potal-mcp-server

POTAL MCP Server

Calculate the total landed cost of cross-border commerce directly in Claude, Cursor, and any MCP-compatible AI. Get instant breakdowns of import duties, taxes (VAT/GST), customs fees, and shipping for 240 countries.

257M+ tariff records | 240 countries | 131K gov tariff schedules | 1.36M product-HS mappings | 63 FTAs | 9-field 100% HS accuracy (GRI Pipeline) | Sanctions screening (21K+)

Quick Start

npx potal-mcp-server

Tools (9)

calculate_landed_cost

Calculate the total cost for a product being shipped internationally.

Parameters:

• price (required) — Product price in USD
• origin (required) — Origin country ISO code (e.g., CN, US, DE)
• destinationCountry (required) — Destination country ISO code
• shippingPrice — Shipping cost in USD (default: 0)
• zipcode — Required for US destinations (state sales tax)
• productName — Product name for HS Code classification
• productCategory — Category: electronics, apparel, footwear, etc.
• hsCode — Harmonized System code if known

classify_product

HS code classification using GRI Pipeline (592 codified rules, 9-field input → 100% accuracy). Provide a product name and get the harmonized system code.

Parameters:

• productName (required) — Product name or description
• category — Product category for improved accuracy

check_restrictions

Check import restrictions and compliance requirements for a product in a destination country.

Parameters:

• hsCode (required) — HS code of the product
• destinationCountry (required) — Destination country ISO code
• originCountry — Origin country ISO code

screen_shipment

Comprehensive pre-shipment screening — combines cost calculation with compliance checks (restrictions, sanctions, denied parties).

Parameters:

• price (required) — Product price in USD
• origin (required) — Origin country ISO code
• destinationCountry (required) — Destination country ISO code
• productName — Product name
• consigneeName — Consignee name for denied-party screening
• shippingPrice — Shipping cost in USD

screen_denied_party

Screen a name against sanctions and denied-party lists (OFAC SDN + CSL, 21K+ entries).

Parameters:

• name (required) — Entity or individual name to screen
• country — Country for narrowing results

lookup_fta

Look up Free Trade Agreement benefits between two countries (63 FTAs covered).

Parameters:

• originCountry (required) — Origin country ISO code
• destinationCountry (required) — Destination country ISO code
• hsCode — HS code to check specific preferential rates

list_supported_countries

Get all 240 supported countries with VAT/GST rates, duty rates, and de minimis thresholds.

generate_document

Generate trade documents: Commercial Invoice (CI), Packing List (PL), Certificate of Origin (C/O).

Parameters:

• documentType (required) — commercial_invoice, packing_list, or certificate_of_origin
• shipmentData (required) — Shipment details (origin, destination, items, etc.)

compare_countries

Compare total landed costs across multiple destination countries for the same product.

Parameters:

• price (required) — Product price in USD
• origin (required) — Origin country ISO code
• destinations (required) — Array of destination country ISO codes
• productName — Product name
• shippingPrice — Shipping cost in USD

Setup

1. Get your API Key

Sign up at potal.app and get your API key.

2. Configure Claude Desktop

Edit your Claude Desktop config file:

macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "potal": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "potal-mcp-server"],
      "env": {
        "POTAL_API_KEY": "your_api_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

3. Restart Claude Desktop

After saving the config, restart Claude Desktop. You should see 9 POTAL tools available.

Usage Examples

Once connected, ask Claude:

• "How much will a $50 T-shirt from China cost me in the US including duties?"
• "Classify 'wireless bluetooth earbuds' and give me the HS code"
• "Check if there are any import restrictions for HS 8471 going to Brazil"
• "Screen a shipment: $200 leather bag from Italy to New York"
• "Screen 'Acme Corp' against sanctions lists"
• "Are there any FTA benefits between Korea and the US for HS 610510?"
• "Compare import costs for a $500 laptop from China to US, UK, Germany, and Japan"
• "Generate a commercial invoice for my shipment"
• "What countries are supported and their VAT rates?"

Multilingual:

• "日本にイタリアの革靴を送ると関税はいくらですか？"
• "Was kostet ein $100-Produkt aus China nach Deutschland mit Zoll?"
• "이 가방을 중국에서 한국으로 보내면 관세 포함 총 얼마야?"
• "从美国买一个$200的包寄到中国，总费用是多少？"

Environment Variables

Variable	Required	Description
POTAL_API_KEY	Yes	Your POTAL API key (pk_live_ or sk_live_)

About POTAL

POTAL is the infrastructure for global commerce — providing Total Landed Cost calculations for cross-border transactions. 240 countries, 257M+ tariff records, 131,794 government tariff schedules (7 countries, 10-digit), 1.36M product-HS mappings, 63 FTAs, sanctions screening (21,301 entries), and GRI Pipeline HS classification (592 codified rules, 9-field input → 100% accuracy, AI 0 calls).

Website: potal.app