CIF value: how Singapore customs value is calculated
CIF stands for cost, insurance, and freight, and it is the basis on which import GST is calculated in Singapore. It is not the same as what you paid the supplier, and the difference catches out importers who budget from the invoice alone.
At a glance
| C — Cost | The transaction value of the goods |
|---|---|
| I — Insurance | The cost of insuring the goods to Singapore |
| F — Freight | The cost of transport to Singapore |
| Used for | Calculating import GST and, where applicable, duty |
Why the invoice value is not the answer
If you bought goods ex-works or FOB, the invoice covers the goods but not the freight or insurance to Singapore — yet those are inside the customs value. You have to add them. Conversely, if you bought on CIF or DDP terms, some or all of those costs are already in the invoice. This is why the Incoterm on your purchase order feeds directly into the declaration, and why an incorrect Incoterm creates a valuation problem rather than just a commercial ambiguity.
What goes in and what stays out
Broadly, costs incurred in getting the goods to Singapore go in; costs incurred after arrival stay out.
- In: the price paid for the goods, international freight, insurance to Singapore, export packing, and certain charges paid as a condition of sale.
- Out: Singapore-side delivery, local handling after arrival, installation, and post-import services — provided these are separately identifiable.
- Ambiguous: royalties, licence fees, tooling costs, and assists supplied to the seller free of charge. These can be dutiable additions depending on the arrangement.
Why understating is a bad idea
Declaring a lower value than the true transaction value to reduce GST is a false declaration. It carries penalties, and in the event of loss or damage it also undermines any insurance claim — because you have created a paper trail asserting the goods were worth less than they were. The GST saved is small; the exposure is not. On the other side, over-declaring wastes money. The correct answer is the actual value, properly supported.
Official sources
Requirements, rates, and thresholds change. These are the authorities that set them — check the current position with them before acting on anything here.
Last reviewed August 2026. This page explains how the process generally works; it is not advice on your specific shipment, and it does not replace guidance from Singapore Customs, the relevant Competent Authority, or a licensed Declaring Agent.
Questions we get asked about this
I bought FOB. What do I add to get CIF?
The international freight cost and the insurance premium to Singapore. Keep the invoices for both — they support the declared value if it is queried.
Does Singapore-side delivery go into CIF?
Generally no, provided it is separately identifiable and genuinely relates to transport after arrival. Costs bundled into a single door-to-door charge are harder to separate, so ask for them to be itemised.
What if the goods were free — samples or a warranty replacement?
A value still has to be declared. Free-of-charge goods have a customs value based on what they would be worth, not zero. Cost of production or a comparable market value is the usual basis.
Do tooling costs I paid the supplier separately count?
Potentially. Assists — tooling, moulds, designs, or materials supplied to the seller — can be dutiable additions to the customs value depending on the arrangement. If you have paid the supplier separately for tooling, flag it rather than assuming it sits outside.
More in Singapore import guides
GST on imports
What import GST is charged on, how it is calculated, and what changes the timing.
Customs duty
Why most imports are duty-free, and what happens with the four categories that are not.
Documentation checklist
Every document a Singapore import may need, and the point at which each has to exist.
Certificates of origin
What certificates of origin do, the two types, and when you actually need one.
Free trade agreements
The agreement network, and an honest account of what it does and does not do for importers.
Wood packaging (ISPM 15)
The treatment standard for wooden packing, and why it holds so many shipments.
Related pages
GST on imports
What import GST is charged on, how it is calculated, and what changes the timing.
Incoterms
What each term means for cost, risk, and your customs value.
Commercial invoice
What the invoice has to show, and the descriptions that get shipments held.
Customs and import coordination
Help understanding what a shipment needs before it clears — permits, declarations, and the information a Declaring Agent will ask for.
Have a shipment that fits this?
Start the guided enquiry and describe it in plain terms. We will tell you what is involved — including if the answer is that you do not need us.