Shipping hardware and tools from China to the USA: cost and delivery time
Prices from our live rate card, updated
A carton of hand tools (15 kg) costs $224.81 to ship from China to a US address by air, door to door, in 6 to 12 working days, with US customs and import duty included in that price. A small metal parts sample is $9.53.
Hardware is dense, so it bills on real weight and gets cheap per kg as volume grows: a real request for 448 towel racks at 574 kg prices at $2,028.84 by air consolidation, about $3.53 per kg, with duty paid at import.
What it costs to ship hardware and tools from China
All-in prices from our China warehouse to a US address. Billed weight is the actual weight or the carton volume (length x width x height in cm, divided by 6,000), whichever is higher. Sea is only offered from 100 kg.
| Shipment | Billed weight | Air |
|---|---|---|
| A metal parts sample0.5 kg | 0.5 kg | $9.536 to 12 working days, duty included |
| Hand tools, 1 carton15 kg, 45 x 35 x 30 cm | 15 kg | $224.816 to 12 working days, duty included |
| Fittings and fasteners, 3 cartons60 kg, 3 x 40 x 30 x 25 cm | 60 kg | $578.5810 to 14 days, plus US duty at import |
Real hardware and tools requests, priced today
Shipments people recently asked us to price, with names removed, re-run through today's rates. Where no carton size was given, the price uses actual weight, so bulky cartons would cost more.
| Shipment | Billed weight | Air |
|---|---|---|
| 500 drill bits6 kg | 6 kg | $90.886 to 12 working days, duty included |
| 100 brass fittings from Zhejiang3.2 kg | 3.2 kg | $52.396 to 12 working days, duty included |
| 448 towel racks from Wenzhou574 kg | 574 kg | $2,028.8410 to 14 days, plus US duty at import |
How long it takes
Air, door to door
6 to 12
working days from dispatch, up to 100 kg, duty included
Air consolidation
10 to 14
days, for heavier air loads, duty paid at import
Sea, door to door
30 to 40
days, from 100 kg, duty included
Add the time your supplier needs to get the cartons to our China warehouse by domestic courier, usually a few days. Full shipping time breakdown ›
What changes the price for hardware and tools
Dense goods bill on weight
You pay for the actual weight or the carton volume, whichever is higher. Drill bits, fittings, fasteners and hand tools pack heavy for their size, so the billed weight is the scale weight and you do not pay for empty space. 500 drill bits at 6 kg are $90.88.
Bigger loads, much lower per-kg price
Loads over 100 kg carry a lower margin, so the price per kg drops sharply with size: $14.99 per kg on a 15 kg carton, $9.64 on 60 kg, and $3.53 on the 574 kg towel rack request.
Cordless and powered tools
Anything with a motor, a circuit board or a battery, like cordless drills, rechargeable screwdrivers or laser levels, rides our electronics channel at a higher per-kg rate. Tools with lithium batteries are checked by a person before a firm offer, and spare loose batteries are restricted.
Duty in the price up to 100 kg
On our door-to-door air service up to 100 kg, US duty is already inside the price. On air consolidation, used for heavier loads like 3 cartons of fittings at 60 kg, the freight price excludes duty and duty is paid at import. The offer always says which one you have.
US rules for importing hardware and tools
Metal goods are where tariffs get complicated. Articles made of steel, aluminum or copper may fall under Section 232 metal tariffs, many Chinese goods carry Section 301 tariffs, and a number of fasteners, fittings and metal products from China are covered by antidumping or countervailing duty orders. Which of these apply depends on the exact HS code and product description. Antidumping duties explained.
That is why the product description on the invoice matters: "steel pipe fitting, threaded, 1/2 inch" classifies correctly, "metal parts" does not. We check the HS code and file the entry. How to find an HS code.
- Country of origin: tools and hardware must be marked "Made in China", and for many metal tools the mark has to be on the item itself, stamped or etched, not just on a sticker. Origin marking rules.
- Material and grade: ask the supplier for the material (carbon steel, stainless, brass, zinc alloy) and put it on the invoice, since duty rates differ by material.
- Sharp or bladed items: knives, saw blades and cutters ship, but tell us, as they need safe packing and may be checked before a firm offer.
- Plumbing and lead: brass fittings meant for drinking water in the US are expected to meet lead-free rules, which is a question for your supplier, not for customs.
Packing hardware so cartons survive
- Use double-wall cartons and keep each carton under about 25 kg; heavy single-wall boxes burst in transit.
- Bag small parts by type and count, so a split bag does not turn into a loose pile at the bottom of the carton.
- Cap or sheath sharp edges and drill bit tips so they cannot cut through the carton.
- Fill empty space with padding; metal parts shifting in a half-empty carton damage each other and the box.
- Our warehouse weighs and measures every carton as it arrives, and those numbers are what bill.
Get your exact price
Tell us what you are shipping, the weight and carton size. The instant offer uses the same rates as the tables above.
Common questions
How much does it cost to ship tools from China to the USA?
A 15 kg carton of hand tools is $224.81 by air, door to door with duty included, about $14.99 per kg. The per-kg price falls on bigger loads; 60 kg of fittings is $578.58 by air consolidation plus duty at import.
Can I ship a single sample of a metal part?
Yes. A 0.5 kg metal parts sample is $9.53 door to door. Samples still clear US customs formally, so describe the part and its material on the invoice.
Will my fittings or fasteners get extra tariffs?
They might. Steel, aluminum and copper articles may face Section 232 tariffs, and some fasteners and fittings from China carry antidumping or countervailing duties. It depends on the exact HS code, so send us the product details and we check before you ship.
Is sea freight cheaper for heavy hardware?
Sometimes, but not always. Heavy air loads over 100 kg already get a lower per-kg price, and on the 574 kg towel rack request air consolidation came out cheaper than sea. We price both and show you the better option.
When do I pay?
After your cartons arrive at our China warehouse and are counted and weighed. The invoice uses the measured numbers, you pay by ACH from any US bank account with no fee, and nothing is due at delivery.