% of S$1,000), and the landed cost is S$1,090.00 — GST only, because Singapore charges no duty on general goods.

GST relief on low-value imports has been removed, so GST applies regardless of value. This is an estimate; confirm specific duties and vehicle levies with Singapore Customs. All figures are calculated locally in your browser.