Construction tariff calculator.Section 232, Section 301 — know your landed cost.

Section 232 is a national security tariff authority established under the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. It allows the president to restrict imports that threaten national security. In 2018, the first Trump administration invoked Section 232 to impose 25% tariffs on all imported steel and 10% tariffs on imported aluminum from most countries. In June 2025, both rates were doubled to 50% for nearly all trading partners, citing continued decline of domestic mill capacity. For construction, this is the single most significant tariff measure — it applies to virtually all structural steel, rebar, pipe, plate, sheet, tube, and aluminum products. Unlike normal trade duties, Section 232 applies to nearly all countries including US treaty partners such as Canada and the EU.

Under Section 232, all imported structural steel and aluminum products face a 50% tariff from most countries — raised from 25% in June 2025. This includes hot-rolled coil and plate, wide-flange beams and columns, rebar and wire rod, steel pipe and tube, steel decking, steel studs, steel angles and channels, steel electrical conduit (EMT), and all aluminum sheet, plate, extrusions, and aluminum conduit. Chinese-origin steel and aluminum face an additional 25% Section 301 tariff stacked on top of Section 232 — bringing the effective rate to 75%. Other Chinese-origin construction goods including copper wire, copper pipe, switchgear, panel boards, HVAC equipment, PVC pipe, OSB, plywood, glass, and ceramic tile face 25% Section 301 tariffs on their own.

In April 2025, the administration invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose reciprocal tariffs on most US trading partners, with China receiving an additional ~30% layer. IEEPA is a separate authority from Section 232 (national security) and Section 301 (trade enforcement) and stacks on top of both. For Chinese-origin steel that means: 50% Section 232 + 25% Section 301 + 30% IEEPA = roughly 105% effective duty before MFN base rates and any AD/CVD measures. The rates table on this page shows the Section 232 + Section 301 stack only (75% for Chinese steel and aluminum) because the IEEPA layer is subject to ongoing legal challenges and exemption negotiations and changes faster than this page updates. Always confirm the active rate with your customs broker before quoting a Chinese-origin material.

Yes, and this surprises many contractors. Despite USMCA replacing NAFTA, Canada is fully subject to Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum — 50% on both as of June 2025. USMCA does not override Section 232 because those tariffs are imposed under a separate national security authority, not under normal trade law. Canadian softwood lumber is additionally subject to anti-dumping and countervailing duties averaging 14.5% that have been in place since 2017 and are separate from USMCA. The practical upshot: if your material is imported from Canada, steel and aluminum carry a 50% Section 232 tariff, and lumber carries an additional 14.5% AD/CVD duty on top.

USMCA exemptions apply to goods that meet specific rules-of-origin requirements — generally meaning the product was substantially manufactured in the US, Canada, or Mexico. For most general merchandise, USMCA eliminates tariffs between the three countries. However, USMCA provides no relief from Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs, Section 301 China tariffs (which apply regardless of country of transit), or AD/CVD duties on lumber. The exemption is most useful for construction materials that are neither steel, aluminum, nor subject to AD/CVD — such as some electrical components, mechanical equipment, or specialty materials where the goods genuinely originate in Canada or Mexico. Always verify rules-of-origin carefully; simply purchasing through a Canadian distributor does not make a Chinese-made product USMCA-eligible.

HTS stands for Harmonized Tariff Schedule. It is a 10-digit numerical classification system used by US Customs and Border Protection to categorize every imported good. The first 6 digits are internationally standardized under the global Harmonized System (HS) and are the same across most countries. The last 4 digits are US-specific and determine the precise duty rate. To find the correct HTS code, start with the USITC HTS Search at hts.usitc.gov, or use the search tool on this page for common construction materials. Correct HTS classification is critical — misclassification can result in underpaid or overpaid duties, CBP penalties, or delays at the border. For large orders, a licensed customs broker should confirm the classification.

Yes. Trueleveler's Contract Review engine analyzes construction contracts, subcontracts, and purchase orders and flags tariff-related language gaps in seconds. It identifies missing tariff escalation clauses, subcontractor agreements that don't address duty exposure, fixed-price supplier terms that leave you holding the bag if tariffs increase, and references to imported materials without appropriate contingency language. The engine highlights these gaps with suggested clause improvements so you can negotiate better terms before signing. Tariff exposure is one of the most commonly missed risks in construction contracts — Trueleveler makes it visible before it becomes a budget problem.