LandedPulseWhy does a rate come back as "not covered"?
A rate is marked not covered when it cannot be expressed unambiguously as a single ad valorem percentage — specific duties charged per unit, compound rates, tariff-rate quotas and preference-dependent rates all fall into this class. We decline rather than approximate.
A specific duty is charged per kilogram, litre or item rather than as a percentage of value. Converting it into a percentage requires the shipment quantity and unit, which a value-based query does not carry. Any percentage shown would be an invention.
A compound duty combines both forms — a percentage plus a per-unit amount. A tariff-rate quota applies one rate up to a volume threshold and a higher rate beyond it, so the answer depends on how much of the quota the importer has already consumed this period.
Preference-dependent rates require proof of origin under a specific trade agreement, and manufacturer- or programme-specific codes require knowing which regime the importer is claiming. None of that is inferable from an HS code and a country pair.
In each case the honest output is the refusal plus the reason. A wrong number that looks confident is more expensive than no number, because it gets quoted to a buyer and only surfaces at clearance.
Last reviewed . General guidance on import duty mechanics, not customs or tax advice for a specific shipment.