Which measures should you investigate?
- Base HTS duties, including any potentially applicable preferential treatment.
- Section 301 actions and exclusions, which can differ by investigation and country.
- Section 232 measures for covered goods, including certain derivatives.
- Other country, product or trade-remedy measures that apply to the particular entry.
What determines the total?
Classification, origin, entry date, value and product details matter. Review the HTS legal notes and relevant notices for stacking rules and exceptions. A freight forwarder or licensed customs broker can help assess the full entry.
A practical record for each shipment
List the base classification and rate, then identify each potentially applicable measure with its authority, product scope, effective dates and any exclusion. Record the customs value or quantity to which each measure applies. Confirm interactions and exceptions before adding figures; a partial metal-content rule, for example, may require more information than the total invoice value.
How to track changes
Follow the official HTS revision archive and the agencies responsible for the measures you use. When an order, notice or exclusion changes, check the effective date and product scope against your records. An announced change is not necessarily applicable to every product or every entry.
Official sources
- Official USITC tariff schedule — check the current schedule, chapter notes, and applicable Chapter 99 provisions.
- USTR: China Section 301 actions and exclusions
- USTR: Presidential tariff actions
This guide is general information, not a duty determination. Confirm classification, origin, applicable measures, and the entry date with a licensed customs broker.