🇺🇸Import Korean Cosmetics to the USA
Registration, duties and freight — what a distributor needs to bring K-beauty into the USA, with vetted Korean suppliers at 0% commission and one logistics partner from supplier to shelf.
Why the USA
The US is the largest export market for Korean cosmetics — Korea overtook France as the top cosmetics supplier to the US in 2024. It is also the most competitive: success depends on Amazon FBA readiness, MoCRA compliance and reliable replenishment logistics.
Product registration in the USA
Facility registration & listing
Under MoCRA, the Korean manufacturing facility registers with the FDA and each product is listed; a US agent/responsible person is designated.
No pre-market approval
Cosmetics need no FDA pre-approval — compliance is via safety substantiation, labelling (FPLA) and adverse-event reporting.
KORUS origin certificate
A KORUS FTA origin declaration makes qualifying Korean cosmetics duty-free at US customs.
Typical lead time: Most Korean export-ready brands already hold FDA registration — first shipments can usually move immediately.
Duties & taxes
Under the KORUS FTA, qualifying Korean-origin cosmetics enter the US duty-free; without origin documentation, MFN rates on cosmetics are still low (0–6.5% typical).
The US has no federal VAT — state sales tax applies at retail, not at import.
Estimate your landed cost per HS code with our free import duty calculator. Open the import duty calculator
Regulations, duty and tax information is general guidance and may change. We confirm the exact requirements for your product and HS code before every shipment.
Shipping from Korea to the USA
We consolidate LCL and FCL cargo from Busan every week. Below are indicative LCL rates from our internal tariff — the same data our freight team quotes from.
| Destination port | LCL rate | Transit |
|---|---|---|
| CHICAGO | $180 / CBM=500KG | 25 days |
| LOS ANGELES | $145 / CBM | 11 days |
| NEW YORK | $170 / CBM | 25 days |
| OAKLAND | $155 / CBM | 20 days |
| SEATTLE | $160 / CBM | 13 days |
| SAN FRANCISCO | $155 / CBM | 20 days |
Indicative LCL ocean rates from Busan, Korea — from TY's internal tariff, updated regularly. Ocean freight portion only; your final DDP quote covers the full door-to-door cost.
How importing with TY works
Tell us your product
Send your category, target price and market — the matching form takes 3 minutes.
Supplier match + DDP quote
Within one business day we propose a vetted Korean supplier and a total landed-cost quote.
Samples & first order
We arrange sample shipping and consolidate small first orders with weekly LCL departures.
Ship, clear, deliver
TY handles export docs, ocean or air freight, customs and duty, and final delivery — tracked on our portal.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need product registration to import Korean cosmetics to the USA?
No pre-market approval — but under MoCRA the manufacturing facility must be FDA-registered and each product listed, with a US responsible person. Most export-ready Korean brands already comply. TY confirms MoCRA status during sourcing and handles freight, customs and FBA prep.
How long does shipping from Korea to the USA take?
LCL from Busan to LOS ANGELES takes about 11 days port-to-port. Add customs clearance and inland delivery for the full door-to-door DDP timeline. We consolidate weekly, so small first orders move fast.
What does DDP shipping mean for my order?
DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) means one all-in price to your door: pickup in Korea, ocean or air freight, customs clearance, import duty and taxes, and final delivery. You see your total landed cost before you commit to the order.
Ready to source and ship from Korea?
Tell us your product and market — we reply with a matched Korean supplier and an all-in DDP quote within one business day. 0% commission: we make money on shipping, not on you.