Skincare Import Duty by HS Code: US, UK and EU Lookup Guide (Verified 2026)

US general (MFN) duty on skincare under HTS 3304.99.10 and 3304.99.50 is Free, verified from the USITC Harmonized Tariff Schedule on 13 September 2026. The UK third-country duty on commodity code 3304990000 is 0.00%, verified from the UK Trade Tariff API the same day, with UK import VAT at 20%. Duty is rarely the largest cost of importing cosmetics — compliance, testing and freight usually are. This guide shows how to classify your product and check the rate for your market.

1. Get the classification right first

Duty rates are meaningless until the product is classified. For skincare and personal care, the headings that matter are:

Classification is legally the importer's responsibility. For anything above test-order volume, ask your customs broker to confirm the code — or, if the value is material, request a binding tariff ruling from the customs authority before you ship.

2. Verified duty rates, September 2026

Two cautions. First, rates change — the values above were read directly from the official systems on 13 September 2026 and should be re-checked at order time. Second, duty-free is not cost-free: VAT applies in the UK and EU regardless of the duty rate, and it is charged on the CIF value plus duty.

3. What actually costs more than duty

For a private label cosmetics shipment, duty is usually a small line. The larger costs sit in compliance:

• EU: a Responsible Person established in the EU, a Cosmetic Product Safety Report (CPSR) and a Product Information File, plus CPNP notification before the product is placed on the market. None of this can be done by a factory outside the EU on its own.
• United States: under MoCRA, facility registration and product listing obligations, plus label and ingredient rules.
• Testing: stability, preservative challenge testing and microbiological testing are part of a defensible dossier.
• Freight and working capital: MOQ-driven inventory is often the biggest cash cost — which is why starting at a lower MOQ changes the economics more than a duty point does.
• Market-specific registration: for example ANVISA requirements for Brazil and COFEPRIS registration for Mexico.

4. Look up any code yourself in four steps

1. United States — search the code at hts.usitc.gov. The "general" column is the standard rate; "special" covers FTA partners; "other" applies to a small number of countries.
2. United Kingdom — look up the 8-digit commodity code at trade-tariff.service.gov.uk. Read the third country duty line for your origin, and the value added tax line separately.
3. European Union — use TARIC or Access2Markets. Enter the CN code, the origin country and the destination member state; the result gives the applicable duty and any additional measures.
4. Cross-check applied rates with WITS (World Bank), which aggregates official applied tariffs and is useful for a second opinion across many markets at once.

5. HS code mistakes that cost money

The last point is the one most often missed: a factory can suggest a code, but the importer signs the declaration.

FAQ

Is skincare duty-free in the US? For HTS 3304.99.10.00 and 3304.99.50.00 the general (MFN) rate is Free, as published by USITC and checked on 13 September 2026. Other subheadings and other product categories differ — check the exact code.

What is the UK import duty on skincare? The third country duty for commodity code 3304990000 is 0.00%, verified from the UK Trade Tariff API on 13 September 2026. UK VAT of 20% still applies at import.

How do I find the EU duty for my product? Classify the product to a CN code, then look it up in TARIC or Access2Markets by code, origin and destination. Rates differ by code, so a general figure is not sufficient for planning.

Does the duty rate depend on where the factory is? Yes. The rate depends on the origin of the goods, not the country of the seller, plus any trade agreement in force. Origin is determined by where the goods were substantially produced.

Can my Chinese supplier handle duty and compliance? A supplier can provide documentation and technical files, and can run production to your specification — but EU responsible-person duties, CPNP notification and US importer obligations sit with parties in those markets. See the EU Responsible Person requirement.

Plan the landed cost before you plan the launch

Send us the product, the target market and the expected order quantity, and we will come back with real MOQ options, FOB pricing and lead times you can drop into your landed-cost model. See our catalogue and MOQ and pricing, or request a quote.

Related reading: Where Chinese Cosmetics Exports Actually Go · How to Verify a Chinese Cosmetics Manufacturer