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Americas ✈️ Air Freight 🚢 Sea Freight 10 KG

Cost to Ship 10KG from China to United States

What this shipment size actually costs, and whether consolidating up to the next bracket would be cheaper.

A 10KG shipment from China to United States is priced on whichever is greater of actual and volumetric weight. Air suits this size at 5-10 days; sea becomes economical on larger consignments at 25-45 days. Duty is assessed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Customs authority
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

Indicative planning references only, not a quotation. Actual cost depends on the product and its HS code, chargeable weight, declared value, destination duty and tax and the exchange rate on the day, and can be higher or lower.

Current Rates — China to United States (10 KG)

Rate data for this combination is currently on request. Contact us directly →

Calculate for a different weight:

Trade Terms Explained — Who Pays for What

The rate above is quoted on one specific trade term. Change the term and you change how much of the journey to United States is already inside the price. The table below maps the eleven common Incoterms® against the twelve cost stages of a door-to-door shipment, so you can see exactly where our responsibility ends and yours begins.

  • Seller — Cost and arrangement sit with the seller / shipper.
  • Buyer — Cost and arrangement sit with the buyer / consignee.
  • Negotiable — Not fixed by the rule — agree it in the contract.
Responsibility for each shipment stage under each Incoterms rule
Term 1 Loading on truck 2 Export customs declaration 3 Carriage to port of export 4 Unloading at port of export 5 Loading on vessel / aircraft 6 Main carriage 7 Cargo insurance 8 Unloading at port of import 9 Loading on truck at import 10 Carriage to destination 11 Import customs clearance 12 Import duties & taxes
EXW Ex Works Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck Buyer Buyer — Export customs declaration Buyer Buyer — Carriage to port of export Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of export Buyer Buyer — Loading on vessel / aircraft Buyer Buyer — Main carriage Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes
FCA Free Carrier Seller Seller — Loading on truck Seller Seller — Export customs declaration Buyer Buyer — Carriage to port of export Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of export Buyer Buyer — Loading on vessel / aircraft Buyer Buyer — Main carriage Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes
FAS Free Alongside Ship Seller Seller — Loading on truck Seller Seller — Export customs declaration Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export Buyer Buyer — Loading on vessel / aircraft Buyer Buyer — Main carriage Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes
FOB Free On Board Seller Seller — Loading on truck Seller Seller — Export customs declaration Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft Buyer Buyer — Main carriage Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes
CFR Cost and Freight Seller Seller — Loading on truck Seller Seller — Export customs declaration Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft Seller Seller — Main carriage Buyer Buyer — Cargo insurance Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes
CIF Cost, Insurance and Freight Seller Seller — Loading on truck Seller Seller — Export customs declaration Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft Seller Seller — Main carriage Seller Seller — Cargo insurance Buyer Buyer — Unloading at port of import Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes
CPT Carriage Paid To Seller Seller — Loading on truck Seller Seller — Export customs declaration Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft Seller Seller — Main carriage Negotiable Negotiable — Cargo insurance Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import Seller Seller — Loading on truck at import Seller Seller — Carriage to destination Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes
CIP Carriage and Insurance Paid Seller Seller — Loading on truck Seller Seller — Export customs declaration Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft Seller Seller — Main carriage Seller Seller — Cargo insurance Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import Seller Seller — Loading on truck at import Seller Seller — Carriage to destination Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes
DAT Delivered At Terminal (DPU) Seller Seller — Loading on truck Seller Seller — Export customs declaration Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft Seller Seller — Main carriage Negotiable Negotiable — Cargo insurance Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import Buyer Buyer — Loading on truck at import Buyer Buyer — Carriage to destination Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes
DAP Delivered At Place Seller Seller — Loading on truck Seller Seller — Export customs declaration Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft Seller Seller — Main carriage Negotiable Negotiable — Cargo insurance Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import Seller Seller — Loading on truck at import Seller Seller — Carriage to destination Buyer Buyer — Import customs clearance Buyer Buyer — Import duties & taxes
DDP Delivered Duty Paid Seller Seller — Loading on truck Seller Seller — Export customs declaration Seller Seller — Carriage to port of export Seller Seller — Unloading at port of export Seller Seller — Loading on vessel / aircraft Seller Seller — Main carriage Negotiable Negotiable — Cargo insurance Seller Seller — Unloading at port of import Seller Seller — Loading on truck at import Seller Seller — Carriage to destination Seller Seller — Import customs clearance Seller Seller — Import duties & taxes

EXW Ex Works

Buyer takes over at the seller's door and carries every cost from there. Lowest quoted price, highest buyer workload.

FCA Free Carrier

Seller clears the goods for export and hands them to the carrier the buyer nominated.

FAS Free Alongside Ship

Sea and inland waterway only. Seller delivers alongside the vessel; loading is on the buyer.

FOB Free On Board

Sea and inland waterway only. Risk passes once the goods are on board. The most common buying term.

CFR Cost and Freight

Seller pays the main carriage but carries no insurance obligation; risk still passes on loading.

CIF Cost, Insurance and Freight

As CFR, plus the seller must buy and pay for cargo insurance (minimum cover unless you agree more).

CPT Carriage Paid To

Any mode. Seller pays carriage through to the named destination; insurance is not obligatory.

CIP Carriage and Insurance Paid

As CPT, plus the seller must insure the cargo through to the named destination.

DAT Delivered At Terminal (DPU)

Seller delivers unloaded at the named terminal. Renamed DPU (Delivered at Place Unloaded) in Incoterms® 2020.

DAP Delivered At Place

Seller delivers to your address ready for unloading; import clearance and duty stay with the buyer.

DDP Delivered Duty Paid

Seller carries everything through to your door, duty and tax included. Highest quoted price, least buyer workload.

Two things worth flagging. Under CIF and CIP the seller is obliged to buy cargo insurance and pay the premium; under every other term insurance is optional, and we recommend buyers arrange their own cover so a loss or damage in transit is recoverable. And this table is a working summary for planning purposes — the binding definitions are the ones published by the International Chamber of Commerce in the Incoterms® rules, so confirm the exact term wording in your sales contract before you ship.

Price Trend — United States

Historical freight rates from China to United States for 10 KG shipments. Data sourced from live carrier price feeds.

China to United States — Shipping Reference Data

Reference figures that shape cost and transit on the China-United States route:

Main sea gateways Los Angeles/Long Beach, New York/Newark, Savannah
Destination customs authority U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
De-minimis / duty-free threshold USD 800
Import tax & duty regime No federal VAT; duties vary by HTS code (often 0–6.5% for general goods)
Local currency USD
Typical port/airport dwell time 2–5 days
Peak / busy season Aug–Oct (pre-holiday peak)
Conformity & certification FCC for radio devices; FDA Prior Notice for food/supplements
Main air gateways LAX (Los Angeles), ORD (Chicago), JFK (New York)

Thresholds and duty bands are buyer-planning references, not formal customs rulings — confirm the exact HS-code rate for your goods before shipping.

E-Commerce Freight

E-Commerce Small Batch Shipping

The 10 KG range is typical for small e-commerce restock orders and initial trial shipments. Air freight is the standard choice here — it offers the best balance of cost and speed, and most DDP air channels accept shipments from 21 KG upward. This weight falls into the LCL (Less-than-Container-Load) air category.

  • Standard minimum for air freight DDP channels (most require 21 KG+)
  • Common for: phone cases, accessories, clothing, cosmetics
  • Amazon FBA replenishment orders at this weight use air for speed
  • Declare accurate HS codes to avoid customs delays in United States

Free 3D Loading Tools

Shipping to United States by air or sea? Plan cartons and container loading in 3D before requesting a quote.

3D Carton Packing Calculator

Check how many units truly fit per carton for this United States shipment: the 3D packing tool computes layers, rotation, and protection gaps from your exact product size.

Open Packing Tool →
🚢

3D Container Loading Planner

Sea freight to United States prices by CBM or container — plan 20GP/40GP/40HQ loading in 3D, mix different box sizes, and check utilization before booking.

Open Container Planner →

Which Shipping Method is Best for 10 KG?

Recommended
✈️

Air Freight

Transit: 5–10 business days
Best at: Under 300 KG, time-sensitive cargo
Recommended
🚢

Sea Freight

Transit: 25–45 calendar days
Best at: Over 100 KG, non-urgent cargo
Not cost-effective
🚂

Rail Freight

Transit: 18–28 calendar days
Best at: Europe destinations over 50 KG
Europe only

Transit Times — China to United States

MethodTransit TimeNotes
Air Freight DDP5–10 business daysFrom China warehouse to United States door
Express Courier3–7 business daysDHL/FedEx/UPS door-to-door, good option

What Affects the Shipping Cost to United States?

  • Actual vs. volumetric weight — carriers charge whichever is higher (L×W×H÷6000 for air)
  • Cargo type surcharge — batteries, liquids, and branded goods carry additional fees
  • Peak season surcharges — Chinese New Year (Jan/Feb) and Golden Week (Oct) add 15–30%
  • Destination area — United States may have remote area surcharges for certain postal codes
  • Declared value — customs duties are calculated on CIF value

Customs & Documentation for United States

  • De minimis threshold — shipments below local tax threshold may clear duty-free
  • Required documents: commercial invoice, packing list, and accurate HS codes
  • DDP service includes all import duties — you pay one total price with no surprises
  • Battery and liquid goods require additional certification documents
  • FDA Prior Notice required for food, supplements, and certain health products
  • FCC certification required for electronic devices with radio frequency

Where these United States duty figures come from

Every duty and tax figure quoted on this page is our working estimate for planning, not a ruling. The binding rate for your consignment is whatever U.S. Customs and Border Protection applies against your declared HS code on the day of entry, and their published guidance is the source to check before you commit stock.

Most landed-cost surprises trace back to classification rather than freight. the WCO Harmonized System defines the heading structure every customs administration builds on, and ITC Market Access Map will show you the duty a given heading attracts in this destination.

On the air side, anything with a cell or a battery in it, plus liquids, powders, magnets and aerosols, is governed by the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations. Those articles are not refused outright, but they need to be declared at booking so the shipment is built correctly — declaring them late is the single most common cause of an air consignment being offloaded.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to ship from China to United States?

Shipping rates from China to United States vary by weight, mode, and cargo type. Duty and tax follow the rule: No federal VAT; duties vary by HTS code (often 0–6.5% for general goods). Send your weight and dimensions and we return a full door-to-door quote within 24 hours.

What duties and taxes apply when importing into United States?

Imports into United States are assessed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The applicable regime is: No federal VAT; duties vary by HTS code (often 0–6.5% for general goods). The duty-free / de-minimis position is USD 800. Under our DDP service these charges are pre-paid and included in the per-KG price, so there is nothing to settle on arrival.

What is DDP shipping to United States and what does it include?

DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) to United States means we handle the freight, the customs entry with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and last-mile delivery to your door, and quote them together so you settle once. The duty and tax element is not a fixed number: it follows your product's HS code, its declared value and the exchange rate applied on the day of entry, so it is confirmed on your specific goods rather than read off a rate card. The USD 800 de-minimis position applies.

When is the busy season for shipping to United States?

Capacity to United States tightens around Aug–Oct (pre-holiday peak), on top of the China-side surcharge windows of Chinese New Year (Jan/Feb) and Golden Week (early Oct). Booking 1–2 weeks earlier during these windows protects both space and rate.

In what currency are rates to United States quoted and paid?

Freight to United States is quoted and invoiced in USD; the local currency on the destination side is USD. Payment is typically due before departure (T/T or PayPal), and because it's DDP you settle the full landed cost once — no destination collect charges.

Which ports and airports handle China shipments to United States?

Sea freight to United States typically routes through Los Angeles/Long Beach, New York/Newark, Savannah, while air freight clears via LAX (Los Angeles), ORD (Chicago), JFK (New York). We pick the gateway with the best onward delivery time to your final address and price it into the DDP rate.

Can I track my shipment from China to United States?

Yes. Air shipments to United States get an air waybill (AWB) trackable within 24 hours of departure; sea shipments are tracked by bill-of-lading through the carrier portal. We push status at key milestones: departure, arrival at the gateway, clearance by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and final delivery.

How is chargeable weight calculated?

Chargeable weight is the greater of actual gross weight and volumetric weight, where volumetric weight is L × W × H in centimetres divided by 6000. One cubic metre therefore equals 167 kg. If a consignment weighs 300 kg but measures out to only 200 kg volumetric, it is charged on the 300 kg — the higher of the two always wins.

Watch: how this shipment works end to end

The rates above answer the cost question. This covers the mechanics — useful if you have not shipped to United States before and are still working out how to structure the order.

What Is Chargeable Weight in Air Freight? — Smart Logistics Network. Published on YouTube by a third party; we link it because it explains the process well, not because we produced it or endorse the provider.

Shipping to United States by industry

Rates above are lane rates and apply to general cargo. Packing specification, HS classification and the clearance step that matters are all commodity-specific — these guides cover them industry by industry.

All 139 industry guides →

Get a firm price for United States

The figures above are indicative. Send your actual cargo for 10 KG and we price it properly — commodity, packed dimensions and destination all move the number.

Answer these and you get a real price, not a range. These are the exact figures a carrier needs before it will quote. Fill them in once and we can price your cargo the same day — leave them out and we have to come back and ask, which is what turns an hour into a week.

kg
ctn
Carton sizeoptional
× × cm
m³
ctr
Built-in battery?* Lithium cells are dangerous goods.
Someone else's brand?* Logos you are not authorised to ship.
Magnetic product?* Speakers, motors, magnets.
Why these three decide everything

They determine whether your cargo can fly, and on which service. A declared battery changes the price; an undeclared one grounds the shipment at the airport and you pay storage while it sits. Unauthorised brands are seized at customs and the freight is lost with them. Magnetic goods need a field test — routine, but it has to be booked ahead. Telling us now costs a click; telling us later costs the shipment.

Sea or air?*
Tick both and we quote both.
When should it move?optional
Photographs of the goodsoptional
    Your details are used to prepare this quotation and nothing else.