The Barbados Customs & Excise Department   
  Home    |     About Customs    |    Support & Downloads   | 
      Nationals
      Trade
       Exports
      Imports      
       
      Legislation
     Taxation
     Corporate Affairs
      Office Contacts
      About Customs

  2010/09/05   
 
        Trade : IMPORTS
 
I  Introduction  
  The Barbados Customs and Excise Department is committed to establishing and maintaining the delicate balance between facilitating legitimate trade and travel enforceming the law. Barbados is a member of the World Customs Organisation (WCO), The World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the Caribbean Customs Law Enforcement Council (CCLEC). The Harmonised Commodity Description and Coding System (HS) - The International System for classifying goods as well as the WTO Valuation agrreement are also in use.  
  The four main import taxes are:  
    a  Import Duty

  
    a  Environmental Levy  
    a  Excise Tax and  
    a  Value Added Tax  
    a  Cess Tax  
  Import Duty ranges from 0 per cent to 20 per cent of the CIF (Cost + Insurance + Freight) value on most items. There are some exceptions which include bound rates which range from 40 per cent to 196 per cent on specified agricultural and manufactured products.

The bound rates will be reduced by 2.4 per cent every year until 2004. Exceptions also include 60 per cent on jewellery, 50 per cent on watches and 45 per cent on motor cars. There are also some items such as cigarettes and alcoholic beverages which pay specific rates of import duty.

Rates of Import Duty can be obtained from the Barbados Customs Tariff which is based on the Harmonised Commodity Description and Coding System (HS).		  
  Environmental Levy is charged at the rate of 1 per cent of the CIF Value on most goods. A very limited number of goods carry a specific rate of environmental levy.  
   Excise Tax is charged on four categories of goods and these are:  
    a  Motor Vehicles  
    a  Tobacco Products  
    a  Alcoholic Beverages and  
    a  Petroleum Products  
       
  Value Added Tax is charged at the rate of 15 per cent. This tax is compounded and is charged on the total of the CIF Value and any other import taxes. Some goods are zero rated.  
  Copies of the legislation governing all import taxes can be obtained from the Barbados Government Printing Department.  
  The normal office hours of the Customs and Excise Department for the processing of documentation and the clearance of goods are 08:15 hours until 16:30 hours.

Importers who have rush shipments and wish to clear them outsideof the official hours may do so, but would be required to pay fees and travelling costs for the extra attendance of Customs personnel.

Additional fees are required where the extra attendance of personnel from other regulatory agencies is necessary.		  
       

 
Index Of Site    |     FAQ     |     Terms/Privacy     |      Corporate Infomation     |     Disclaimer

© 2007 Barbados Customs & Excise Department