Section 232, Section 301 and country tariffs: US tariffs in plain words

Short answer: the US now charges several kinds of extra tariff on imports, each under a different law and for a different reason. Some follow the product, some follow the country, and some follow both. Here is each one in plain words.

Section 232: tariffs on products, for national security

Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 lets the President put tariffs on imports that are judged a threat to national security. Since 2025 it covers steel and aluminum and many products made from them, copper, wood and lumber, cars and light trucks, medium and heavy trucks, buses, and parts for them.

• Follows: the product, from almost every country, Canada included.
• Parts lists: often apply only to parts for vehicles, so the same part can be in or out depending on its use.
• Trade agreements: CUSMA does not spare most of them, though some give credit for US content.

Section 301: tariffs on China

Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 lets the US answer another country's unfair trade practices. Since 2018 it has put tariffs of 7.5% to 25% on long lists of Chinese goods, raised to 50% or 100% for some products in 2024, such as electric vehicles, solar cells and semiconductors.

• Follows: the product and the country: goods made in China, whatever country they ship from.

Country tariffs (note 52)

Since July 24, 2026, a tariff of 10% or 12.5% applies to almost every product from about 60 places, listed in note 52 of chapter 99 of the US tariff schedule. For the European Union, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland and Taiwan, it tops the ordinary duty up to that level instead of adding to it. Each country has its own list of exceptions. Goods of Canada and Mexico that qualify under CUSMA are spared.

• Follows: the country of origin.

What no longer applies

The tariffs the US set under its emergency powers law (IEEPA) in 2025 have not been collected since February 24, 2026, after a Supreme Court ruling. You may still see them in the US tariff schedule; they are not charged.

How they stack

An order can owe the ordinary duty, a Section 232 tariff, a Section 301 tariff and a country tariff at once, though some rules say one replaces another. That is why two products in the same parcel can owe very different amounts.

What it means for you

• Know the country of origin and tariff code of everything you sell into the US.
• Check whether your product is on a Section 232 list. Metal and wood products often are.
• Watch the countries you buy from. A country tariff can change with a notice.

Border news lists each change as it happens, and the tariff tracker shows what common products cost over time.

Check your own numbers

• One parcel: the free border fee checker.
• Your store's last 90 days: the free border cost audit.
• Every order, before it ships: Othermile checks each one against your limits and holds the costly ones for your OK.

These are estimates from the official rules, not customs advice.

This guide explains public rules in plain language for general information. It is not customs, tax or legal advice; the exact tariff code, your paperwork and the carrier decide the final amount.