Section 301 Tariffs and Hair Extensions: What Importers Pay
Section 301 tariffs and hair extensions from China keep coming up on warehouse calls. Some buyers think it’s a negotiable supplier fee; others don’t see it until Customs releases the cargo and their margin is gone. Here’s who pays and how to price it early.
What Section 301 tariffs and hair extensions mean on your invoice
Section 301 is an extra U.S. duty on Chinese-origin goods. Most human hair we ship is classified under HTS 6703, where the normal duty rate is often free, but Chinese-origin products commonly face an extra 25 percent. Wigs, synthetic goods, and closures can differ, so verify the exact code.
Duty is charged on entered value, usually your supplier invoice plus required packing or assists, not your retail price. The U.S. importer of record owes duty, broker fees, and penalties for bad paperwork.
- Product value: the supplier invoice, with required additions.
- Normal duty: often zero for human hair under 6703, but verify the exact HTS code.
- Section 301: commonly 25 percent for Chinese-origin human hair in this category.
- Entry costs: broker fees, merchandise processing fee, bond, and freight.
Run the numbers before you order
Say you buy 500 pieces of 100-gram, 20-inch weft hair extensions at $28 each: $14,000 entered value. Section 301 adds $3,500. With broker fees around $180, MPF near $49, a bond amortized at $60, and ocean freight around $850, landed cost is about $18,639, or $37.28 per piece.
That’s before U.S. handling and packaging. Saving $1 per bundle helps, but thinner, tangly hair can cost more in returns than the duty.
DDP and origin: what not to do
DDP means the supplier handles duty and delivery, which is simpler, but they build the tariff and broker risk into your price. Under FOB or EXW, your broker files the entry, so you see real fees and control compliance, but you also do more work.
Rewrapping Chinese hair in another country doesn’t change origin unless it’s truly substantially transformed. Don’t ask for gift, sample, or false origin labels. If you source non-China hair directly, Section 301 may not apply, but lead times and quality change. Bulk hair for braiding also cubes differently from wigs, affecting freight.
Small orders and common mistakes
Small POs still face the same tariff percentage, and minimum broker fees hurt more. Air freight on 25 bundles can add $8 to $15 each; ocean takes 35 to 45 days but gets cheaper with volume. Our MOQ and freight math article explains that tradeoff.
Don’t wait until the boat sails to ask for the HTS code. Get composition, weight, length, and packaging first, then ask your broker. Brokers can classify product; they can’t waive Section 301. More detail is in our Chinese hair extension duties post.
Quick questions buyers ask
Do I pay duty on international freight?
Usually no. Duty applies to entered merchandise value, not international freight, but freight still belongs in your landed-cost sheet.
Can the supplier just lower the invoice?
No. Lowering the invoice is Customs fraud and can cause detention, penalties, or higher inspection rates on future shipments.
Is 25 percent always the final tariff?
For many Chinese human hair extensions under HTS 6703, 25 percent is the current extra rate. Other products or origins can differ, so confirm with your broker.
Build a landed-cost sheet before you deposit. Compare specs when you shop all hair extensions, then send weight, pack count, and construction to your broker. Price from real numbers, not hope.
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