Rules
Importing silver into the US, CBP rules and duty on precious metals
This silver guide covers CBP entry procedures, duty rates on precious metals, documentation, and marking rules for importing silver into the US.
What to take away
- This silver guide walks through CBP entry procedures for silver sheet, findings, and finished jewelry.
- Most silver articles enter the US duty free under the precious metal provisions of the tariff schedule, but classification still decides the rate.
- Every commercial entry needs a bill of lading, commercial invoice, and entry summary; marking must show the country of origin.
- Silver and tools bought online from overseas sellers still pass through CBP, and small shipments are not exempt from duty.
- No federal import license is issued specifically for silver, though other agencies may require permits for certain goods.
How CBP treats silver and precious metal imports
CBP treats silver as a precious metal article first and a manufactured good second. That ordering matters. Chapter 71 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule covers silver, whether unwrought, semi-manufactured, or made into jewelry. Findings, chain, and sheet usually fall in the same chapter when they are precious metal.
Silver is not a restricted commodity in the way firearms or certain agricultural goods are. A US jeweler can import it without a special federal license in most cases. The obligations are about entry, valuation, classification, and marking rather than permission.
The CBP trade guidance index is the starting point for any importer of precious metals. The agency publishes entry requirements, informed compliance publications, and penalty guidance there. Read it before the first shipment, not after a detention notice.
One practical point for studio jewelers: the rules do not change because the quantity is small. A one-kilogram parcel of sterling sheet is an import like any other. The difference is the entry process used, not the legal status of the metal.
Silver from Mexico, Canada, or other partners may qualify for preferential treatment under a trade agreement. That is a claim you make, with documentation, not something CBP applies on its own. Without a valid certification, the general rate applies.
Entry procedures for silver sheet, findings and finished jewellery
Formal entry is the standard path for commercial silver shipments. It begins when the goods arrive at a port of entry and the importer, or a customs broker acting for them, files the entry. CBP then reviews classification, value, and origin.
Here is the sequence in practice.
- Gather the commercial invoice, packing list, and transport document before the shipment lands.
- File the entry with CBP, usually through a licensed customs broker, and post any required bond.
- Declare the HTS classification, customs value, and country of origin for each line.
- Pay estimated duties, taxes, and fees, or arrange a bond to cover them.
- Respond to any CBP request for samples, assays, or further documents.
- Keep entry records for five years from the date of entry.
De minimis treatment lets low-value shipments enter without formal entry. The threshold has changed in recent years and is subject to policy shifts, so confirm the current figure with your broker before you rely on it. A parcel of silver findings under the limit may clear with minimal paperwork.
Formal entry is not optional once the value passes the threshold or the goods are commercial in nature. Splitting one order into several parcels to stay under the limit is the kind of thing CBP notices.
Finished jewelry adds a step that sheet and findings do not. CBP may look at the article's essential character: is the value in the metal, the stones, or the labor? That answer drives classification, and classification drives duty.
If you import findings to assemble in your own studio, keep the import documents with your production records. When you later sell the finished piece, you may need to show the origin of the components. The hallmark, supplier, and batch-record checklist is a useful model for that paper trail.
Duty rates and classification for silver articles
Classification starts with the HTS. Silver and silver articles generally sit in Chapter 71. The subheading depends on form: unwrought or semi-manufactured silver, silver powder, silver jewelry, or silver articles for other uses.
CBP publishes how it determines duty rates, and the method is the same for silver as for anything else. You classify the good, apply the column rate for the country of origin, and add any trade remedy or fee that applies.
The general rate for most silver articles is free, but free is a rate, not an exemption from the process.
The table below shows how the form of the metal shapes the entry.
| Form imported | Typical HTS area | Duty picture | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silver sheet, strip, wire | Chapter 71, semi-manufactured | Often free under the general rate | Assay and fineness description |
| Findings and chain | Chapter 71 or 7113 | Depends on precious metal content | Whether base metal is present |
| Finished jewelry | 7113 | Rate set by metal and origin | Stones and labor in the value |
| Silver with base metal parts | Mixed headings | Component-by-component analysis | Marking of each part |
Value is the second half of the duty calculation. Customs value is generally the price actually paid or payable, with adjustments for freight, insurance, and selling commissions depending on the terms of sale. Understating value to lower duty is a violation, not a negotiation.
Silver content affects classification but not always duty. A sterling chain and a fine silver chain may land in different subheadings while both enter free. The classification still matters for marking, statistics, and any future claim.
Knowing your alloy is part of knowing your tariff line. The fineness, composition, properties, marks reference explains how fineness is expressed and tested, which is the language an invoice should use.
Documentation and marking required at entry
Every formal entry rests on a small set of documents. The commercial invoice is the core. It should name the seller and buyer, describe the goods, and state quantity and unit value. Total value, currency, and terms of sale belong on it too. For silver, the description should state the metal and its fineness.
A packing list, bill of lading or air waybill, and the entry summary complete the basic file. Depending on the goods, CBP may also ask for an assay certificate, a manufacturer's declaration, or a certificate of origin for a trade preference claim.
Marking is a separate legal duty from duty payment. Imported articles of precious metal must be marked with the country of origin in a conspicuous place, legibly and permanently. The marking must survive normal handling and use.
CBP rulings are where marking disputes get settled. Importers and competitors can request a ruling on whether a proposed marking satisfies the statute, and CBP publishes those decisions. Reading a few silver marking rulings tells you more than any summary.
The FTC Jewelry Guides govern how you describe silver once it is in commerce. Terms like sterling, fine silver, and silver plate have defined meanings, and the guides set the disclosure rules for treated or plated articles. Import compliance and advertising compliance are two different regimes.
Keep the entry file and the assay documents together. If you later need to identify and document an unmarked piece in your own stock, the import paperwork is often the only record of what the metal actually is.
Importing silver and tools bought online
Online purchases from overseas sellers are imports, full stop. CBP applies the same duty, classification, and marking rules to a parcel as to a pallet. The seller's website does not change the tariff schedule.
CBP explains internet purchases for buyers: goods ordered from abroad are subject to duty and to the same entry requirements, and the carrier or broker usually handles clearance. The buyer remains the importer of record in most cases.
Tools are a different classification from silver. A rolling mill, torch, or bench shear is machinery or a base metal article, not a precious metal good. Expect a different HTS heading and possibly a different rate. Some tools also carry electrical safety requirements.
Practical points for online orders:
- Confirm the seller will provide a commercial invoice with metal and fineness stated.
- Check whether the carrier collects duty and fees at delivery.
- Keep the order confirmation, invoice, and payment record together.
- Photograph the parcel and contents if the shipment arrives damaged.
- Note the country of origin, because it affects both duty and marking.
A single online order of silver sheet may clear with minimal fuss. A pattern of many small orders from the same seller can attract scrutiny, especially if the invoices are vague about metal content. Vague invoices are the most common cause of delay.
If you buy a used rolling mill from abroad, ask for the original manufacturer and model. CBP may need that to classify the machine, and you will want it for parts and safety documentation anyway. The same import file serves both purposes.
Licences, permits and rulings that affect silver importers
There is no federal import license issued specifically for silver. USAGov's guide to import licenses and permits explains that most goods do not need one, and that requirements come from the agency that regulates the product. For silver, that usually means no permit at all.
Exceptions exist at the edges. Goods made from wildlife products, certain gemstones from restricted sources, and articles subject to sanctions or antidumping orders can require extra steps. If your silver piece includes coral, ivory, or a restricted stone, check before you ship.
Antidumping and countervailing duty orders are the quiet risk. Silver itself is not a common target, but finished jewelry from certain countries has been covered by AD/CVD orders. A broker can check the orders that apply to your HTS line and origin.
Rulings are the tool for anything uncertain. A prospective ruling from CBP binds the agency on your facts if you describe them fully and accurately. For a jeweler importing an unusual alloy or a mixed-metal finding, a ruling is cheaper than a correction later.
State and local rules do not govern import, but they govern your workshop. OSHA standards for jewelry manufacturing cover ventilation, dust, and chemical handling, and they apply to imported as well as domestic metal. Your business records, including import costs, feed into IRS Schedule C and Form 1040 reporting.
Trade organizations are worth the dues if you import regularly. The Society of North American Goldsmiths and the American Craft Council both publish on materials and business practice. The Gemological Institute of America covers stone identification, and the US Geological Survey publishes mineral data that helps you understand where your silver originates.
Financing a larger import order is a business question, not a customs one. SBA loan programs can cover inventory and equipment, and the paperwork will ask for the same entry documents CBP wants. Keep one clean file and it serves both.
For the workshop side, understanding how the metal behaves helps you specify what to order. The fine silver vs sterling silver comparison is a good starting point, and the anneal and form walkthrough shows why alloy choice changes your process.
Common questions
Do I need an import license to bring silver into the US? No. There is no federal import license specific to silver, and most silver shipments need no permit. Requirements come from other agencies only when the goods include restricted materials.
Is silver jewelry duty free? Many silver articles enter under a free general rate, but classification and country of origin decide it. You still file an entry and pay any applicable fees.
Does a small online order avoid customs? No. Low-value shipments may clear with less paperwork, but the goods are still subject to duty and marking rules. Confirm the current de minimis threshold with your broker.
How must imported silver be marked? It must show the country of origin, legibly and permanently, in a conspicuous place. CBP rulings address specific marking questions when the answer is unclear.
How long do I keep entry records? Five years from the date of entry. Keep the invoice, entry summary, and any assay or origin documents together.
Can I get a ruling before I import? Yes. A prospective ruling from CBP binds the agency on the facts you present, which is useful for unusual alloys or mixed-metal findings.
