Algeria's DAPS Safeguard Duty: What It Adds to Your Automatic Transmission Landed Cost

Cost & Margin · Algeria · Automatic Transmission

Algeria layers a 30-200% DAPS safeguard duty on top of its standard 0-30% tariff for products on a list that has already changed size three times since 2019 — here's how to build an accurate landed cost and confirm your HS code's exposure before you quote an Algerian buyer.

· July 2026 · 8 min read

Algeria charges a standard customs duty of 0% to 30% on the CIF value of imports, but products on its DAPS safeguard list face an added 30% to 200% duty on top of that rate, per the U.S. International Trade Administration. Algeria's DAPS list has grown from 1,095 products in 2019 to over 2,600 by 2022, so a transmission shipment that looks profitable under standard duty alone can turn unprofitable if its HS code lands on the current list. This guide shows how to build an accurate landed cost and confirm DAPS exposure before quoting an Algerian buyer.

Algeria's Two-Layer Duty System: Standard Tariff Plus DAPS Safeguard

Most import cost estimates for Algeria start and stop with one number: the standard customs duty, which runs from 0% to 30% depending on the product's HS code classification, according to trade.gov's Algeria country commercial guide. For many products, that is the whole story. For products named on Algeria's DAPS list — Droit Additionnel Provisoire de Sauvegarde, or Provisional Additional Safeguard Duty — it is not.

DAPS was introduced by a ministerial order dated January 26, 2019, under Algeria's Supplementary Finance Act 2018 (Law No. 18-13), and applies rates ranging from 30% to 200% on top of the standard customs duty for products on its protected list, per the U.S. International Trade Administration. This is not a replacement for the standard duty — it is a second, additional charge layered on top of it, aimed at protecting domestic manufacturing rather than raising general trade revenue.

The list of products covered by DAPS has not stayed fixed. According to ACTE International, it launched at 1,095 products on January 26, 2019, was trimmed to 992 products by an April 17, 2019 amendment (mostly removing agri-food items), and then expanded substantially to 2,608 products plus 141 additional tariff lines covering goods from preferential-trade partners — the EU, the Arab Free Trade Area, and the African Continental Free Trade Area — under a February 3, 2022 update. No further public revision beyond that February 2022 update was found in the course of this research, so a buyer relying on an older list size should treat it as outdated rather than current.

Algeria's Two Duty Layers on Imported Auto Parts

	Standard Customs Duty	DAPS Safeguard Duty
Rate range	0% to 30%	30% to 200%, added on top of the standard rate
Legal basis	General Algerian customs tariff schedule	Ministerial order effective Jan 26, 2019, under Supplementary Finance Act 2018 (Law No. 18-13)
Applies to	All imported goods, by HS code classification	Only products named on the DAPS annex -- list size has changed repeatedly since 2019
Assessed on	CIF value (cost, insurance, freight)	CIF value -- same base as standard duty, per trade.gov

How to Calculate Landed Cost: CIF, Duty, DAPS, and VAT

Building an accurate landed cost for Algeria means layering four charges in order, not adjusting a rough percentage onto a supplier's quoted price. First is the CIF value itself — Algeria calculates both the standard customs duty and DAPS on the CIF (cost, insurance, freight) value of the shipment, not the ex-works or FOB price, according to trade.gov's Algeria customs regulations guide. That means your freight and insurance costs get taxed along with the goods value, not just the goods themselves.

Second, the standard customs duty of 0% to 30% applies to that CIF value regardless of DAPS status. Third, if your HS code sits on the current DAPS list, an additional 30% to 200% is calculated on the same CIF base and added on top. Fourth, Algeria's standard VAT rate of 19% is then applied to the CIF-plus-duty value, according to FreightAmigo's guide to Algeria's import taxes — meaning VAT compounds on top of whatever duty total the first three steps produce, not on the CIF value alone.

Skipping the DAPS check at step two is the single most common way an Algeria landed-cost estimate turns out wrong, because the difference between a shipment with only standard duty and one that also carries DAPS can be the difference between a 20%-ish total tax burden and one well over 100%.

Building the Landed Cost for an Algeria-Bound Automatic Transmission Shipment

1. 1

   Establish the CIF value

   Add freight and insurance to your goods price -- Algeria taxes CIF, not FOB or ex-works, per trade.gov

2. 2

   Check whether HS 8708.40 is on the current DAPS list

   No public source in this research confirms or rules out gear boxes/automatic transmissions on the list -- verify directly with the Journal Officiel or a licensed broker

3. 3

   Apply the standard customs duty (0-30%) to the CIF value

   This layer applies regardless of DAPS status, per trade.gov

4. 4

   If listed, add the DAPS surcharge (30-200%) on the CIF value

   DAPS is calculated on CIF, the same base as standard duty, and stacks on top of it (trade.gov)

5. 5

   Apply 19% VAT on the CIF-plus-duty total

   Algeria's standard VAT rate is charged on the duty-inclusive value, per FreightAmigo

What a DAPS Hit Does to Your Margin

A 30% to 200% DAPS surcharge is large relative to almost any per-unit margin built into a typical automatic transmission quote. If a landed-cost estimate assumes only the standard 0-30% duty and the product's HS code turns out to sit on the DAPS list, the shipment's true tax burden could be several times what was budgeted — and that gap shows up as a smaller, break-even, or negative margin only after the goods have already shipped and cleared (or failed to clear) customs.

This is not a marginal risk to shrug off. Because Algeria's DAPS list has already changed size three times in three years — 1,095 products, then 992, then 2,608 plus 141 tariff lines — a product that was DAPS-free on a prior order is not guaranteed to stay that way on the next one. Re-verifying DAPS exposure for every new order, not just the first one, is the only way to keep a landed-cost estimate reliable over time.

A Supplier's CIF Quote Is Not Your Landed Cost

A Supplier's CIF Quote Is Not Your Landed Cost

A margin that looks workable on the CIF price alone can turn negative once Algeria's charges are added. If your HS code sits on the DAPS list, the combined effect of a 0-30% standard duty, a 30-200% DAPS surcharge, and 19% VAT on top of both can add far more to landed cost than a standard-duty-only estimate assumes. Re-check DAPS exposure before locking in a sale price, not after the shipment has left port.

Confirming Whether Your HS Code Sits on the DAPS List

This research did not find a complete, HS-code-level DAPS annex published in a form accessible through public search or direct document retrieval — only the aggregate product counts (2,608 products plus 141 preferential-trade lines as of February 2022) could be confirmed. Whether HS 8708.40 — the heading covering gear boxes, including automatic, manual, CVT, and dual-clutch transmissions — specifically appears on that list could not be verified from any public source found in this research.

That gap is exactly why the check has to happen before a price is quoted, not after. Algeria's official Journal Officiel publishes the DAPS annex directly, and a licensed Algerian customs broker can confirm current DAPS status for a specific HS code faster and more reliably than a general web search. Treat this confirmation step as a required part of pricing an Algerian order, in the same way you would confirm a certificate of origin requirement or a shipping deadline.

Before You Quote a Landed Price to an Algerian Buyer

• ✓ Check your product's HS code against the current DAPS annexThe list has changed size multiple times since 2019 -- a check from a prior order may already be outdated (ACTE International)
• ✓ Use a licensed Algerian customs broker for the final checkNo complete, HS-code-level DAPS annex was accessible via public search in this research -- a broker or Algeria's Journal Officiel is the reliable source
• ✓ Confirm you are classifying the shipment as a part, not a vehicleComplete vehicles (HS 87.01-87.05) remain prohibited outright; automatic transmissions fall under 8708.40, a separate parts heading (ACTE International)
• ✓ Do not assume the Feb 2022 list size is still current2,608 products plus 141 preferential-trade lines was the last confirmed update found in this research; no later revision was verifiable
• ✓ Budget VAT on the duty-inclusive value, not the CIF value aloneAlgeria's 19% VAT applies on top of CIF plus customs duty, per FreightAmigo

Auto Parts vs. Complete Vehicles: Where the Import Ban Doesn't Apply

One point worth separating clearly: complete vehicles under HS headings 87.01 through 87.05 remain outright prohibited from import into Algeria, even after DAPS replaced the broader 2018 import-suspension regime, according to ACTE International. That prohibition applies to finished, built-up vehicles — not to component parts such as transmissions classified under HS 8708.40, which sit in a separate heading for motor vehicle parts and accessories.

Algeria's continued protectionist stance in the automotive sector is not limited to DAPS or the vehicle import ban. Guangcai Auto reports that Algeria's 2025 Finance Bill eased resale rules for imported vehicles only with tiered tax-benefit repayment requirements and kept high duties on fully-built units to push dealers toward local assembly — the same underlying policy logic that produced DAPS in the first place. For a parts exporter, the practical takeaway is that the vehicle prohibition does not touch a correctly classified 8708.40 transmission shipment, but it also signals that Algeria's overall posture toward automotive imports favors protection over liberalization, which is the same environment that makes checking DAPS status worth the extra step.

Last updated: 2026-07. The information in this guide is current as of July 2026 and is provided for informational reference only. Algeria's DAPS list, standard duty schedule, and VAT rate can change, and the specific DAPS status of any HS code should be confirmed directly with a licensed Algerian customs broker or Algeria's Journal Officiel before a shipment is priced or booked.

Regulatory Information Disclaimer
This article is provided for informational and reference purposes only. Algeria's DAPS safeguard list, standard customs duty schedule, and VAT rate described herein are subject to change without notice. Readers should confirm current requirements with a licensed Algerian customs broker or Algeria's official Journal Officiel directly before making sourcing or pricing decisions. Korea Industry Insights accepts no liability for actions taken solely on the basis of information in this article.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my transmission's HS code is on Algeria's DAPS safeguard list before I quote a landed price?

No public, HS-code-level DAPS annex was accessible through search or direct document retrieval in this research — only aggregate list sizes (2,608 products plus 141 preferential-trade lines as of February 2022) could be confirmed. Check Algeria's official Journal Officiel or ask a licensed Algerian customs broker to confirm your specific HS code's status before finalizing a price.

What's the real landed cost of importing automatic transmissions into Algeria after duty, DAPS, and VAT are all added up?

It depends on whether your HS code is on the DAPS list. Every shipment carries a standard customs duty of 0% to 30% on the CIF value, plus 19% VAT on the CIF-plus-duty total, according to trade.gov and FreightAmigo. If the HS code is also on the DAPS list, an additional 30% to 200% is calculated on the same CIF value and added before VAT is applied — so the total can be far higher than a standard-duty-only estimate.

Is Algeria's DAPS list still the same one from 2019, or has it been updated since?

No. It launched at 1,095 products in January 2019, was trimmed to 992 products in April 2019, and was expanded to 2,608 products plus 141 preferential-trade tariff lines by February 3, 2022, according to ACTE International. No public source found in this research describes a revision after that February 2022 update, so current 2026 status should be confirmed directly rather than assumed unchanged.

Does Algeria's DAPS safeguard duty apply to auto parts like transmissions, or only to finished vehicles?

DAPS is a broad protected-products list, not one limited to finished vehicles — but whether transmissions specifically (HS 8708.40) are on the current list could not be confirmed from public sources in this research. Separately, complete vehicles under HS 87.01-87.05 are prohibited from import outright, a different rule that does not extend to component parts like transmissions, per ACTE International.

Should I use a licensed Algerian customs broker to check DAPS exposure before I place an order?

Yes. Because no complete, HS-code-level DAPS annex was accessible via public search in this research, a licensed Algerian customs broker or a direct check of the Journal Officiel is the most reliable way to confirm your product's current DAPS status before quoting or booking a shipment.