US Section 232 measures on steel, aluminium and copper
US Section 232 tariffs apply to covered steel and aluminium articles and derivatives at 50%, with copper (semi-finished products and copper-intensive derivatives) also at 50% under its own Section 232 process. Whether your product is covered — and whether a country arrangement or quota changes the rate — depends on the exact HTS line and origin.
Not sure whether this affects your product?
Pilot checks your exact product against this measure, then takes you straight to duty, landed cost and margin — using official sources, never an invented rate.
What changed
- Section 232 tariffs on covered steel and aluminium articles and specified derivatives are set at 50% of the metal content, administered through the HTS.
- Copper — semi-finished products and copper-intensive derivative products — is covered under its own Section 232 action, also at 50%.
- Country-specific arrangements can change the rate for particular origins (for example a UK arrangement holding steel and aluminium at 25%), and quotas or exclusions can change which articles and origins are affected.
When it applies
The measure applies at import entry for covered articles and derivatives. The steel and aluminium 50% rate and the copper 50% rate, together with any country arrangement or quota, are set by the official proclamations and fact sheet — read them for your specific line and origin.
- Announced
- Jun 1, 2026
- Effective
- Jun 1, 2026
Which imports may be affected
- Steel and aluminium articles and derivative products identified by HTS line (50% on the metal content).
- Copper semi-finished and copper-intensive derivative products to the extent covered by the current Section 232 determination (50%).
- Applied on top of the ordinary duty for the line, unless a country arrangement provides otherwise.
Exclusions and limits
- Some origins operate under quotas or specific arrangements instead of, or alongside, the tariff.
- Derivative-product coverage is defined by named HTS lines — a finished item may be covered while a component is not.
- Product exclusions exist for some lines and are time-limited.
Steel, aluminium and copper are three distinct Section 232 tracks with their own covered-article and derivative lists, rates, effective dates and country arrangements. Coverage is defined line-by-line by HTS subheading, and quotas or exclusions vary by origin and change over time.
Information you will need
- The material and form of the product (e.g. specific steel or aluminium article, or copper product).
- Country of origin.
- A description precise enough to identify the HTS line and whether it is a covered article or derivative.
Effect on cost and margin
- A covered article carries the 50% Section 232 tariff in addition to base duty, sharply increasing landed cost.
- Origins under a quota or arrangement may face a different rate (for example 25% under the UK arrangement) — compare total landed cost, not just the headline rate.
- Margin protection may require re-pricing or re-sourcing once the 50% covered duty is included.
Illustrative only — not a rate quotation
| Product | A covered aluminium article (standard origin) |
|---|---|
| Base duty | The ordinary HTS rate for the line |
| Section 232 | 50% on the metal content where the article is covered (25% for origins under a qualifying arrangement such as the UK) |
| Effect | Duty and landed cost rise substantially where the article is covered |
The applicable rate (50%, or a lower arrangement rate), derivative coverage and any quota must be confirmed against the official proclamations and HTS for steel, aluminium or copper separately.
What you must verify
Confirm whether your exact HTS line is a covered article or derivative, and whether an origin arrangement or exclusion applies.
- The current Section 232 proclamations and covered-article / derivative lists.
- Your exact HTS line on the USITC Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
- CBP guidance on how the measure is administered at entry.
Official sources
We do not publish tariff rates, dates or product lists ourselves. Confirm everything on the official sources below before you price or file.
Check this against your own product
Describe your product to Pilot. It works out the likely classification, tells you whether this measure may be relevant, and moves straight into your duty, landed cost and margin — so you get a decision, not just news.