Imports below P10,000 now tax-free

MANILA, Philippines – The Bureau of Customs will increase the de minimis for imported goods, two months before Christmas.

Starting Oct. 5, goods worth P10,000 and below will be exempted from Custom duties and taxes.

BOC Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon said the new rule is one of the salient features of Customs Administrative Order (CAO) 02-2016, which covers imported goods with de minimis value. 

The CAO will implement Section 423 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, which provides that “no duties and taxes shall be collected on goods with a freight on board or free carrier value of P10,000 or below.”

De minimis refers to the value of goods exempted from duties and taxes.

Goods with de minimis value are considered importation with negligible amount and entitled to immediate release.

The new rule is an upgrade from the decades-old Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines, which only provided P10 as the de minimis threshold. 

“This is good news for Filipinos, who can now fully enjoy their small purchases from other countries. I trust that everyone will strictly abide by the provisions of the CAO,” Faeldon said.

The CAO specifies exclusions from immediate release, including prohibited and restricted importations.

Regulated importations within de minimis value shall comply with the requirements of the concerned regulatory agencies.

Imported tobacco, wines and spirits within the de minimis value are still subject to payment of excise tax, as mandated under the National Internal Revenue Code.