Importing to The Bahamas

Most goods in Bahamian homes and shops come from the United States. Whether you're ordering a phone for yourself or restocking a small business, importing comes down to three questions: how the goods get here, what Customs needs to clear them, and what you'll pay. This guide answers all three.

For the charges themselves, our Bahamas customs guide goes into detail, and the duty rates pages list the rate for each kind of item.

Your options for getting goods here

There are three common ways to bring goods into The Bahamas from the USA.

1. A courier with a US address (the simplest). You shop any US store, ship to your own US address, and the courier flies it in, makes the customs entry and has it ready for collection. This is how Mr. Ship It works: your free US address is at our Miami Lakes, Florida warehouse, and we're on the Bahamas Customs list of licensed couriers. It suits everyday online orders, appliances, car parts and most small-business restocking.

2. Air or sea cargo you clear yourself. You (or your supplier) book the freight with an airline or shipping line, and you make the customs entry when it lands, yourself or through a customs broker. This suits full pallets and container loads, and buyers who already deal with Customs often.

3. Carrying it with you. Goods you bring back in your luggage are declared at the airport. Bahamian residents have a duty-free allowance of $500, twice a year, for goods they carry themselves. It does not apply to anything shipped.

	Courier (Mr. Ship It)	Cargo you clear yourself	In your luggage
Who makes the customs entry	We do	You or your broker	You, at the airport
Best for	Online orders, appliances, car parts, small-business stock	Pallets, containers, regular commercial loads	Small purchases while travelling
Paperwork for you	Upload the invoice	Full entry forms and shipping documents	Declaration form
Duty-free allowance	No	No	Up to $500, twice a year

The documents Customs asks for

Every import is cleared against paperwork that shows what the goods are, what they cost and how they got here. When you clear goods yourself, Customs asks for:

• The invoice or receipt from the seller, showing each item, its description and the price paid. Duty is worked out on the price you actually paid.
• Proof of freight: the bill of lading (sea) or airway bill (air), and the freight invoice.
• The entry forms: a Home Consumption Entry (form C13) and a Declaration of Value (form C43), submitted electronically.
• Your ID or business licence: a passport, NIB card or driver's licence for individuals; a valid business licence for goods imported by a company.
• Any permit or licence the goods need (see below).

The entry has to be made within five days of the goods arriving, not counting Sundays and public holidays. Goods not collected within five working days move to the Government Warehouse, where removal charges apply.

When you ship with Mr. Ship It, the only document you provide is the invoice: you upload it in your account and we prepare the entry. Our guide to customs invoices explains what a good one looks like.

What it costs

The cost of an import is the price of the goods plus three things:

1. Freight to get it here. With Mr. Ship It, packages up to 5 lb are $8.99, from 5 lb to 30 lb $1.89 per pound, and 30 lb and over $0.99 per pound plus a $20 XL parcel fee. Bulky boxes are charged on dimensional weight. See all the rates and fees.
2. Customs duty and fees: duty from free up to 60% depending on the goods, a processing fee of 1% of the value ($10 minimum), and a flat environmental levy on some goods such as TVs, phones and appliances.
3. VAT: 10% of the landed cost (the value plus duty, fees, levy and freight), or 5% on listed health and hygiene goods.

Two items with the same price can land at very different costs. A $400 laptop pays no duty; a $400 TV pays $140. Check the rates by category before you buy:

• Electronics: phones, laptops, TVs, consoles
• Clothing and accessories: clothes, shoes, watches, bags
• Home and appliances: furniture, fridges, washers, kitchen
• Car parts: parts, tires, fluids
• Home improvement and garden: tools, building supplies, generators

The shipping calculator adds it all up for a specific order.

Goods that need a permit

Some goods can't be imported without a permit or licence, whoever is importing them:

• Firearms, ammunition, parts and accessories need a licence from the Royal Bahamas Police Force.
• Plants, seeds, animals, meat and some foods need a permit from the Bahamas Agricultural Health and Food Safety Authority (BAHFSA).
• Prescription medicines should travel with the prescription.
• Hazardous goods such as aerosols, flammable liquids and loose lithium batteries face airline restrictions and a hazardous materials charge.

Illegal drugs, counterfeit goods and obscene material are prohibited outright. If you're unsure about an item, call us on 603-5555 before you order.

Importing for a business

Small businesses import the same way individuals do, with a few differences:

• Enter goods under your business licence. Goods for resale or business use are commercial imports, and Customs expects a valid business licence for them.
• Keep supplier invoices clean. One invoice per order, with item descriptions Customs can classify, keeps entries quick. Never ask a supplier to under-value an invoice: it is a customs offence and goods can be seized.
• Ask about concessions. The Ministry of Finance grants duty concessions for some business goods, such as machinery and raw materials for approved businesses. Apply before you import.
• Talk to your accountant about VAT. If your business is VAT-registered, the VAT you pay at import may count towards your VAT return.
• Regular large loads may be cheaper as sea cargo cleared through a customs broker. For everything up to a few hundred pounds a shipment, a courier saves you the paperwork.

Importing a vehicle

Vehicles have their own rules. They must be less than ten years old unless the Ministry of Finance gives permission in advance, and Customs asks for the title and purchase invoice, the bill of lading and freight invoice, and a condition report. Vehicles come in by sea cargo. For parts and tires, see the car parts duty rates and our guide to shipping car parts: we bring those in every day.

Freeport and the Family Islands

Grand Bahama has its own customs division in Freeport, and licensees of the Grand Bahama Port Authority can import some goods under the Hawksbill Creek Agreement on different terms. Everywhere else in The Bahamas, goods are cleared in Nassau or at the island's port of entry. Mr. Ship It has stores in Nassau, Exuma and Eleuthera, and sends packages on to the other Family Islands from Nassau. See online shopping from the Family Islands for how it works.