Import cost

Import price calculator (landed cost): customs, freight, VAT

The real cost of imported goods (landed cost) is the invoice price converted to RON plus freight, insurance, customs duty, fees and, if you cannot deduct it, import VAT; enter your data to find the cost per unit and the selling price for your margin.

No account, no trackingCalculations run in your browser. We do not send or store what you enter.
2026 tax rulesParameters (minimum wage, rates, ceilings) were checked on 16 Oct 2026.
Indicative, not adviceResults are estimates. For important decisions, confirm with an accountant or the tax authority.

How to use this tool

Choose the Incoterm from your contract; the freight and tax fields adapt to what the seller pays.
Enter the currency, the exchange rate (editable), the quantity and the unit price from the invoice.
Fill in freight, insurance, customs duty (from TARIC or your forwarder), the clearance fee and the costs in Romania.
Read the total and per-unit cost, what you pay at customs, the cost breakdown and the selling price for your target margin.

How it is calculated and what to know

What landed cost means

Landed cost is everything an imported item costs you by the time it reaches you: the goods, freight, insurance, customs duty, other charges, clearance fees and domestic transport. Import VAT is deducted if the company is VAT-registered, so it is not part of the cost; if you are not registered, it becomes a cost.

Incoterms and what is in the price

Incoterms® 2020 (rules of the International Chamber of Commerce) set what the seller pays: with EXW you pay everything from the factory; with FOB the seller loads the goods on the vessel and main carriage and insurance are yours; with CIF the price includes main carriage and insurance to the destination port; with DAP the seller delivers to the agreed place without import formalities; with DDP the seller also bears import duties. The tool hides the fields already included in the price for the chosen term.

Customs value and import VAT

The customs value of goods from outside the EU includes the price paid plus freight and insurance up to the place of entry into the EU (Art. 71 of the Union Customs Code, Regulation (EU) 952/2013). The import VAT base is the customs value plus customs duty and other charges, plus incidental expenses (transport, insurance) up to the first destination (Art. 86 of Directive 2006/112/EC). Customs duty is a percentage of the customs value; the rate depends on the tariff code and the origin of the goods, and you find it in the EU’s TARIC database or from your forwarder. The tool does not know product rates, and the one in the form is only an example.

Worked example

500 pcs × 8.50 EUR = 4,250 EUR, at 5.00 RON/EUR (example rate), FOB, freight 600 EUR and insurance 40 EUR. Customs value is 4,890 EUR = 24,450 RON. Customs duty 4% = 978 RON; VAT 21% = 5,424 RON (deductible, with domestic transport in the base). Add clearance fee 350 RON, domestic transport 400 RON and other costs 100 RON. Total cost = 26,278 RON, i.e. 52.56 RON per piece, 1.24 times the purchase price. For a 30% margin the price is 75.08 RON excl. VAT (90.85 RON incl. VAT).

What the tool does not include

Exemptions, preferential schemes, low-value thresholds, special excise duties or other rules: check with customs or your forwarder. The exchange rate is the one you enter; use the rate applicable to your customs declaration.

Parameters used

VAT, standard rate (from 1 August 2025): 21 %General rate.
VAT, single reduced rate: 11 %Food, medicines, books and other categories.

Checked on 16 Oct 2026. If the law changes, the parameters are updated in one place in the site theme.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate the total cost of imported goods?

Convert the invoice price into RON and add freight, insurance, customs duty, clearance fee and domestic transport. Add import VAT only if the company cannot deduct it.

Which customs duty rate should I enter?

It depends on the product’s tariff code and country of origin. Look the code up in TARIC (the EU customs database) or ask your forwarder; the value in the form is only an example.

What difference do Incoterms make to the price?

They set what the seller has already paid. With CIF freight and insurance are in the price, with FOB you add them, with EXW you also add origin transport, and with DDP import duties are in the price too.

Do I pay VAT on import and do I lose it?

VAT is calculated on import. If the company is VAT-registered, you deduct it and it is not a cost, but you normally pay it at customs before deducting it (importers holding a deferment certificate account for it in the VAT return). If you are not registered, the VAT remains a cost.

Which exchange rate should I use?

The one set under customs rules for your declaration (not your bank’s rate); the tool makes no external calls, so you enter the rate yourself. Check with your forwarder which rate applies.

Are there exemptions for low-value parcels?

Special rules apply to low-value parcels from outside the EU and they keep changing: from 1 July 2026 the EU applies a temporary customs duty of EUR 3 per item on parcels under EUR 150. The tool does not apply them; check with customs before relying on them.

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