The four costs
- The item price, converted from won to rand.
- International shipping from Korea.
- Customs duty, which depends on what the product is.
- Import VAT at 15%, paid to SARS when the parcel clears.
Customs duty depends on the product
Every product has a tariff code, and the code sets the duty rate. Clothing and shoes carry some of the highest rates because South Africa protects its local clothing industry. Other goods carry lower rates or none. SARS publishes the full rates in its customs tariff book.
How import VAT is worked out
Import VAT isn't 15% of the item price. SARS takes the customs value, adds a 10% uplift, adds the duty, and charges 15% on that total.
A worked example, using a made-up duty rate of 20% to keep the sums simple: an item with a customs value of R1,000 carries R200 duty. The VAT base is R1,000 + R100 uplift + R200 duty = R1,300, so import VAT is R195. Taxes come to R395 before shipping and any clearance fee. The real duty rate for your item may be higher or lower.
Small parcels are no longer tax-free
Since September 2024, SARS has charged VAT on low-value parcels too, so even cheap orders from overseas can arrive with a bill. Couriers and the Post Office also tend to add a clearance or handling fee when they collect duty for SARS.
How HANSO handles it
Every HANSO price already includes shipping from Seoul, customs duty, import VAT and our service, so nothing is collected when your parcel arrives. Our pricing page shows how each price is built and lets you try any Korean price.
Want something we don't stock? Send us the link and we'll reply with one all-in price in rand.