CEMAC Import Ledger

China to Chad: landed cost calculator

Customs duty, 18% VAT, freight and your real resale margin — worked out before you commit capital. Entry via Douala (transit).

Landed cost / unit — Chad

3 160 FCFA

$5.54

Cleared

Margin at your resale price

1 840 FCFA(36.8%)

Break even at 3 160 FCFA · total order 631 975 FCFA

Where your money goes

Goods 54%Freight 17%Duty 14%VAT 15%Levies 0%
$

Electronics, fashion, beauty, home goods (most resale items)

$
FCFA
%
%
%

Luxury goods & vehicles only

$

Clearing agent, transport

VAT for Chad: Standard VAT rate of 18%. Changing the destination country resets VAT to that country's standard rate.

Goods value (FOB)$600.00
Freight$180.00
Insurance (0.5%)$3.00
CIF — customs valuation basis$783.00
Customs duty (20%)Category III — Consumer goods$156.60
VAT (18%)charged on duty-inclusive value$169.13
Total landed cost$1108.73
Per unit3 160 FCFA

Duty and VAT for Chad are accurate, but we haven't itemised that country's national customs fees the way we have for Cameroon. Add them under “Other fees” if your clearing agent has quoted them.

20% margin

3 950 FCFA

30% margin

4 514 FCFA

40% margin

5 266 FCFA

50% margin

6 320 FCFA

Margin here is on the selling price, not markup on cost. A 40% margin means 40% of what the customer pays is yours before your own selling costs.

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Importing into Chad: what to know

VAT: Standard VAT rate of 18% — currently 18%. Because VAT is assessed on the duty-inclusive value rather than the goods value, the effective bite is larger than the headline rate suggests.

Port of entry: Landlocked — most sea freight clears through Douala and moves overland, adding transit cost and time.

Duty: As a CEMAC member, Chad applies the same common external tariff as the other five member states. If you already know your product's duty band for Cameroon, it is the same band here — only VAT and national fees change.

We itemise Cameroon's national customs levies (computer fee, community integration tax, African integration contribution, SGS inspection) because those are published and verifiable. For Chad we apply duty and VAT accurately but do not guess at national fee line items — add anything your clearing agent quotes under “Other fees” in the calculator.

Common questions

What is the import VAT rate in Chad?

Chad applies a VAT rate of 18% on imports. Standard VAT rate of 18%. VAT is charged on the duty-inclusive value, meaning the CIF value plus customs duty and applicable levies — not on the goods value alone.

What customs duty applies to imports into Chad?

Chad is a CEMAC member and applies the CEMAC common external tariff: 5% on essentials, 10% on raw materials and industrial equipment, 20% on consumer goods, and 30% on non-essential and luxury goods. Most resale merchandise falls in the 20% band.

Which port serves Chad?

Douala (transit). Landlocked — most sea freight clears through Douala and moves overland, adding transit cost and time.

Other CEMAC destinations

All six CEMAC states share the same customs duty brackets — VAT and local fees differ.

Calculate by product category

Same calculator, pre-loaded with realistic numbers and the import gotchas for each category.

Cameroon import duty & tax guide

Every levy explained — duty brackets, VAT, SGS inspection, community taxes.

The CEMAC common external tariff

5%

Category I — Essentials

Medicines, books, agricultural inputs

10%

Category II — Raw & industrial

Raw materials, industrial equipment

20%

Category III — Consumer goods

Electronics, fashion, beauty, home goods (most resale items)

30%

Category IV — Non-essential

Perfumes, vehicles, premium/luxury goods