The Duty That Arrives After the Shipment
Most importers plan around two numbers: the product cost and the base customs duty. Both are predictable. Then a third charge shows up — anti-dumping duty (AD) or countervailing duty (CVD) — and it can be larger than everything else combined.
A product that clears at 3.2% base duty can suddenly carry a 200% bill because it falls under an active dumping order. By the time customs sends the notice, the goods have already sailed and the inventory is committed.
What AD/CVD Actually Is
When a US industry proves that a foreign competitor is selling below fair value (dumping) or benefiting from government subsidies (countervailing), the Department of Commerce imposes a special duty on that specific product from that specific country.
These orders don't replace your normal duty. They stack:
Total = base MFN duty + Section 301 (if China) + AD/CVD
And the AD/CVD number is the one that bites. Wooden bedroom furniture from China sits under an order with rates above 100%. Certain honey imports have faced rates north of 200%. These aren't typos — they're the rate the Commerce Department set to offset the dumping margin it found.
Why the Bill Comes Later
AD/CVD is settled through a process called "liquidation," which can lag the actual import by months. Your broker files the entry, the goods get released, and you think you're done. Then liquidation closes and the real rate gets applied — sometimes with interest.
This is why checking before you order matters. If the product is under an active order, the rate is public. The 397 orders currently in force are all on record at the International Trade Administration, tied to specific HTS codes and countries. You just have to look them up.
A Real Example
Take a $10,000 shipment of wooden bedroom furniture (HTS 9403.50) from China:
| Component | Rate | Amount | |-----------|------|--------| | Base MFN duty | 0% | $0 | | Section 301 | 25% | $2,500 | | AD duty | ~198% | $19,800 | | Total duty | ~223% | $22,300 |
A base-duty-only quote shows $0 owed. The real bill is over $22,000 on a $10,000 shipment. That's not a margin problem — that's a business-ending number if you've already committed to a customer price.
How to Check Before You Order
You don't need to read Federal Register filings. Type the product name or HTS code into CVDar's AD/CVD checker. If the product matches an active order, you'll see the case number, the petitioning country, and the applicable rate band — before you place the order, not after the goods arrive.
Key Takeaways
- AD/CVD is additive — it stacks on top of base duty and Section 301, not instead of them.
- Rates can reach several hundred percent, far beyond normal tariff levels.
- The bill often arrives months after import via liquidation, so upfront planning is the only protection.
- All 397 active orders are public — the cost is in not checking, not in the data being hidden.