Afghanistan Tariff Rates 2026: 10% on US Imports

Imports from Afghanistan carry a 10% base tariff — the Section 301 forced-labor tariff that replaced the expired 10% Section 122 reciprocal tariff on July 24, 2026 (the pre-SCOTUS IEEPA rate was also 10%, so goods see no rate change). In practice that 10% is largely theoretical: US sanctions and licensing restrictions tied to the Taliban-controlled government mean most commercial imports require careful OFAC and BIS review before they can clear.

There is no free trade agreement between the United States and Afghanistan, and Afghanistan is landlocked, so nearly all trade moves overland through Pakistan or Central Asia before onward shipment. Bilateral commerce is small and has been sharply disrupted since 2021, when the change in government triggered asset freezes and a web of OFAC sanctions; Treasury has since issued general licenses permitting certain agricultural, humanitarian, and personal-remittance transactions. Afghanistan is not eligible for AGOA (it is not sub-Saharan) and its former GSP developing-country preferences are not currently in force.

Key Products Imported from Afghanistan

The main goods the US buys from Afghanistan are hand-knotted wool carpets and rugs, dried fruits and tree nuts (raisins, apricots, pistachios, almonds), saffron, licorice root and extract, and small volumes of gemstones such as lapis lazuli and emeralds.

Recent Changes

On July 24, 2026 the 150-day Section 122 reciprocal tariff hit its statutory limit and was replaced the same day by the Section 301 forced-labor tariff, leaving Afghanistan in the 10% standard tier (not the 12.5% USTR tier). Separately, the SCOTUS Feb 20, 2026 ruling struck down the IEEPA reciprocal tariffs and opened a refund pool, though Afghanistan's pre-ruling rate was already 10%. The $800 de minimis exemption is eliminated for all countries. None of this overrides the sanctions and export-control regime, which remains the binding constraint on Afghan-origin imports.

Tips for Importers

Before anything else, confirm the transaction is permitted — screen the parties against the OFAC SDN list and check whether a general license or specific license covers your goods and payment channel; carpets, dried fruit, and nuts often fall under general licenses but documentation is essential. Verify HTS classification carefully, since hand-knotted wool rugs and many dried fruits carry low or zero MFN duty, leaving the 10% base layer as the main cost. If you paid the IEEPA reciprocal tariff in 2025, check eligibility for a refund through the CAPE portal.