Guides to importing into The Bahamas

What each import charge is, how Customs clearance works, and why Amazon's Import Fees Deposit often differs from the duty you actually pay. 17 guides, with the worked examples in them checked by hand against the current Tariff Act schedule.

• How Bahamas Import Fees Work

  Duty, the 1% processing fee, the environmental levy and 10% VAT: what each one is, the order Customs applies them in, and what they add up to.

  By George · updated 2026-10-08
• Everything That Is Duty-Free in The Bahamas

  The duty-free list grouped by category (computers, books, medicine, baby gear and more), and what you still pay on duty-free goods.

  By George · updated 2026-10-08
• How to Self-Clear a Package on Click2Clear

  Clearing your own shipment through Bahamas Customs' Click2Clear portal: what you need, the steps, and when it makes sense instead of using a broker.

  By George · updated 2026-09-30
• Amazon Global vs a Florida Freight Forwarder: Which Is Cheaper?

  The two ways to get Amazon orders to The Bahamas, what each one costs, and four questions that decide which is cheaper for a given order.

  By George · updated 2026-09-30
• How to Read Amazon’s Import Fees Deposit (and Compare It to Bahamas Duty)

  What the deposit is, why it often differs from the actual Bahamas charges, and what to do when it looks too high or too low.

  By George · updated 2026-10-08
• Why 10% VAT Costs You More Than 10%

  VAT is charged on the landed cost, not the item price, so on a 45% duty item it comes to about 15.5% of what you paid.

  By George · updated 2026-10-08
• The 1% Processing Fee, Its $10 Minimum, and Its $1,500 Cap

  The fee most people forget. On small parcels the $10 minimum is a large part of the bill, and above $150,000 the $1,500 cap takes over.

  By George · updated 2026-10-08
• Duty-Free but Not Tax-Free: Excise Duty Explained

  Cars, fuel, spirits and firearms are free of customs duty and pay excise instead, at rates up to 65%.

  By George · updated 2026-09-30
• Electronics: Laptops at 0%, Phones at 10%, Soundbars at 45%

  Computers are duty-free, phones are 10%, and audio and gaming gear is 45%. Electronics have the widest range of rates of any category.

  By George · updated 2026-10-08
• Appliances and the Environmental Levy

  A single-door fridge is duty-free, but fridge-freezers, microwaves and vacuums are 35%, and most large appliances also carry a fixed environmental levy per item.

  By George · updated 2026-10-08
• Clothing and Footwear: 20% Duty, and the Exceptions

  Nearly all adult clothing and shoes are 20%, but the $10 minimum fee means small orders end up costing much more than that.

  By George · updated 2026-09-30
• Furnishing a Home in The Bahamas: Duty from 0% to 60%

  Mattresses carry 60% duty, the highest rate most people will run into, while LED lighting is duty-free.

  By George · updated 2026-09-30
• Baby Gear Is Almost Entirely Duty-Free

  Baby clothing, diapers, strollers and cribs all come in at 0%, the clearest exemption in the Bahamas schedule.

  By George · updated 2026-09-30
• Tools, Hardware and Building Materials: What Each Costs to Import

  Cement and bolts are duty-free, hand tools are 25% and power tools are 45%, which is useful to know before a renovation.

  By George · updated 2026-10-08
• Consolidate Your Orders: Why Four Small Parcels Cost More Than One Big One

  The $10 processing minimum is charged per entry, not per item, so combining orders into one shipment cuts import charges directly.

  By George · updated 2026-09-30
• Where Import Estimates Go Wrong: HS Classification

  Most wrong duty estimates come from the wrong tariff code. How the 6,702-line schedule is organised, and where it catches people out.

  By George · updated 2026-09-30
• Import It or Buy It Locally?

  A break-even test, a multiplier for each duty rate, and the categories where a local store usually comes out cheaper.

  By George · updated 2026-10-08

There is also a yearly post on Bahamas duty rate changes for 2026.