New Taxes Hit Imported Steel Starting March 12, Protecting American Mills
Published Date: 3/5/2025
Notice
Summary
Starting March 12, 2025, new taxes on certain imported steel products kick in, thanks to the President’s recent order. This change affects steel importers by adjusting the fees they pay when bringing steel into the U.S., aiming to protect American steel businesses. The Department of Commerce updated the official tariff list to make these new rules clear and official.
Analyzed Economic Effects
7 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 5 costs, 0 mixed.
25% Additional Duty on Covered Steel
Starting for goods entered or withdrawn for consumption on or after 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on March 12, 2025, new HTSUS headings 9903.81.87 through 9903.81.93 impose an additional ad valorem duty of 25% (i.e., subheading + 25%) on the listed imported iron and steel products and many derivative steel products.
Transition: Prior Entries Keep Old Treatment
Subdivisions (a) through (h) of note 16 to subchapter III of chapter 99 and headings 9903.80.01 through 9903.81.86 continue to apply to goods entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, prior to 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on March 12, 2025 — so entries before that timestamp remain under the previous tariff treatment.
Duty Limited to Steel Content for Some Derivatives
For derivative steel articles listed in subdivision (n) and covered by heading 9903.81.91, the additional 25% duty applies only to the declared value of the steel content; importers must report the quantity of steel content in kilograms in addition to normal units.
Foreign-Trade-Zone Admissions Treated Separately
Products admitted to a U.S. foreign trade zone under "privileged foreign status" prior to 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on March 12, 2025, are covered by specific HTSUS headings (notably 9903.81.88 and 9903.81.93) that apply the additional duties to those FTZ-admitted goods.
Antidumping/Countervailing Duties Continue
The notice expressly states that existing antidumping, countervailing, or other duties and charges applicable to these goods will continue to be imposed in addition to the new duties set out in the HTSUS headings.
Chapter 98 Entries and 9802.00.60 Valuation Rule
Goods for which entry is claimed under a provision of chapter 98 remain eligible for those provisions and CBP regulations, except that duties under subheading 9802.00.60 shall be assessed based upon the full value of the imported article; importers of enumerated steel products cannot claim a chapter 99 provision that would set a lower rate or duty-free treatment.
CBP Information and Documentation Requirement
Any importer entering the covered iron or steel products under the new headings must provide any information in the form and manner CBP deems necessary to administer these headings, as required by the notice.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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