Shopping on Temu, Shein, or AliExpress has a math problem most people discover at the door. The checkout price is real, but it is not the price you actually pay. Customs duty, sales tax, and a carrier handling fee stack on top, and none of them show up at checkout until it is too late.
In 2026, this problem got worse for shoppers in both Canada and the US. Canada's duty-free threshold for China-direct orders is CAD $20, meaning virtually every order gets taxed. The US eliminated its $800 de minimis entirely, making every parcel from China dutiable regardless of value. The gap between "what you paid" and "what it costs to receive it" is wider than it has ever been.
The Import Duty Calculator closes that gap. Enter the order value, where it ships from, how it ships, your province (Canada) or your country toggle (US), and the product category. It returns the duty, the tax, the carrier fee, and the full landed cost before you have placed the order.
A $50 order from Temu, Shein, or AliExpress does not cost $50. After import duty, sales tax, and the carrier handling fee, a $50 clothing order to Ontario actually costs about $76.62, and a similar order shipped to the US lands at roughly $87.94 right now (dated estimate as of June 2026, rates volatile). The import duty calculator shows the exact breakdown for your order, your province, and your product category before you buy.
- Canada's duty-free threshold for China-direct orders (Temu, Shein, AliExpress) is only CAD $20. Virtually every order gets taxed (CBSA Memo D2-3-6, as of June 2026).
- The US eliminated its $800 de minimis exemption in 2026. Every parcel from China is now dutiable regardless of value (CBP/USITC, as of June 2026).
- The Canada Post customs handling fee is $9.95 flat and is often bigger than the actual duty on a small order.
- Clothing, bedding, and footwear carry an 18% duty rate in Canada. Electronics are 0% duty but still attract sales tax and the carrier fee.
- The import duty calculator covers both Canada and the US and breaks out every charge as a separate line item.
How This Calculator Works
The Import Duty Calculator takes four components and adds them together to give you the landed cost: the import duty rate for your product category, the GST/HST rate for your province, the Canada Post $9.95 customs handling fee (or the courier brokerage fee if your parcel ships by FedEx, UPS, or DHL), and the sales tax applied to the duty-inclusive value as required under CBSA Memo D2-3-6.
Enter your order value, choose Canada or the US, pick where the item ships from, select your province and product category, and the calculator returns a breakdown. Not just a total. Each charge on its own line so you can see which part of the bill is what.
- Duty rate (varies by product: clothing 18%, bags 11%, electronics 0%, cosmetics 6.5%, per Canada Customs Tariff 2025, CBSA)
- GST/HST/PST by province (Ontario 13%, BC 12%, Alberta 5%, Quebec 14.975%, per CBSA Memo D2-3-6 Appendix A)
- Canada Post $9.95 flat handling fee (per dutiable item, Canada Post published fee schedule, as of June 2026)
- Courier brokerage $20 to $40 or more if your parcel comes by UPS, FedEx Ground, or DHL instead of Canada Post mail
The Canada side uses stable, sourced CBSA rates and is the more reliable figure. The US side is clearly labeled as a dated estimate because the tariff stack is in active legal flux. See the US section below for the full picture.
Temu Customs Fees in Canada: What You Are Actually Paying
Does Temu charge duty to Canadian buyers?
Temu does not collect customs duty on your behalf at checkout on most orders. The duty, sales tax, and carrier handling fee are assessed when the parcel arrives in Canada and are collected by Canada Post or the courier before they release the package to you. On some recent Temu orders, a line labeled "import fees" or "estimated import charges" has appeared at checkout. That is Temu collecting an estimate upfront. Whether the amount matches what CBSA actually assesses varies. If Temu undercollects, CBSA will assess the difference on arrival.
See the dedicated section below on "Does Temu collect duty for you at checkout?" for a plain-language breakdown of what that checkout line means.
What is the de minimis threshold in Canada?
The general de minimis threshold for goods shipped by mail or courier directly from China is CAD $20. Any order over $20 is subject to full import duty plus provincial sales tax at the border (CBSA Memo D2-3-6; CBSA D8-2-16, as of June 2026). There is no meaningful buffer for Temu, Shein, or AliExpress orders.
This trips people up because it is often confused with Canada's CUSMA thresholds. Under CUSMA (the successor to NAFTA), courier shipments from the US or Mexico receive a CAD $40 tax-free threshold and a CAD $150 duty-free threshold. Those rules apply only when goods ship from within the US or Mexico and the goods qualify as originating there. Temu, Shein, and AliExpress ship from China directly. The CUSMA thresholds do not apply. The CAD $20 line is the one that counts.
Why did you get a Canada Post customs handling fee?
Canada Post charges a flat $9.95 per dutiable item to process your parcel through customs on your behalf (Canada Post published fee schedule, as of June 2026). The fee applies to every parcel over the CAD $20 threshold, regardless of order size. It is separate from the duty and separate from the tax. It is not a government charge. It is Canada Post's fee for the administrative work of collecting duty and tax on CBSA's behalf.
On a small order where duty is only $3 or $4, the $9.95 handling fee is often the biggest single line on the bill. The Import Duty Calculator shows it as its own line so you can see exactly what you are paying and why.
FedEx, DHL, and UPS brokerage fees: the biggest surprise
If your Temu or Shein order ships by private courier rather than Canada Post mail, the brokerage fee is larger and more variable than the $9.95 Canada Post flat fee. See the full carrier comparison table in the section below. The short version: UPS Standard charges $19.45 for orders between $40 and $100, DHL Express charges 2.5% of the combined duty and tax with a minimum of $17.50, and FedEx Ground charges roughly $25.50 for low-value informal entries (SECONDARY source, based on broker data as Canada Customs Tariff primary is not publicly available for FedEx Ground). FedEx Express and UPS Express bundle clearance into the shipping rate and charge nothing extra.
The shipping method your order uses matters as much as the product category. A $40 clothing order can owe $9.95 in Canada Post handling or $19.45 in UPS brokerage depending entirely on how it ships. The calculator lets you toggle this.
Shein and AliExpress Customs Fees in Canada
Does Shein collect taxes at checkout in Canada?
Shein began collecting GST/HST on Canadian orders in 2023 following Canada's digital services tax rules that required large foreign platforms to register and remit. This means Shein collects the federal and provincial tax at checkout for most Canadian orders. However, Shein's checkout collection does not eliminate the import duty on the goods themselves, and it does not cover the carrier handling fee. If CBSA assesses duty on arrival (which it will, for any clothing order over CAD $20), and the carrier has not been pre-paid, you will still receive a notice card.
In practice, a Shein clothing order to Canada may have tax already collected at checkout but still attract a $9.95 Canada Post handling fee on arrival. The Import Duty Calculator lets you see all the components separately so you can assess what Shein has or has not covered.
AliExpress orders to Canada: when do you pay duty?
AliExpress orders to Canada follow the same rules as Temu. Goods shipped directly from China are subject to the CAD $20 general de minimis. Every order over $20 owes full duty plus provincial sales tax. The duty rate depends on the product category (clothing 18%, electronics 0%, cosmetics 6.5%, per Canada Customs Tariff 2025, CBSA). The carrier handling fee applies on top regardless of whether AliExpress has collected anything at checkout. AliExpress does not universally collect Canadian taxes at checkout the way Shein has begun to do, so duty-on-arrival is the more common experience for AliExpress buyers.
The US Side: Temu Import Charges After the De Minimis Change
What does "import charges" mean on my Temu order?
Since the US eliminated the $800 de minimis exemption for all countries in 2026, Temu now shows an "import charges" line at checkout on US orders. This is Temu's estimate of the duty stack your parcel will owe at the border: the MFN base rate (around 16% for clothing, 0% for electronics under the WTO ITA), a 25% Section 301 China-specific tariff (fully in force, unaffected by recent court rulings, CBP/USITC as of June 2026), and a 10% Section 122 global surcharge (currently being collected by CBP but facing active litigation and a statutory expiry around July 24, 2026 unless Congress acts).
The "import charges" line is an estimate. CBP classifies goods independently, and the actual assessed amount may differ from Temu's upfront estimate. The Import Duty Calculator shows the full US tariff stack as a dated estimate with a clear note about the Section 122 volatility.
Does Shein include tariffs in the price?
Shein began rolling out duty-inclusive pricing for US customers after the de minimis change. On some product pages and at checkout, Shein absorbs or pre-collects the estimated duty so the price you see reflects the landed cost. This does not mean you owe nothing to CBP. It means Shein is paying the duty on your behalf and has built the cost into the price. The actual duty rate (base MFN + Section 301 25% + Section 122 10%) does not change. What changes is who pays it and when.
If Shein's included estimate is lower than what CBP actually assesses, the difference will be collected on arrival. If Shein's price is higher than the duty owed, Shein keeps the overage.
How much is duty on a $50 package from China shipped to the US?
Under the current tariff stack (dated estimate as of June 2026, rates volatile), a $50 clothing order by courier from China to the US lands at roughly $87.94. See the worked example table below for the full breakdown. If the Section 122 surcharge expires around July 24, 2026 without Congressional action, the same order would land around $73, all else equal. Use the calculator with its current rate settings to see where things stand on any given day.
Province by Province Import Tax (Canada)
CBSA collects the full combined sales tax (GST plus provincial HST or PST where applicable) at the border, per CBSA Memo D2-3-6 Appendix A. Tax is applied to the duty-inclusive value. The province you live in changes the tax line on your import bill.
| Province / Territory | Import Tax Rate | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario | 13% | HST |
| British Columbia | 12% | GST + PST |
| Manitoba | 12% | GST + PST |
| Saskatchewan | 11% | GST + PST |
| Nova Scotia | 14% | HST (dropped from 15% Apr 1, 2025) |
| New Brunswick | 15% | HST |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 15% | HST |
| Prince Edward Island | 15% | HST |
| Quebec | 14.975% | GST + QST |
| Alberta | 5% | GST only |
| Yukon | 5% | GST only |
| Northwest Territories | 5% | GST only |
| Nunavut | 5% | GST only |
Source: CBSA Memo D2-3-6 Appendix A, as of June 2026. Note: Quebec's QST technically computes on the GST-inclusive value, so the effective rate is a fraction above 14.975%. The difference is negligible for an estimate.
Carrier Handling Fee Comparison
The carrier handling fee is a separate charge from the duty and the tax. It is what the carrier charges to process your parcel through customs on your behalf. On small orders, it is often the biggest line item on the bill. Competitors almost never show this table.
| Carrier | Handling / Brokerage Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Canada Post | $9.95 flat per dutiable item | Most common for Temu, Shein, AliExpress mail shipments. Canada Post published fee schedule, as of June 2026. |
| UPS Standard / Ground | $0 for orders under $20; $7 for $20 to $40; $19.45 for $40 to $100; $29 for $100 to $200; $42.95 for $200 to $350; $48.25 for $350 to $500 | Tiered brokerage. SECONDARY source, as of June 2026. |
| UPS Express | $0 | Clearance included in the express shipping rate. |
| FedEx Express | $0 clearance (disbursement fee around $11 if FedEx advances duty) | Clearance bundled into express rate. SECONDARY source. |
| FedEx Ground | Approximately $25.50 low-value entry fee | SECONDARY source (broker data, Canada Customs Tariff primary unavailable for FedEx Ground). |
| DHL Express | 2.5% of combined duty and tax, minimum $17.50 | SECONDARY source, as of June 2026. |
Key takeaway: if you are ordering something small that ships by Canada Post mail, you pay $9.95 flat. The same item shipped by FedEx Ground could cost you $25.50 in brokerage. Shipping method is as important as product category when estimating landed cost.
Product Category Duty Rates for Canada (What You Actually Pay)
Duty rates are based on the MFN (most favoured nation) rate for China-origin goods under the Canada Customs Tariff 2025 (CBSA). You do not need HS codes to use the calculator. Just pick the category that matches your item.
| Product Category | Canada Duty Rate | Still Owes Tax Over $20? |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing (shirts, dresses, pants, jackets) | 18% | Yes |
| Footwear (shoes, sneakers, sandals) | 18% | Yes |
| Bedding (sheets, towels, curtains, linens) | 18% | Yes |
| Bags, backpacks, wallets | 11% | Yes |
| Jewelry (real and costume) | 8.5% | Yes |
| Cosmetics, skincare, perfume | 6.5% | Yes |
| Watches | 5% | Yes |
| Phones, tablets, laptops | 0% (WTO ITA, duty-free) | Yes |
| Headphones, earbuds, speakers | 0% (WTO ITA, duty-free) | Yes |
| Toys | 0% (duty-free) | Yes |
| Video games, consoles | 0% (duty-free) | Yes |
| Books, printed material | 0% (duty-free) | Yes |
Source: Canada Customs Tariff 2025, CBSA. Important note: even the 0% duty categories still owe provincial sales tax and the carrier handling fee once the order exceeds CAD $20. "Duty-free" does not mean free to receive. It means the duty component is zero, but the tax and carrier fee still apply.
Worked Example: A $65 Temu Clothing Haul
Canada (Ontario, shipped by Canada Post from China):
| Component | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Order value | Given | $65.00 |
| Import duty | 18% on clothing (CBSA Tariff Ch. 61/62, 2025) | $11.70 |
| HST (Ontario) | 13% on $76.70 (value + duty, per Memo D2-3-6) | $9.97 |
| Canada Post handling fee | Flat fee per dutiable item (Canada Post published schedule) | $9.95 |
| Total landed cost | $96.62 |
The same $65 clothing order arriving in Alberta (5% GST only) costs $89.27. In Quebec (14.975%) it costs $98.14.
United States (courier from China, dated estimate as of June 2026):
| Component | Rate | Amount (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Order value | Given | $65.00 |
| MFN base duty (clothing) | ~16% (HTS range, USITC) | $10.40 |
| Section 301 tariff (China) | 25% (fully in force, unaffected by court rulings) | $16.25 |
| Section 122 surcharge | 10% (volatile, may expire around Jul 24, 2026) | $6.50 |
| Merchandise Processing Fee | $2.69 informal entry (FY2026, CBP) | $2.69 |
| Carrier clearance fee | Representative courier fee | $9.75 |
| Total landed cost (approx.) | ~$110.59 |
If Section 122 expires around July 24, 2026 without Congressional action, the same US order would land at approximately $94, all else equal. The calculator labels the US total as a dated estimate and will be updated as the legal situation resolves.
Does Temu Collect Duty for You at Checkout?
On some Temu orders, you will see a line at checkout labeled "import fees," "estimated import charges," or similar. Temu began adding this after the US eliminated its $800 de minimis in 2026, and it has appeared on some Canadian orders as well. Here is what that line actually means:
Temu is collecting an estimate of the duty it expects CBSA or CBP to assess when the parcel arrives. By collecting it upfront, Temu pre-pays the duty on your behalf so you do not receive a notice card at the door. This is convenient, and it removes the $9.95 Canada Post handling fee surprise because the carrier will have been pre-paid before delivery.
However, it is an estimate. Temu's estimate is based on the product category and the destination country. If CBSA assesses a higher duty rate than Temu estimated, the carrier may still collect the difference from you on arrival. If Temu overcollected, you generally do not receive a refund automatically. The collection is Temu's estimate of what the rules require, not a guarantee that nothing will be assessed at the door.
On orders where Temu has not added an import fee line at checkout, the duty, tax, and carrier handling fee will be collected on arrival in the traditional way.
Will Temu and Shein Prices Go Up in Canada Like They Did in the US?
The dramatic US price increases that Temu and Shein announced in early 2026 were driven by one specific change: the US eliminated its $800 de minimis exemption, making every China-direct parcel dutiable. With a 25% Section 301 tariff plus a 10% Section 122 surcharge on top of the MFN base rate, a $50 clothing order's US duty stack alone exceeds $25.
Canada's situation is different in a key way. Canada did not change its de minimis threshold in 2026. The CAD $20 threshold for China-direct goods has been in place for years. Canadian shoppers were already paying duty on virtually every Temu, Shein, and AliExpress order before 2026. Canada also does not have an equivalent to the US Section 301 China tariff or the Section 122 global surcharge. Canada's MFN duty rate for clothing is 18%, which is significant, but it does not stack with additional China-specific punitive tariffs the way the US stack does.
The bigger variable for Canadian buyers is not tariff policy but shipping method. If Temu and Shein shift more shipments to courier rather than Canada Post mail to speed up delivery, shoppers could face courier brokerage fees of $19.45 to $25.50 instead of the $9.95 Canada Post flat fee. That shift would raise the effective landed cost without any change in duty rates. Watch your shipping method, not the headlines about US tariff policy.
Worked Example: A $50 Temu Order (Original Reference Case)
For reference, here is the $50 clothing order example that started this post, broken out fully.
| Component | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Order value | Given | $50.00 |
| Import duty | 18% on clothing (CBSA Tariff Ch. 61/62, 2025) | $9.00 |
| HST (Ontario) | 13% on $59.00 (value + duty, per Memo D2-3-6) | $7.67 |
| Canada Post handling fee | Flat fee per dutiable item (Canada Post published schedule) | $9.95 |
| Total landed cost | $76.62 |
The same order arriving in Alberta costs $71.90. Arriving in Quebec it costs $77.79. For a US buyer, the same $50 clothing order arrives at roughly $87.94 under the current tariff stack (dated estimate, as per the US table above).
See what your order actually costs before you buy it.
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Open the Import Duty CalculatorFrequently Asked Questions
Does Temu charge customs to Canada?
Temu does not collect customs duty on your behalf on most orders. The duty, sales tax, and $9.95 Canada Post handling fee are typically collected when the parcel arrives in Canada. On some orders, Temu now adds an "import fees" estimate at checkout and pre-pays on your behalf. Whether that checkout estimate covers the full CBSA assessment varies by order. See the section above for the full explanation of what the checkout line means. (CBSA Memo D2-3-6; Canada Post published fee schedule, as of June 2026.)
Do I have to pay duty on Temu in Canada?
Yes, on almost every order. The duty-free threshold for goods shipped from China is CAD $20. Any Temu order over $20 owes full import duty plus provincial sales tax at the border. Clothing is dutiable at 18%, bags at 11%, cosmetics at 6.5%, and electronics at 0% duty (but still taxed). The CUSMA CAD $150 threshold does not apply because Temu ships from China, not from the US or Mexico. (CBSA Memo D2-3-6; CBSA D8-2-16; Canada Customs Tariff 2025, as of June 2026.)
How much is duty on a Temu order to Canada?
It depends on the product and your province. On a $50 clothing order to Ontario: $9.00 duty (18%, CBSA Tariff Ch. 61/62), $7.67 HST at 13% on the duty-inclusive value, and $9.95 Canada Post handling fee = $76.62 total at the door. On a $50 electronics order to Ontario: $0 duty (WTO ITA), $6.50 HST, $9.95 handling = $66.45 total. Use the Import Duty Calculator to run your exact numbers.
Does Shein charge customs fees in Canada?
Shein began collecting GST/HST at checkout for Canadian orders in 2023. This covers the tax portion of the import bill but does not eliminate the import duty on the goods themselves, and it does not cover the carrier handling fee. You may still receive a notice card from Canada Post for the duty and $9.95 handling fee even if Shein collected tax at checkout. Use the calculator to compare Shein's checkout total against the actual landed cost.
Why did I get a Canada Post handling fee?
Canada Post charges $9.95 flat per dutiable item to process your parcel through customs on your behalf (Canada Post published fee schedule, as of June 2026). It applies to every China-direct parcel over CAD $20. It is not a government charge, it is Canada Post's fee. On a small order where duty is $3, the $9.95 fee is the dominant cost. The Import Duty Calculator shows it as a separate line so the math is clear.
What does "import charges" mean on my Temu order in the US?
Since the US eliminated its $800 de minimis in 2026, Temu shows an "import charges" line at checkout representing the estimated duty stack: MFN base rate (around 16% for clothing), plus the 25% Section 301 China tariff (fully in force), plus the 10% Section 122 global surcharge (being collected as of June 2026, faces litigation and statutory expiry around July 24, 2026). It is an estimate. The actual CBP assessment may differ. (CBP/USITC, Federal Register, as of June 2026.)
Want the full background on how Canadian import charges work for every product category? Read the complete deep dive on Temu and Shein costs in Canada. For the US side of the story, including how the de minimis elimination unfolded and what Section 301 means in practice, see our breakdown of the US de minimis rule change. To run the numbers yourself, open the Import Duty Calculator directly.