Drive cross-border sales with a unified checkout solution that optimizes customer experience

Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers connect Avalara AvaTax Cross-Border APIs to AI agents and partner platforms. This enables compliance tasks like customs duty and import tax calculation to run automatically inside ERPs, marketplaces, and supply chain systems. The result is faster onboarding, fewer errors, and smoother global trade operations. 

A customs duty is the indirect tax levied on the import or export of goods in a cross-border transaction. Customs duties are currently limited to physical goods.

Import taxes are consumption taxes established by governments. They’re typically imposed as a percentage of the selling price (plus any customs duties) and they’re imposed on both imports and intra-country sales. VAT and GST are the most common forms of import taxes.

For real-time calculation of customs duties and import taxes, yes. HS codes, HTS codes, and tariff codes are tied to a country’s specific duty rate for the specific item. Having accurate HS codes is the first step to calculating cross-border taxes.

If you don’t have an HS code, you can still estimate customs duties and import taxes at checkout with minimal input data — don’t miss a sale when you use Avalara Cross-Border Estimated. This feature only applies to new transactions; any backdated transactions will need an accurate HS-10 code to produce a calculation.

Harmonized System (HS) codes are internationally standardized 6-digit codes that denote the product category and are used to classify traded goods. Ten-digit codes, which include the HS code as the first six digits, are used to determine import duties and regulations. These codes are referred to as Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) codes by the U.S., TARIC codes in the EU, and may have different names in other countries and regions. The 10-digit codes are country-specific, meaning one item will have a unique code for each country. Schedule B codes are also U.S.-specific 10-digit codes used to classify exported goods, maintained by the U.S. Census Bureau .  Tariff codes generally refer to the aforementioned codes used to impose duties on imports, vary by country, and are often based on the HS system.

• Harmonized System (HS) codes — 6-digit internationally standardized codes to classify traded goods
• Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) codes and TARIC codes — 10-digit country-specific codes used to determine import duties and regulations
• Schedule B codes — 10-digit country-specific codes used by the U.S. to classify exported goods
• Tariff codes — the general term to refer to the codes listed above