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

What This Covers

The electronics sector surcharge covers computers, smartphones, televisions, semiconductors, printed circuit boards, and consumer electronics classified under HTS chapters 84-85. Many of these products historically entered the US duty-free under the Information Technology Agreement (ITA), which eliminated tariffs on a wide range of IT products. Following the Supreme Court's February 20, 2026 ruling striking down IEEPA reciprocal tariffs, all countries faced a flat 10% tariff under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, in effect February 24 – July 24, 2026. That Section 122 tariff expired at its 150-day statutory limit on July 24, 2026 and was replaced the same day by the two-tier 10%/12.5% Section 301 forced-labor tariff (roughly 60 economies; most major exporters, including China, are in the 12.5% tier). Since July 1, 2026, EU-origin electronics are the exception: they fall under the EU-US trade deal's 15% all-inclusive ceiling (with EU semiconductors explicitly capped at 15%) instead of the base surcharge. Section 301 tariffs on Chinese-origin electronics (25-100%) remain in full force, as they were unaffected by the ruling.

Most Affected Countries

China remains by far the most affected country, supplying over $150 billion in electronics to the US annually and facing a 25% Section 301 surcharge on top of the 12.5% Section 301 forced-labor tariff (China is in the 12.5% tier). Vietnam and Malaysia, which saw massive manufacturing growth as companies relocated supply chains from China, benefited significantly from the drop away from the steep IEEPA rates of 46% and 24% they faced before the Supreme Court ruling — Vietnam now sits in the forced-labor tariff's 12.5% tier and Malaysia in the 10% tier. Taiwan and South Korea, critical sources for semiconductors and display panels, are in the 10% tier, making their components more price-competitive relative to the pre-ruling landscape.

How Surcharges Stack

For electronics from China, the effective tariff stacks the 12.5% Section 301 forced-labor tariff with the 25% Section 301 China surcharge. A $1,000 laptop imported from China could face a combined rate of approximately 37.5% when both layers are applied, though some ITA-covered products may have a 0% base rate before surcharges. Vietnamese electronics now face the 12.5% forced-labor tariff — a dramatic reduction from the former 46% IEEPA rate — making Vietnam a substantially more attractive sourcing hub than under the old regime. Products from USMCA partners Canada and Mexico may qualify for duty-free treatment if they meet the rules of origin, bypassing the base surcharge entirely. Section 122 expired July 24, 2026 and was replaced the same day by the two-tier 10%/12.5% Section 301 forced-labor tariff, so the base surcharge on Chinese electronics is now 12.5%.

Sourcing Strategies

The Section 301 forced-labor tariff that replaced Section 122 on July 24, 2026 splits source countries into two tiers — Vietnam and Thailand at 12.5%, Malaysia and India at 10% — a much narrower spread than the old IEEPA disparities, so importers can optimize for cost, quality, and reliability rather than tariff arbitrage. China remains the most expensive sourcing option due to the 25% Section 301 China surcharge stacking on top of its 12.5% forced-labor tariff. USMCA sourcing from Mexico and Canada still offers the best tariff treatment for qualifying products, while EU sources (Germany, Ireland) sit at the EU deal's 15% ceiling. Section 122 expired on July 24, 2026 and USTR finalized the Section 301 forced-labor tariff the same day — a two-tier 10%/12.5% duty on roughly 60 economies, broader than the earlier 46-country proposal — so there was no gap and no period of zero surcharges.