Many consider the Bahamas a tax haven due to its absence of corporate, income, and inheritance taxes. However, the government still needs to generate revenue to support public services and national development. As a result, it relies heavily on customs duties. To clarify, the definition of import duties Bahamas refers to the taxes imposed on goods brought into the country—one of the primary sources of government income in this tax-neutral jurisdiction.

As a result, import duties essentially a form of taxation are a primary source of government income. Given that the vast majority of goods consumed in the Bahamas are imported, these duties are applied broadly across almost all categories of merchandise.

Import duties are calculated based on the customs value of goods, which includes the Cost, Insurance, and Freight (CIF) value. Duty rates vary significantly depending on the type of product, ranging from 0% on essential goods (such as certain food products) to as high as 65% on luxury items, motor vehicles, and alcohol.

The Bahamas Customs and Excise Department is responsible for enforcing these regulations, and all goods entering Harbour Island, like any other part of the country, are subject to the same national import duty structure.