Section 232: Products, Rates and Interaction
Section 232 tariffs are product-based rather than country-based, and that changes which other layers apply.
What decides the rate
Section 232 rates are set per product group: steel, aluminum and copper derivatives have run to 50%, motor vehicles and parts at 25%, and pharmaceuticals up to 100% under the 2026 action. Because these are product measures they apply regardless of origin. Where a product sits in both 232 and 301 scope the rules specify which governs, so the two rates are not additive and treating them as such overstates the bill.
Where this goes wrong
Derivative scope can turn on material content by value rather than on the obvious character of the article. That is where most classification disputes in this area originate.
Inputs and assumptions
| Item | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Duty rate source | USITC HTS, release 2026HTSRev22 | Read at build time from the official schedule export. The general rate column. |
| MPF | 0.3464% of entered value, min $34.58, max $670.86 | CBP User Fee Table, FY2027. The ad valorem rate is statutory; the floor and cap are adjusted each October. |
| HMF | 0.125% of entered value, ocean cargo only | CBP User Fee Table. Not charged on air freight. |
| Customs value | Transaction value, normally the price paid for the goods | Freight and insurance are not part of US customs value, unlike CIF jurisdictions. |
Questions this page answers
Does Section 232 apply by country or by product?
By product. Section 232 is a national-security measure on product groups, so it applies regardless of origin, unlike Section 301 which is tied to a trading partner's conduct.
What happens when a product is in both 232 and 301 scope?
The interaction rules govern, and they do not reduce to simple addition. In places 232 displaces 301 rather than stacking with it, and getting that backwards is the most common error in this area.
Does this estimate include anti-dumping duty?
No. Anti-dumping and countervailing duty are case-specific and can exceed every other layer combined, so they are outside the estimate by design. The calculator covers base duty, the Section 301 and 232 layers you enter, the merchandise processing fee and the harbor maintenance fee.
Data release: 2026HTSRev22. Content as of November 10, 2026. Found an error? Tell us and it gets corrected.