Importing Coconut Charcoal to the United States
A practical guide for distributors, lounge owners and private-label brands importing wholesale coconut shell charcoal into the United States — HS code, duty, VAT, ports, transit and documents.
- HS code
- 4402.90
- Import duty
- 0% (HTS 4402.90)
- VAT
- No VAT (state sales tax varies)
- Sea transit
- 20–40 days
Market notes
The United States is one of the largest hookah/shisha markets outside the Middle East — dense lounge scenes in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Miami and Dearborn. Strong demand for premium low-ash cubes and private-label brands; US buyers expect a consistent COA and reliable restocking.
Customs and duty
Charcoal clears under HTS 4402.90 (duty-free). CBP entry needs a customs bond, commercial invoice, packing list and an ISF filed 24h before loading. Merchandise Processing Fee (MPF) and Harbor Maintenance Fee (HMF) apply on landed value.
US Customs (CBP) entry; HTS 4402.90 is duty-free. Importer Security Filing (ISF 10+2) must be filed before vessel loading and a customs bond is required. Charcoal fuel is not FDA-regulated. MPF and HMF apply on landed value.
Landed cost estimate: United States
| FOB Jakarta price (1 kg inner box) | USD 2,000/t |
|---|---|
| Sea freight | USD 200–300/t |
| Inland delivery | USD 0–40/t |
| Sea transit | 20–40 days |
| Import duty | 0% (HTS 4402.90) |
| VAT | No VAT (state sales tax varies) |
| Landed per tonne, before duty and VAT | USD 2,200–2,340/t |
| 20-ft container (≈19 t), before duty and VAT | ≈ USD 42,000–44,000 |
Importing coconut charcoal into the United States from Indonesia costs roughly USD 2,200–2,340 per tonne landed via Los Angeles/Long Beach before duty and taxes, based on IZZY COCO's 2026 FOB Jakarta price of USD 2,000 per tonne plus USD 200–300 per tonne sea freight (Jakarta to Los Angeles/Long Beach, 20–40 days) and USD 0–40 per tonne inland delivery inside the United States. IZZY COCO declares coconut shell charcoal under HS code 4402.90; some importers use 4402.20 (charcoal of shells or nuts), so confirm the line with your customs broker. Import duty in the United States is 0% (HTS 4402.90) and no VAT is charged at import (state sales tax varies). A 20-ft container holds about 19 tonnes, so one container lands at roughly USD 42,000–44,000 before duty and taxes. Each container ships with a Bill of Lading, Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Certificate of Origin on request and an independent lab COA. Freight figures are estimates, last updated September 2026.
Adjust tonnage and packaging in the shipping cost calculator.
Route and transit
Sea Jakarta → Los Angeles/Long Beach (~20–25 days) for the West Coast, or → New York/Savannah (~30–40 days) via Panama. Inland trucking/rail across the US adds 2–5 days.
Ports of entry: Los Angeles/Long Beach, New York/New Jersey, Savannah, Houston
Documents you'll receive from us
- Bill of Lading
- Commercial Invoice
- Packing List
- Certificate of Origin (on request)
- Lab COA (ash, burn time, drop test, moisture)
Need a quote for the United States?
Tell us your target spec, packaging and the city of arrival in the United States. We reply on WhatsApp the same day with a price, lead time and the exact document set for your route.
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