How a Hair Shipment Clears US Customs
- 1The factory ships with a commercial invoice and packing list describing the goods, their value and country of origin
- 2The goods are declared to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) by the courier, your broker or the DDP provider
- 3Duties and fees are assessed from the tariff code and the declared value
- 4Duties are paid by you (courier invoice or broker) or by the DDP provider
- 5The goods are released and delivered
The end of duty-free parcels (Section 321)
Until May 2, 2025, a parcel worth up to 800 US dollars could enter under Section 321, the de minimis exemption, with no duty and almost no paperwork. Many small wig brands built their business on it. The exemption ended for goods from China on that date and for every country on August 29, 2025, and Congress has written a permanent end into law from July 1, 2027. Every parcel, including a single sample wig, is now entered with duty. Express couriers handle this as an informal entry for shipments up to 2,500 dollars and add the duty and a clearance fee to your bill; above 2,500 dollars it becomes a formal entry with a bond. Budget for duty from your first sample, and if you dropship, decide whether you or your customer pays it before you list (see DDP vs DAP).
Tariff Codes for Wigs and Hair
US tariff codes come from the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS). The headings that usually apply:
| Product | HTS heading | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Human hair wigs, bundles, closures, frontals | 6704.20 | Wigs and articles of human hair |
| Synthetic wigs | 6704.11 | Complete wigs of synthetic fiber |
| Synthetic hair pieces, braiding hair, crochet hair | 6704.19 | Other articles of synthetic fiber |
| Human hair worked but not yet made up | 6703 | Processed hair for wig making |
As of November 2026, the general duty rate for the three 6704 subheadings above is Free in the USITC schedule. Your broker confirms the full 10-digit code; a wrong code can mean overpaying, or a penalty if it underpays.
How US Duties Are Calculated
Duty owed = customs value × (base duty rate + any additional tariffs)
- Customs value is normally the price you paid the factory for the goods. US duties don't include international freight in the value.
- Base duty comes from the HTS code, and for 6704 lines it's Free.
- Section 301 tariffs on Chinese-origin goods are where the duty on wigs comes from. They sit in Chapter 99 of the HTS, and USTR adjusted them during 2026, so ask your broker for the Chapter 99 line and rate that applies to your code.
- Tariffs under IEEPA, added on top of Section 301 during 2025, ended after the Supreme Court's February 20, 2026 ruling. CBP stopped collecting them from February 24, 2026 and is processing refunds to importers of record.
- Fees include the Merchandise Processing Fee on formal entries, the Harbor Maintenance Fee on sea shipments and the courier's or broker's clearance charge.
Put all of this into your landed cost before you set prices. See How to Price Wigs and Bundles.
Importer of Record, Bond and ISF
The importer of record is responsible for the entry and the duties. Formal entries need a customs bond, either single-entry or continuous. For sea freight, an Importer Security Filing (ISF) must be lodged before the goods are loaded in China, so give your broker the supplier and packing details early. Under DDP, ask who acts as importer of record.
Importing Wigs from China to USA: Which Shipping Option Fits
What's specific to the US is who files the entry. Samples by express are cleared by the courier, which bills you the duty. A first stock order is simplest DDP, where the provider acts as importer of record and you need no broker or bond. Regular air restocks into LAX, JFK or a 3PL near your customers are cleared by your own broker under your bond, which gives you the lowest duty bill per unit but more paperwork. Sea freight is worth it only for synthetic hair, braiding hair or packaging in volume, and needs the ISF filed before loading. For stock going straight to Amazon, we can print FNSKU labels and label cartons to FBA rules; see How to Sell Wigs on Amazon. How the methods compare on cost and time is in Sea Freight vs Air Freight, and transit times are on our Shipping and Payment page. For the difference between duties-paid and duties-unpaid terms, read DDP vs DAP.
Labeling and Selling in the US
- Country of origin: hair products should be marked "Made in China" on the product or packaging, including private label packaging. The full labeling checklist is in Wig Labeling Requirements
- Product description: describe hair accurately (human hair, synthetic, blend). Mislabeling synthetic as human hair causes problems with customers and platforms
- Platforms: marketplaces may ask for invoices showing your supplier and product details
What FDA does and doesn't cover
Wigs, bundles and hair extensions are not cosmetics or drugs under FDA rules, so the hair itself needs no FDA registration or prior notice and is cleared by CBP like other consumer goods. Two exceptions are worth knowing. Lace glues, removers and other products applied to the skin are cosmetics, which brings labeling rules and, for the brand, responsibilities under the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act; ship them as separate lines with their safety data sheets. Medical wigs sold as cranial prostheses for insurance claims are a separate question to check with your broker and insurer, not something the import changes.
We print origin marking on custom packaging and send full invoices for every order. See our USA and Canada page for how we work with US brands.
FAQ
How much is the import duty on wigs from China to the USA?
The base rate for 6704 is Free, so the duty is the Section 301 rate for your code, applied to the customs value (the price paid to the factory, without international freight). Ask your broker for the current Chapter 99 rate before you price, because USTR changed the stack during 2026.
What is the HTS code for human hair wigs?
Human hair wigs usually fall under 6704.20. Your broker confirms the full code.
Will I get back the IEEPA tariffs I paid in 2025?
If you were the importer of record on those entries, in most cases yes: CBP is refunding IEEPA duties after the February 2026 ruling. If you bought DDP, the refund goes to whoever was importer of record, so ask your DDP provider how they handle it.
Who pays duty on a dropshipped parcel?
Whoever the parcel is entered for. Ship DDP and the duty sits inside our price per parcel; ship DAP and the courier bills your customer at the door, which is a quick way to lose a repeat buyer.
Import Your First Order
Send us your product list and destination ZIP code. We'll quote the hair with DDP and DAP options and put the tariff code for each line on the proforma invoice, so your broker can check the duty before you pay.
Related reading
![Photo of [Export Author Name]](/images/author-export.jpg)
Handles export orders at ZUVI WIGS: quotes, shipping, customs paperwork and private label projects. [Export Author Years] in hair exporting.
Reviewed by [Customs Reviewer Name], [Customs Reviewer Credentials]