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.
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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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
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 clothing, diapers, strollers and cribs all come in at 0%, the clearest exemption in the Bahamas schedule.
By George · updated 2026-09-30
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
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
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
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.