liable for duties

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "liable for duties" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts related to legal or financial responsibilities, particularly in discussions about obligations or taxes. Example: "The company is liable for duties on all imported goods as per the customs regulations."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Importers, a mixture of foreign and American manufacturers and distributors, are liable for duties and penalties, not consumers who bought imported panels in recent years.

The New York Times

Importers might also be liable for duties on all solar panels brought into the United States in the five years before the ruling if customs officials decide that the companies were guilty of "material misstatement or omission" for failing to notice sooner that solar panels had evolved to the point that they no longer met duty-free rules.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

As Americans turn to the Internet for holiday shopping convenience, the government warned those who buy goods from abroad that they were liable for customs duties and other fees on imports.

The New York Times

In a preliminary finding, the Bush administration ruled that Vietnamese catfish farmers are guilty of dumping discount-priced frozen fish on the market in the United States and could be liable for import duties as high as 63percentt.

The New York Times

"The number of buyers who would have escaped stamp duty last year as a result of the uprating is outweighed by those who became liable for stamp duty as a result of rising house prices," said the CML's deputy director general, Peter Williams.

The Guardian - Money

Meanwhile, 86% of home movers were liable for stamp duty, up from 82% in May last year.

The Guardian - Business

"Trina Solar is currently classified as an exporter and is not liable for the duty arising from these regulations," said Terry Wang, the company's chief financial officer.

The New York Times

If the trustees did not follow the rules set out in the prospectus, they may be liable for breaching their duties to investors who bought the securities.

The New York Times

Another Money reader, Angus Walker, had to pay £465 to get his hybrid car back from the pound after it was towed by the DVLA, even though the car is not liable for vehicle excise duty due to its super-low emissions.

The Guardian - Money

In one, he argued on behalf of a health maintenance organization in a case in which the court ruled that the financial incentives placed on doctors to hold down costs do not make H.M.O.'s liable for violating a duty to put patients first.

The New York Times

The hospital is also liable for breach of duty by any of its employee practitioners.

Critical Care

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing international trade, clearly specify which party is "liable for duties" to avoid confusion about who bears the financial responsibility.

Common error

Avoid assuming that the end consumer is "liable for duties". Often, it is the importer or manufacturer who is legally responsible for these payments.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "liable for duties" functions as an adjectival phrase describing the state of being legally responsible for paying taxes or tariffs, particularly on imported or exported goods. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is correct and usable in English. The importer or manufacturer typically holds this responsibility.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "liable for duties" signifies legal responsibility for paying taxes or tariffs, most often on imported goods. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is a grammatically correct and usable expression. While it's not extremely common, appearing with "Rare" frequency, its use is concentrated in news and media alongside scientific contexts. When using this phrase, ensure clarity about which party is responsible, usually the importer or manufacturer. Alternatives include "responsible for tariffs" or "obligated to pay duties". A key error to avoid is assuming the end consumer is automatically "liable for duties", as the onus typically lies elsewhere.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

legally responsible for tariffs

Adds the qualifier "legally" to emphasize the legal basis of the responsibility for tariffs.

responsible for tariffs

Replaces "liable" with "responsible" and "duties" with "tariffs", focusing specifically on import taxes.

obligated to pay duties

Uses "obligated" to convey a sense of mandatory payment of duties.

subject to import taxes

Emphasizes the condition of being subjected to taxes on imported goods, rather than directly stating liability.

accountable for customs fees

Substitutes "liable" with "accountable" and "duties" with "customs fees", clarifying the type of fees involved.

under obligation for duties

Highlights the state of being under a legal or moral obligation to pay duties.

required to pay import charges

Focuses on the requirement to pay charges related to imports, rather than directly stating liability.

responsible for excise taxes

Similar to being liable, but explicitly mentions "excise taxes".

answerable for levies

Replaces "liable" with "answerable" and "duties" with "levies", using a less common but semantically similar term.

must pay duties

Directly states the necessity of paying duties, omitting the concept of liability.

FAQs

What does it mean to be "liable for duties"?

To be "liable for duties" means that you are legally responsible for paying taxes or tariffs on imported or exported goods. This responsibility typically falls on the importer or exporter, not the end consumer.

Who is typically "liable for duties" on imported goods?

The importer of record is usually "liable for duties". This could be the manufacturer, distributor, or another designated party responsible for bringing the goods into a country.

What are some alternatives to saying "liable for duties"?

You can use alternatives like "responsible for tariffs", "subject to import taxes", or "obligated to pay duties" depending on the specific context.

What happens if someone fails to pay the duties they are "liable for"?

Failure to pay duties can result in penalties, fines, and even legal action. Customs authorities can seize the goods, and the responsible party may face prosecution.