Shipping from Vietnam to the USA in 2026: The Post-SCOTUS Importer’s Guide

Your Vietnam landed-cost spreadsheet is wrong. SCOTUS killed the 20% tariff, de minimis died, Hormuz spiked freight 40%. Below: tariff stack, current rates, hidden fees, Tết and Q3 calendar.

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How much does it cost to ship from Vietnam to the USA in 2026?

Ocean FCL ranges from $1,400 to $2,200 per 20ft. Count $2,300 to $3,500 per 40ft to the West Coast, $3,300 to $4,800 per 40ft to the East Coast.

LCL averages $120 to $250 per CBM. Air freight runs $4.50 to $7.00 per kg above 500 kg. Express courier sits at $15 to $35 per kg.

FCL ocean freight rates (Cai Mep to US ports)

Cai Mep deep-water terminal serves LA, Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle, NY/NJ, Savannah, Norfolk and Houston directly. Spot rates April 2026 sit at $2,300–$3,200 per 40ft on HCMC to LA per FBX13. HCMC to NY runs $3,300–$4,500.

Rates are 10–30% below the August 2025 peak but already 40% above the February 2026 floor. The Hormuz tanker incident on March 4 redeployed Suez tonnage and tightened transpacific capacity within ten days.

Route	20ft (USD)	40ft (USD)	Transit (days)
HCMC to Los Angeles	$1,400–$2,000	$2,300–$3,200	14–18
HCMC to Long Beach	$1,450–$2,100	$2,400–$3,300	14–18
HCMC to Seattle	$1,550–$2,200	$2,600–$3,500	17–22
HCMC to New York	$2,100–$2,900	$3,300–$4,500	28–35
HCMC to Savannah	$2,000–$2,800	$3,200–$4,400	28–34
HCMC to Houston	$1,900–$2,700	$3,000–$4,200	26–32
Sources: FBX13 week 17, three NVOCC quotes April 22, 2026.

LCL and consolidation pricing

LCL beats FCL when the shipment stays under 13 to 15 CBM. All-in HCMC to LA runs $120 to $200 per CBM; HCMC to NY costs $180 to $250.

Minimum charge is one CBM at around $130. Origin and destination CFS fees of $150 to $250 apply per shipment, fixed regardless of volume. That is where most LCL surprises hide.

Air freight by weight bracket

HCMC to LAX rates by weight bracket:

• Under 45 kg: $7.50 to $11/kg
• 45 to 100 kg: $5.50 to $8.50/kg
• 100 to 300 kg: $4.50 to $7/kg
• Above 500 kg: $3.80 to $5.80/kg

JFK and ORD add roughly $1/kg over LAX. No direct freighter exists between HCMC and the US: cargo transits Taipei, Hong Kong, Singapore or Incheon. Door-to-door runs 3 to 5 days.

The hidden costs that double the bill

The advertised ocean rate is roughly half the real bill. Add these on top of every 40ft container:

Cost item	Amount (USD, per 40ft)
THC origin (Vietnam)	$180–$250
THC destination (US)	$450–$650
ISF filing	$30–$50
Customs broker (per entry)	$75–$200
Drayage, LA basin	$350–$800
Demurrage (after 4–7 free days)	$175–$300/day
MPF (capped FY2026)	up to $651.50
HMF	0.125% of cargo value

On a $50,000 cargo, realistic landed-freight cost lands at $4,100–$6,200 per FEU before duty.

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How long does shipping from Vietnam to the USA take?

Ocean transit runs 14–18 days port-to-port from Cai Mep to LA, 17–22 to Seattle, 28–35 to NY or Savannah via Panama. Air freight moves 3–5 days door-to-door via Asian hubs; express courier 2–5 days.

Mode	Port-to-port	Door-to-door	Cost order
Ocean FCL	14–35 days	+7 to +10 days	$
Ocean LCL	18–40 days	+10 to +14 days	$$
Air freight	1–2 days flight + hub	3–5 days	$$$$
Express courier	N/A	2–5 days	$$$$$

Customs clearance adds 1–3 working days at LA/LB once the manifest hits CBP, assuming clean ISF and no PGA hold. FDA, USDA APHIS, EPA add 3–10 days when triggered.

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What tariffs apply to Vietnamese goods in April 2026?

Vietnam imports face a 10% Section 122 surcharge on top of the MFN base duty. It runs until July 24, 2026. Steel, aluminum and copper derivatives still carry separate 50% Section 232 tariffs.

The Supreme Court ruling that changed everything

On February 20, 2026, the Supreme Court ruled 6–3 in V.O.S. Selections v. Trump that the IEEPA does not authorize “reciprocal” tariffs. CBP stopped collecting them on February 24, 2026.

The administration replaced them with a 10% Section 122 universal duty within four days under 19 USC 1862. Two facts matter: it is statutorily capped at 15%, and it expires automatically on July 24, 2026 unless Congress extends.

How tariffs stack on Vietnamese imports

Total landed duty = MFN base + Section 122 (10%) + Section 232 (where applicable) + AD/CVD (where applicable). The cumulative effect catches most importers off guard.

Product (HTS)	MFN base	Section 122	Section 232	Total duty
Cotton men’s shirt (6205.20)	19.7%	10%	N/A	29.7%
Wooden bedroom furniture (9403.50)	0%	10%	25% (steel derivative)	35%
Footwear leather (6403.99)	8.5%	10%	N/A	18.5%
Steel pipe (7306.30)	0%	10%	50%	60%
Solar panel cell (8541.42)	0%	10%	+ AD/CVD	>100%

The 40% transshipment penalty survives

The 40% tariff on goods rerouted through Vietnam to evade China duties is enforced under 19 USC 1592 (customs fraud), not IEEPA. It survives the SCOTUS ruling intact.

Substantial transformation requires real change in name, character or use. Practical CBP thresholds: Vietnamese local value content above 30%, manufacturing beyond simple assembly, 6-digit HTS change between input and output. For high-risk products, get a CBP binding ruling. It is free, 30–60 day turnaround, valid 5 years.

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What documents do you need to import from Vietnam?

Eight documents are non-negotiable for any formal entry from Vietnam:

1. Commercial Invoice
2. Packing List
3. Bill of Lading
4. Certificate of Origin (VCCI Form B)
5. ISF 10+2 filing
6. CBP Form 3461 (entry)
7. CBP Form 7501 (entry summary)
8. Customs Bond (single-entry or continuous)

Add PGA permits where applicable: FDA, USDA APHIS, FCC, CPSC, EPA, Lacey Act.

ISF 10+2: the filing that breaks 30% of first imports

File the Importer Security Filing at least 24 hours before vessel loading at the Vietnamese port, not before US arrival. Filing late triggers $5,000 per violation, capped at $10,000 per shipment. CBP issued over 20,000 ISF penalties in FY2025.

The ten data elements CBP requires:

Most common rejection reasons: HTSUS at 4 digits instead of 6, mismatched manufacturer address, missing stuffing location.

De minimis is dead, even for Vietnam

Section 321 ($800 duty-free) was suspended globally on August 29, 2025 through EO 14324. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act eliminated it statutorily, full effect July 1, 2027.

Vietnam is now treated like China: every commercial shipment requires a formal entry, regardless of value. E-commerce parcels, Amazon FBA inbounds, DTC samples, all require ISF, customs bond and broker filing.

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Which Incoterm and which port?

FOB Cai Mep or FOB Hai Phong (Incoterms 2020) covers more than 70% of containerized trade. Avoid EXW. It creates exporter-of-record problems in Vietnam. Avoid DDP too: it exposes Vietnamese sellers to US tariff volatility most are not equipped to absorb post-SCOTUS.

FOB remains dominant despite the ICC’s preference for FCA. Letters of credit still require “on-board” Bills of Lading. CIF works only if you trust the supplier’s freight markup. Typical hidden margin runs 8 to 15% on the freight component.

Cai Mep beats Cat Lai for US-bound cargo

Three Vietnamese terminals matter for US-bound cargo:

Port	Direct US lanes	Vessel size	Best for
Cai Mep–Thi Vai	22 of 25	ULCS 18,000+ TEU	South Vietnam factories, fastest US transit
Cat Lai (HCMC)	Feeder only	Up to 18,000 TEU, congested 24–48h	Domestic and intra-Asia, avoid for US
Lach Huyen (Hai Phong)	Direct US service	ULCS 14,000+ TEU	North Vietnam (Hanoi, Bac Ninh)

Routing through Cai Mep instead of Cat Lai saves $200 to $400 per FEU plus 5 to 7 days by skipping Singapore transshipment.

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When should you ship to avoid Tết and peak season?

Tết 2026 (Year of the Fire Horse) runs February 14 to 22. Real disruption stretches from late January through mid-March. Place purchase orders by December 15, 2025; confirm bookings before mid-January.

Key Tết-related production and shipping pressures:

• New orders frozen: 6 to 8 weeks before Tết.
• Workforce week 1 after Tết: roughly 35% of capacity.
• Permanent attrition: about 25% of workers do not return.
• QC variance elevated: 4 to 6 weeks post-holiday (VITAS data).
• Chinese New Year stacking: CNY February 17, 2026 the same week, compounding transpacific blank sailings.

Q3 2026: the Section 122 expiry question

Peak Season Surcharges typically activate August 1, $300 to $800 per FEU on West Coast lanes. Three signals point to a sharper Q3 2026:

1. Section 122 expires July 24. If Congress doesn’t extend, importers will front-load Q3 to lock the 10% rate.
2. Hormuz residual. Asia-Med rates remain elevated, constraining tonnage available for transpacific redeployment.
3. NAC tenders close June 2026. Above 100 FEU/year, lock 12-month contracts before close. Below, lock 3-month index-linked rates by mid-July.

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FAQ

Cheapest way to ship from Vietnam to the USA?

LCL ocean freight under 13 CBM at $120 to $250 per CBM. FCL wins above. Air costs 4 to 6× more. Only worth it for urgent or high-margin goods.

Do I need a customs broker?

Not legally required, but practically necessary for any formal entry. Fees $75 to $200 per entry, continuous bond $500 to $700/year.

Are Vietnam tariffs still 20% in 2026?

No. The 20% reciprocal rate was struck down February 20, 2026. The replacement is a 10% Section 122 surcharge expiring July 24, 2026 unless Congress extends.

Best port for US-bound cargo?

Cai Mep–Thi Vai for southern Vietnam, Lach Huyen for the north. Cat Lai handles feeder traffic only and adds 5 to 7 days through Singapore transshipment.