Import Duties and Taxes - SCUBA Diving Equipment
International shipments may be subject to import duties, taxes, and carrier clearance fees. The rate table below provides general estimates. Import duties, taxes, and related fees are separate from shipping charges and may be collected by the carrier before or at delivery. Any taxes we collect during checkout are shown on your order.
This page explains how import duties, taxes, and customs processing work, and how they may affect delivery timing and total cost for international shipments.
Dive Gear Express provides customs documentation describing the products in your order, their declared values, and country-of-origin information. Most recreational diving equipment uses HS code 9506.29, with different codes for applicable exceptions. Read more about how we classify diving equipment for international shipping.
Dive Gear Express guarantees safe arrival of your order.
Dive Gear Express offers international shipping via USPS, UPS, and DHL directly to most countries. If our checkout process provides shipping options for your country, we are able to dispatch directly to your address and Dive Gear Express guarantees safe arrival of your order. For those few countries for which we are currently unable to offer insured international shipping service with guaranteed timely safe arrival, we recommend using a third-party package forwarding service. For more information see Forwarding Services for International Customers. Dive Gear Express is willing to ship directly to some countries for which we are unable to guarantee safe arrival upon receipt of non-refundable order payment by international wire transfer. For further information see Non-guaranteed Shipping for International Customers.
Duty and tax rates for "HS 9506.29 Water-sport Equipment, Other"
In U.S. Customs ruling HQ 965106, dated November 21, 2001, Customs stated: “It is well settled that equipment used for scuba diving is classified in subheading 9506.29.0040, HTSUSA.” This established classification is the basis for our default HS code 9506.29; we use different codes for applicable product exceptions.
The rates below are general estimates for products classified under HS 9506.29, “Water-sport Equipment, Other.” Some products use different HS codes and may attract different duty rates. Actual charges depend on the products, their country of origin, and the destination country’s customs rules. These estimates draw on multiple sources, including customer reports, and may not be complete or current. Your local customs authorities determine the final duties and taxes.
Local offices of third-party expedited couriers such as DHL and UPS may apply a service fee for advancing duty and tax payments during customs clearance. Fees and minimum charges vary by carrier, service, and destination; postal operators may also charge a handling fee. For low-value orders, the minimum fee may be disproportionate to the order value.
Please read this ALERT: Improper "fees" on international packages
| Country | Duty (%) | Tax (VAT / GST) & Notes |
|---|---|---|
| European Union (general) | May vary | VAT applies by country (typically 17%–27%). Individual country rates listed below. Duty on low-value parcels may vary from the percentage shown below; see European Commission parcel guidance. |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 10% | 17% |
| Aruba | 6% | No tax |
| Australia | 5% | 10% (Shipping and GST for Australia) |
| Austria | 2.70% | 20% |
| Bahrain | 5% | 10% |
| Barbados | 10% | 17.50% |
| Belgium | 2.70% | 21% |
| Belize | 10% | 12.50% |
| Bermuda | 22.25% | No tax |
| Brazil | May vary | May vary. See Brazilian customs guidance. No USPS delivery guarantee; see Forwarding Services |
| Canada | 0% | May vary by province. See Canada Revenue Agency tax rates. Monitor your carrier tracking for customs and payment instructions; do not rely on receiving a separate telephone call or letter. Clearance fees can be significant on small orders, so Canadian customers may wish to consider self-clearing. |
| Cayman Islands | 22% | No tax |
| Chile | 6% | 19%. No USPS delivery guarantee; see Forwarding Services |
| Cyprus | 2.70% | 19% |
| Czech Republic | 2.70% | 21% |
| Denmark | 2.70% | 25% |
| Dominica | 10% | 15% |
| Ecuador | May vary | 15% standard VAT; charges may vary by parcel category. See Ecuadorian customs guidance. |
| Egypt | 5% | 14% |
| Estonia | 2.70% | 24% |
| Finland | 2.70% | 25.5% |
| France | 2.70% | 20% |
| Germany | 2.70% | 19% |
| Gibraltar | 12% | No tax |
| Greece | 2.70% | 24% |
| Grenada | 10% | 15% |
| Guadeloupe | 2.70% | 8.50% |
| Guernsey | 2.70% | No tax |
| Hong Kong, SAR PRC | 0% | No tax (Please use city "Hong Kong" and postal code "999077") |
| Hungary | 2.70% | 27% |
| Iceland | 10% | 24% |
| Indonesia | May vary | May vary. See Indonesian customs guidance. No USPS delivery guarantee; see Forwarding Services |
| Ireland | 2.70% | 23% |
| Isle of Man | 2.70% | 20% |
| Israel | 0% | 18% |
| Italy | 2.70% | 22% |
| Jamaica | 10% | 15% |
| Japan | 0% | 10% |
| Jersey | 2.70% | 5% |
| Kuwait | 5% | No VAT |
| Latvia | 2.70% | 21% |
| Lithuania | 2.70% | 21% |
| Luxembourg | 2.70% | 17% |
| Macau, SAR PRC | 0% | No tax (Please use city "Macau" and postal code "999078") |
| Maldives | May vary | May vary. See Maldives Customs Service and Maldives tax guidance. |
| Malta | 2.70% | 18% |
| Martinique | 2.70% | 8.50% |
| Mayotte | 2.70% | 0% |
| Mexico | 0% | 16%. No USPS delivery guarantee; see Forwarding Services. Orders over $1000.00 shipped via DHL or UPS require the customer to provide their own in-country customs broker. |
| Monaco | 2.70% | 20% |
| Morocco | 2.50% | 20% |
| Namibia | 0% | 15% |
| Netherlands | 2.70% | 21% |
| New Zealand | 5% | 15% |
| Norway | 0% | 25% |
| Philippines | 1% | 12% |
| Poland | 2.70% | 23% |
| Portugal | 2.70% | 23% |
| Puerto Rico | 0% | 11.5% (sales and use tax) |
| Qatar | 5% | 0% |
| Reunion | 2.70% | 8.50% |
| Romania | 2.70% | 21% |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 10% | 17% |
| Saint Lucia | 10% | 15% |
| Saint Martin | 0% | No tax |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 10% | 15% |
| Saudi Arabia | 5% | 15% (Effective July 2020) |
| Singapore | 0% | 9% |
| South Africa | 0% | 15% (Effective April 2018) |
| South Korea | 8% | 10% |
| Spain | 2.70% | 21% |
| Suriname | 10% | 10% |
| Sweden | 2.70% | 25% |
| Switzerland | 0% | 8.1% |
| Taiwan | 2.50% | 5% |
| Thailand | 10% | 7%. No USPS delivery guarantee; see Forwarding Services |
| Turkey | May vary | 20% standard VAT; import charges may vary. See Turkish customs guidance. |
| Turks and Caicos Islands | 30% | No tax |
| United Arab Emirates | 5% | 5% |
| United Kingdom | 2.70% | 20% |