CBP Harbor Maintenance Fee 0.125% Calculator 2026
Calculate the CBP Harbor Maintenance Fee at 0.125% for 2026 ocean imports. See when HMF applies, examples, and how it differs from MPF.
Ocean Importers Often Miss HMF Until the Broker Invoice Arrives
When a shipment comes in by ocean, importers usually think about freight, customs duty, and maybe Section 301. Then the entry lands and there is another fee on the statement: HMF, the Harbor Maintenance Fee.
HMF is not huge on a single shipment, but it is systematic. If you import containers all year, ignoring it means your landed-cost model is consistently wrong.
If you searched for CBP Harbor Maintenance Fee 0.125% 2026, the short answer is: for covered ocean imports, estimate HMF as 0.125% of entered merchandise value, or 0.00125 x value.
What Is the Harbor Maintenance Fee?
HMF is a federal fee tied to waterborne cargo. CBP collects it as part of the customs entry process for imports that move through ports subject to the fee.
The CBP Harbor Maintenance Fee rate used for 2026 import estimates is:
HMF = 0.125% of the value of the merchandise
That equals:
- $1.25 per $1,000 of value
- $12.50 per $10,000 of value
- $125 per $100,000 of value
Official-source note: CBP import guidance describes HMF as a fee on covered waterborne cargo and CBP publications identify the 0.125% value-based calculation. Because port programs and entry treatment can change, verify unusual entries against CBP guidance or your broker before filing.
When HMF Applies
As a practical rule, HMF is an ocean-cargo fee. If your shipment is loaded or unloaded from a commercial vessel at a covered port, HMF is usually part of the entry.
HMF generally does not apply to:
- Air shipments
- Truck-only shipments
- Rail-only shipments
That is one of the biggest differences between HMF and MPF. For the customs-entry fee that appears across more shipment types, see our MPF calculator guide.
HMF Calculator Formula
Use this formula:
HMF = entered merchandise value x 0.00125
How to Calculate HMF Step-by-Step
- Confirm the shipment is waterborne cargo: HMF usually applies when qualifying commercial cargo is loaded or unloaded from a vessel at a covered port.
- Find the entered merchandise value: use the value that will appear on the customs entry, not the freight invoice alone.
- Multiply by 0.00125: this converts the 0.125% Harbor Maintenance Fee rate into a decimal.
- Add the HMF line to landed cost: keep it separate from MPF, customs duty, broker fees, and freight.
HMF Examples
| Merchandise Value | HMF Rate | HMF Owed |
|---|---|---|
| $8,000 | 0.125% | $10.00 |
| $20,000 | 0.125% | $25.00 |
| $60,000 | 0.125% | $75.00 |
| $150,000 | 0.125% | $187.50 |
| $500,000 | 0.125% | $625.00 |
HMF scales linearly. There is no minimum-and-maximum structure like MPF.
Why HMF Matters More Than It Looks
For a single container, HMF may feel minor. For a regular importer, it affects:
Annual budgeting
Twenty ocean entries at $80,000 each creates about $2,000 of HMF over a year.
Product margin
If you operate on a tight landed-cost spread, every predictable fee belongs in the unit economics.
Port-mode decisions
Importers sometimes compare ocean vs air only on freight rates and transit times. HMF is one more reason the all-in comparison has to be done on a landed-cost basis.
HMF vs MPF
These two fees appear together often, which is why many people confuse them.
| Fee | Applies To | 2026 Rate Structure | Typical Trigger |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMF | Waterborne import cargo | 0.125% ad valorem | Ocean shipment |
| MPF | Customs entry processing | 0.3464% with min/max on formal entries | Formal customs entry |
If your shipment comes by ocean and clears on a formal entry, you may owe both.
Real Landed-Cost Example
A seller imports kitchen accessories by ocean with an entered value of $42,000.
| Line Item | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Entered value | - | $42,000 |
| Base duty | assume 4.2% | $1,764 |
| MPF | $42,000 x 0.3464% | $145.49 |
| HMF | $42,000 x 0.125% | $52.50 |
| Total duty + federal fees before broker/freight | - | $1,961.99 |
Without HMF and MPF, the importer would understate cost by almost $200 on this one shipment.
Common HMF Mistakes
Treating HMF as a freight charge
HMF is not billed because ocean freight exists. It is a government fee tied to qualifying waterborne cargo.
Forgetting HMF on quote comparisons
Importers often compare a supplier quote, a freight quote, and a tariff estimate. HMF disappears because nobody owns that line item until the entry is filed.
Assuming HMF applies to every port movement
If the import is not waterborne, HMF typically is not the issue. Do not automatically add it to air and truck models.
Should You Include HMF in Product Pricing?
Yes. If the goods arrive by ocean and you expect recurring imports, HMF should be built into the product-level unit cost, just like:
- Duty
- MPF
- Broker fees
- Bond allocation
- Drayage
- Warehousing
That is the only way to compare suppliers, origins, and reorder points accurately.
FAQ
Does HMF apply to air shipments?
Usually no. HMF is primarily a waterborne cargo fee, not an airfreight fee.
Is HMF charged as a percentage?
Yes. The CBP Harbor Maintenance Fee 0.125% calculation is ad valorem, meaning it is based on the value of the merchandise.
Can I owe both HMF and MPF on the same shipment?
Yes. That is common on formal ocean entries.
Is HMF included in Section 301 duty?
No. HMF is separate from tariffs and trade-remedy duties.
Estimate Ocean Import Costs the Right Way
HMF is small enough to overlook and common enough to matter. TariffCheck helps importers build the full landed-cost stack so ocean shipments do not turn into margin leaks after arrival. Estimate your total import cost here.