Despite the apparent free flow of goods, services and ideas across the world these days, the U.S. and many other countries impose import duties on eyewear-related products.
In fact, every time you send a pair of glasses or sunglasses to the U.S., you have to pay approximately 2% to 2.5% in import duties and taxes to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
With a better understanding of the import duty rates for various types of eyewear products, you can decide whether to cover the cost of duties to smoothen the experience or forward the extra charges to your customers at checkout.
Here's a list of every type of eyewear product and their corresponding U.S. import duty rates.
What are the duties for importing eyewear into the U.S.?
In broad strokes, U.S. Customs and Border Protection imposes duties of 2% to 2.5% on imports of all plastic eyewear-related products.
On the other hand, if your material is metal, horn or anything but plastic, you do not have to pay duties on your import shipment.
| Item | Import Duty | Harmonized System Code (HS Code) |
| Contact Lenses | 2% | 9001.30.00 |
| Spectacle lenses of glass | 2% | 9001.40.00 |
| Spectacle lenses of materials other than glass | 2% | 9001.50.00 |
| Plastic spectacle or goggle frames | 2.5% | 9003.11.00 |
| Non-plastic spectacle or goggle frames | 0% | 9003.19.00 |
| Non-plastic spectacle or goggle frames | 2.5% | 9003.90.00 |
| Sunglasses | 2% | 9004.10.00 |
| Safety glasses or goggles | 2.5% | 9004.90.00 |
To see the latest Harmonized Tariff Schedule, click here. If you're unsure about the classification for your product, you can search it in the Customs Rulings Online Search System.
Conclusion
U.S. Customs and Border Protection imposes import duties on almost all eyewear products. As the duty amount is relatively low (2 to 2.5%), you may want to consider absorbing the cost of duties to ensure a smooth hassle-free buying experience for your customer!