Trade Remedies & Import Compliance
Antidumping Duty
Also known as: AD, ADD, Dumping Duty
An antidumping duty is a special additional duty imposed to offset 'dumping' — the sale of imported goods in a market at a price below their fair or home-market value — when that dumping is found to injure a domestic industry. Following an investigation by the trade and injury authorities, an order sets a company-specific or country-wide margin that can range from a few percent to several hundred percent, dramatically raising the landed cost of the covered goods. Because rates are recalculated periodically and entries may be suspended from liquidation while reviews proceed, importers of goods subject to an antidumping order face significant financial exposure and must post cash deposits at entry.
AD is the fastest way for a small importer to be ruined by a shipment they thought was routine. Rates reach three figures as a percentage, they apply retroactively to entries already made, and scope is decided by what the goods are — not by what the invoice calls them. Check scope before you order, not after the goods arrive.
Where it matters for compliance
- Cash deposits are provisional. Final liability is set at administrative review and can be far higher.
- Scope rulings determine whether your specific article is covered. If in doubt, request one.
- Transshipment to disguise origin is fraud, and the importer of record carries it.
Related terms
Reviewed by a licensed customs broker. Definitions are general information, not legal or customs advice for a particular shipment. Duty rates, tariff programs and agency requirements change frequently.