Tariffs

U.S. Import Tariffs on Cars

When you import a passenger car into the United States, you'll generally pay a tariff of 2.5% of the car's value. This applies to most standard passenger vehicles, including sedans, SUVs, station wagons, and similar cars designed to carry people.

Different rates for different car types:

• Gas-powered cars (regular engines): 2.5%
• Hybrid cars (gas + electric): 2.5%
• Plug-in hybrid cars (can charge externally): 2.5%
• Fully electric cars (battery only): 2.5%
• Diesel cars: 2.5%

The tariff rate is the same regardless of engine size or whether the car is new or used. Special vehicles like ambulances, motor homes, and golf carts also fall under this 2.5% rate.

Trade agreements may lower or eliminate these tariffs. If you're importing from countries with special trade agreements with the U.S. (like Canada, Mexico, South Korea, or others), you may qualify for duty-free entry, meaning you'd pay no tariff at all. However, additional duties may apply depending on where the car is made—for example, cars from certain countries may face extra tariffs on top of the standard 2.5% rate. If you're considering an import, it's worth checking the country of origin to get the full picture of what you'll actually pay.

U.S. Import Tariffs on Steel

Steel products imported into the U.S. are generally duty-free under standard tariff rates. This applies to most types of steel items like pipes, tubes, structural steel, bars, rods, and fittings. However, the actual cost you pay depends heavily on where the steel comes from.

Additional Duties Based on Country of Origin

Beyond the standard rates, steel imports face significant additional tariffs depending on the source country. These extra duties can add 25% or more to the import cost and apply to:

• Section 232 tariffs: A 25% additional duty on most steel products from many countries (part of national security measures)
• Section 301 tariffs: Extra duties on steel from certain countries involved in trade disputes
• Other country-specific trade measures

The country of origin matters enormously. Steel from Canada or Mexico under the USMCA trade agreement, for example, may qualify for exemptions from these additional duties. Steel from certain other countries faces the full additional tariffs on top of any standard rates.

What This Means for You

If you're buying steel products or raw materials, the base tariff is usually zero, but check where your steel is manufactured. The additional duties based on country of origin can dramatically increase your final cost—potentially adding 25% or more to the price. To get an accurate estimate, you'll need to know both the specific type of steel product and its country of origin.

U.S. Import Tariffs on iPhones

iPhones imported into the United States are duty-free under normal circumstances. This means no tariff is charged when bringing an iPhone into the country from most trading partners.

However, additional duties may apply depending on where the iPhone was made. For example, if an iPhone is manufactured in China, it could be subject to extra tariffs under Section 301 trade measures. These additional duties have ranged from 7.5% to 25% in recent years, depending on the specific trade policy in effect at the time.

If you're curious about a specific country of origin (like China, India, or Vietnam where iPhones are commonly assembled), let me know and I can provide more precise information about any additional charges that might apply.

Coffee Import Tariffs

Good news for coffee lovers: Coffee beans imported into the U.S. are duty-free, meaning you pay no tariff whether the beans are raw (green) or roasted, caffeinated or decaffeinated.

Instant coffee and coffee extracts are also imported duty-free. However, if you're buying coffee-based preparations (like flavored coffee drinks or coffee mixes with added sugar), these products may have tariffs ranging from 8.5% to over 30% of their value, depending on the specific ingredients and how they're packaged.

Important note on country of origin: While coffee beans themselves are duty-free, additional tariffs may apply depending on where the coffee comes from. Recent trade measures have exempted many agricultural products—including coffee—from extra duties, but it's worth knowing that the country of origin can sometimes affect the final cost, especially for processed coffee products.

Coffee makers and equipment: If you're importing coffee brewing equipment (like espresso machines or drip coffee makers), expect tariffs around 3.7% of the product's value, though some specialty models may qualify for duty-free treatment.

U.S. Import Tariffs on Fresh Produce

Fresh produce imported into the U.S. generally faces low or no tariffs, but the rates vary depending on the specific item and where it comes from.

Common vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and squash typically have small tariffs ranging from free to about 5% of their value. Some items like spinach have a 20% tariff, while mushrooms carry a modest charge (around 5.7 cents per kilogram plus 8%). Many frozen vegetables are either duty-free or have rates between 8-15%.

Fresh fruits generally enjoy favorable treatment. Bananas, plantains, cranberries, blueberries, and kiwifruit enter duty-free. Other fruits like dates, figs, and pineapples have small specific tariffs (typically a few cents per kilogram), while items like persimmons and durians face a 2.2% tariff.

Important note on seasonal rates: Some vegetables like tomatoes have different tariff rates depending on the time of year they're imported, with rates varying by season to protect U.S. growers during peak harvest times.

Trade agreements matter: Products from countries with free trade agreements (like Mexico, Canada, Chile, Peru, and others) often qualify for reduced or zero tariffs through special preferential rates. However, additional duties may apply to goods from certain countries based on their origin—particularly for products subject to Section 301 or other trade measures. If you're importing from a specific country, mention it for more precise rates.

Wine Tariffs: What You'll Pay

When you buy wine imported into the U.S., the tariff you pay depends on the type of wine, its alcohol content, and where it comes from.

Most table wines are tariff-free or very low cost. The majority of wines you see on store shelves—whether red, white, or rosé—come in duty-free from countries the U.S. has normal trade relations with. This includes wine from major exporters like France, Italy, Spain, Australia, Chile, and Argentina. For wines in standard bottles (up to 2 liters), you're typically looking at small fixed fees: around 6 to 17 cents per liter depending on alcohol strength and origin. That's roughly 5 to 12 cents per standard 750ml bottle.

Sparkling wines like Champagne or Prosecco have slightly higher fees: about 20 cents per liter (around 15 cents per bottle). Fortified wines with higher alcohol content (like Port or Sherry) can run up to 22 cents per liter.

Where things get complicated: Some premium European wines—specifically white still wines with moderate alcohol (under 14%) in smaller containers priced over $1.05 per liter—may face an additional 200% tariff on top of the base rate if they come from certain European countries. This is part of ongoing trade disputes and can significantly raise the price of affected bottles. The country of origin matters a lot here, so if you're curious about a specific wine, knowing where it's from helps determine the exact cost.

U.S. Import Tariffs on Shoes

The tariff you pay on imported shoes depends heavily on what type of shoe it is, what it's made of, and where it comes from. Here's what you need to know:

Standard Tariff Rates

Most everyday shoes face tariffs ranging from free (0%) to 20% of the shoe's value, depending on the materials and price point:

• Athletic shoes (sneakers, running shoes, gym shoes): Generally around 20% if valued over $12/pair
• Leather dress shoes: Around 8.5% to 10% for most styles
• Casual rubber/plastic shoes: 5% to 20% depending on construction and price
• House slippers: 7% to 10% for most types
• Ski boots and specialized sports footwear: Often duty-free

Cheaper shoes (under $12/pair) may face lower percentage rates but sometimes include a fixed per-pair charge on top of the percentage.

Trade Agreements Matter

If your shoes come from certain countries with trade agreements, you may pay no tariff at all. Countries like Australia, Bahrain, Chile, Colombia, Israel, Jordan, South Korea, Morocco, Oman, Peru, Panama, and Singapore often qualify for duty-free treatment on footwear.

Additional duties may apply depending on the country of origin—particularly for goods from countries subject to special trade measures. If you're importing from a specific country, it's worth checking whether extra charges apply beyond the standard rates.

U.S. Tariffs on Pharmaceuticals

Good news: Most pharmaceutical products imported into the U.S. are duty-free.

Here's what that means for your wallet:

Free from tariffs:

• Prescription medications (antibiotics, blood pressure meds, diabetes drugs, etc.)
• Vaccines and biological products
• Medicinal preparations and treatments
• Sterile surgical supplies and wound closure materials
• Medical dressings, bandages, and first-aid kits
• Hormone medications (insulin, thyroid medications, etc.)
• Vitamin supplements
• Over-the-counter medications (pain relievers, cold medicines, etc.)

Small tariffs (5% or less):

• Some medical gels and lubricants used in surgeries or examinations: 5%
• Certain ostomy appliances: 4.2%

Why this matters: When you buy medications—whether at the pharmacy or online—you're generally not paying import duties on them. This helps keep drug prices lower than they would be otherwise.

Trade agreements: The U.S. has negotiated duty-free treatment for pharmaceuticals with most trading partners to ensure affordable access to medicines.

One exception: Products from countries without normal trade relations (like Cuba or North Korea) face much higher rates, but these represent a tiny fraction of pharmaceutical imports and don't affect typical consumers.

Bottom line: Import tariffs are not a significant factor in what you pay for medications. Drug prices are affected more by other factors like patents, insurance coverage, and pharmacy markups.

U.S. Import Tariffs on Lumber

Good news for lumber: Most lumber products imported into the U.S. are duty-free, meaning you pay no tariff when they come across the border.

This applies to common lumber types including:

• Raw logs and timber
• Sawn lumber (boards, planks, beams)
• Wood from pine, fir, spruce, cedar, oak, maple, and most other tree species
• Both softwoods (like pine) and hardwoods (like oak)
• Construction lumber, fence posts, and poles

A few exceptions with small tariffs:

Some specialty wood products have modest tariffs:

• Multilayer wood flooring: 3.2% to 5% depending on thickness
• Engineered wood products (like laminated beams): 3.2%
• Wood veneers and thin sheets: Generally free, though some processed versions may have small duties

Country-specific considerations:

The duty-free treatment applies to lumber from most countries. However, depending on where your lumber comes from, additional tariffs may apply:

• Reciprocal tariffs introduced in 2025 add extra duties to many products from specific countries
• but lumber is specifically exempt from these additional charges
• Canada and Mexico lumber typically enters duty-free under the USMCA trade agreement
• A handful of countries without normal trade relations (like North Korea or Cuba) face higher rates, but this rarely affects lumber purchases

Bottom line: Whether you're a homeowner buying boards at the hardware store or a contractor importing lumber for construction, you generally won't pay any import tariffs on standard lumber products.

U.S. Import Tariffs on Cabinets

Cabinets imported into the U.S. are generally duty-free under the standard tariff rates. However, additional tariffs may apply depending on where the cabinets are made.

Standard Rates

Kitchen cabinets and vanities designed for permanent installation are normally imported without paying any standard tariff.

Additional Tariffs

If your cabinets come from certain countries, you'll pay an extra 25% tariff on top of the base rate. This additional duty applies specifically to:

• Completed kitchen cabinets and vanities
• Parts of kitchen cabinets and vanities

These extra charges are part of Section 301 trade measures. The exact countries affected aren't listed in the data I have, but these additional duties typically apply to imports from China and other countries subject to special trade restrictions.

What This Means for You

If you're buying cabinets from most countries, there's no import tax. But if they're manufactured in a country subject to these additional measures, expect to pay 25% extra based on the cabinet's value. For example, a $1,000 cabinet would have a $250 additional tariff, making the total landed cost $1,250 before any other fees.

To get the exact rate for your situation, you'll need to know the country where your cabinets are manufactured.