Holiday Gifts That Ship Well to The Bahamas, and Their Duty
By Mr. Ship It Team · November 2, 2026 · 4 min read
The best holiday gifts to order from the US are the ones that arrive cheaply and clear customs without a big bill: small, light and, ideally, duty free. This guide sorts popular gifts by their Bahamas duty rate, so you can see what a present really costs before you buy it, and tells you when to order so it's home for Christmas.
Rates below are from our duty rates pages. Every package also pays VAT, a processing fee and, for some items, an environmental levy; the shipping calculator adds them all up for you.
Duty-free gifts: the best value
These pay no customs duty at all, so a good sale price stays good after the trip home.
| Gift | Duty |
|---|---|
| Laptops and iPads | Free ($5 levy on laptops) |
| Headphones, earbuds and Bluetooth speakers | Free |
| Smart watches and watches | Free |
| Jewellery, costume or gold and silver | Free |
| Perfume and cologne | Free (hazardous materials charge applies) |
| Handbags, wallets and sunglasses | Free |
| Kindle and other e-book readers | Free |
| Digital cameras, and drones with cameras | Free |
| Amazon Echo, Apple TV and streaming boxes | Free |
| Vitamins and supplements | Free |
| Baby and toddler clothing, size 6 and under | Free |
Most of these are also small and light, which keeps the freight low: up to 5 lb is a flat $8.99. A watch, perfume and pair of earbuds for three people can ship for one flat rate if they come in one box.
Gifts that pay some duty
Still worth buying from the US when the price is right, but check the landed cost first.
| Gift | Duty |
|---|---|
| Clothing, shoes and sneakers | 20% |
| Toys and dolls | 20% |
| Cell phones | 10% ($5 levy) |
| Games on disc | 10% |
| Smart glasses | 10% |
| Make-up | 35% |
| Hair dryers, straighteners and curling irons | 35% |
| Shavers, clippers and electric toothbrushes | 35% (down from 45%) |
| Coffee makers, toasters and blenders | 35% |
| Video game consoles and VR headsets | 45% |
| Hats | 45% |
A console is the classic surprise: at 45% duty, a $500 console pays over $300 in duty, the processing fee and VAT, before freight. It may still beat the local price, but run it through the shipping calculator before you decide. Browse every rate by category: electronics, clothing and accessories, beauty, baby and kids and home and appliances.
Gifts that need extra care
- Perfume and cologne are duty free, but they count as hazardous goods for the flight because of the alcohol, so a $35 hazardous materials charge applies. Several bottles in one package pay it once, so buy perfume gifts together. Our guide to what you can't ship by air explains.
- Gadgets with lithium batteries fly fine when the battery is inside the device. Spare batteries on their own and hoverboards are hazardous goods too.
- Big gifts like bikes, TVs and furniture are charged on box size when it's greater than the weight, and packages of 30 lb and over carry a $20 XL fee. Check the box dimensions on the product page.
Sending gifts to family
- Use one store and one order where you can, so the presents arrive together in one box with one invoice. Each package that reaches our warehouse is shipped and billed on its own.
- Gifts still need an invoice. Customs charges duty on gifts the same as on anything else. If someone in the US bought it for you, ask them for the order confirmation and upload that. Our invoice guide covers what to upload.
- Never ask a seller to mark a parcel as a "gift" or write a lower price. Under-declaring is a customs offence, and goods can be seized.
- Choose gift receipts where the store offers them, in case a size needs changing.
When to order for Christmas
Once a package reaches our Miami Lakes warehouse, it's typically ready in Nassau within 5 business days, and in the Family Islands within 6 to 8 business days, depending on mailboat schedules. Add the store's own delivery time to Florida, and remember that December is the busiest time of year for stores and US carriers.
The safest plan is to order gifts in November, and use the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales (November 27 and 30, 2026) to do it. Anything ordered in December should go with the store's fastest shipping to Florida.
Pay online and earn Shipping Bucks
When your gifts are ready, pay your bill online before you collect. Every online payment earns Shipping Bucks, and SB$100 is worth $1 off a future bill.
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