Chemicals Tariff Rates 2026: US Import Duties by Country & HTS Code

What This Covers

The chemicals surcharge covers industrial chemicals, organic compounds, specialty chemicals, and related products classified under HTS chapters 28-38. The base tariff rate for chemicals averages approximately 3%, keeping raw material and intermediate inputs relatively affordable for US manufacturing. Section 301 tariffs of 25% on Chinese-origin chemicals remain in full force after the Supreme Court ruling. The 10% Section 122 tariff (in effect February 24 – July 24, 2026) applied to all chemical-exporting countries, replacing the old IEEPA reciprocal rates. The 10% Section 122 tariff expired at its 150-day statutory limit on July 24, 2026 and was replaced the same day by the Section 301 forced-labor tariff — a two-tier 10%/12.5% duty on roughly 60 economies, with most major exporters (including China) in the 12.5% tier and a smaller group in the 10% tier.

Most Affected Countries

China remains the most penalized chemical exporter, facing the 25% Section 301 surcharge plus the 12.5% forced-labor tariff on top of the 3% base rate, for combined duties of approximately 40.5%. Germany, the second-largest chemical exporter to the US, moved onto the EU-US trade deal on July 1, 2026: German specialty chemicals, pharmaceutical intermediates, and industrial solvents pay a flat 10% net of Column 1 for ordinary goods (15% only in lieu of Section 232 for autos, qualifying semiconductor articles, and drones) — no MFN stacking — down sharply from the EU's IEEPA-era 20%-plus-MFN structure, and EU pharmaceutical precursors go MFN-only from September 1, 2026. Japan, India, and the United Kingdom sit in the forced-labor tariff's 10% tier, simplifying procurement across non-EU chemical sources.

How Surcharges Stack

Chinese chemicals face a 3% base rate plus the 25% Section 301 surcharge plus the 12.5% forced-labor tariff, for combined rates of approximately 40.5%. A specialty chemical from Germany now pays the EU deal's flat 10% net of Column 1 for ordinary goods (15% only in lieu of Section 232 for autos, qualifying semiconductor articles, and drones) (effective July 1, 2026) — the 3% MFN base no longer stacks, and the total is well below the roughly 23% of the IEEPA era. Japanese, Indian, and British chemicals face a 13% combined rate (3% base plus 10% forced-labor tariff), a level playing field among non-China, non-EU sources in the 10% tier. Canadian and Mexican chemicals enter duty-free under USMCA if they meet rules of origin, giving North American producers a 13-to-15-point advantage over overseas competitors. Section 122 expired July 24, 2026 and was replaced the same day by the Section 301 forced-labor tariff, so non-China, non-EU chemical imports carry a 10% or 12.5% base surcharge on the 3% base rate rather than reverting to the base rate alone.

Sourcing Strategies

USMCA partners Canada and Mexico continue to offer duty-free treatment and host substantial chemical manufacturing capacity, making them the optimal primary sources. Procurement from major chemical-producing nations is now straightforward: Japan and South Korea at 13% combined (3% base + 10% forced-labor tariff), Germany and other EU sources at the deal's flat 15% — differentials small enough that buyers can optimize for product specifications, supply reliability, and pricing. China at 40.5% combined duties remains the most expensive source, and importers should continue diversifying away from Chinese chemicals where alternatives exist. Section 122 expired July 24, 2026 and was replaced the same day by the Section 301 forced-labor tariff, so chemical companies should price each non-China origin at its locked 10% or 12.5% tier rather than expect the surcharge to lapse.