How Much Are US Tariffs in 2026? Complete Guide

The United States currently imposes the highest average import tariff rates since 1947. A cascade of trade actions between 2018 and 2026 has layered multiple surcharges on top of the baseline Most Favored Nation (MFN) rates that have governed US trade policy for decades. For importers, the result is a fundamentally different cost calculation than existed just two years ago. The key change is not one tariff — it is the stacking of multiple tariff authorities simultaneously. A shipment of electronics from China may face a 3% MFN rate, a 15% Section 122 global surcharge, and a 7.5-25% Section 301 China-specific tariff, bringing the total statutory rate to 25-43% before calculating fees. A steel product from Germany faces the 25% Section 232 national security tariff instead of Section 122, since Section 232 products are excluded from the S122 surcharge. Understanding which authorities apply to which goods — and how they interact — is the core challenge for any importer in 2026. This guide covers every active tariff authority: Section 122 (the 2026 global surcharge), Section 232 (national security tariffs on steel, aluminum, autos, copper, lumber, and semiconductors), Section 301 (China-specific tariffs), USMCA (the Canada-Mexico free trade agreement), bilateral deals, and the fees that apply on top of all duties: Merchandise Processing Fee (MPF) and Harbor Maintenance Fee (HMF). The goal is a complete picture of what you actually pay when goods enter the United States in 2026.

Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 USC 2132) grants the President authority to impose a temporary tariff surcharge during a balance-of-payments emergency. This authority had not been used since Richard Nixon's 10% surcharge in 1971. After the Supreme Court struck down the administration's IEEPA tariff authority on February 20, 2026, the administration turned to Section 122 four days later. The Section 122 surcharge took effect February 24, 2026, at a rate of 15% (the administration announced 15% via social media; the Federal Register at 2026-03824 showed 10%, creating a legal ambiguity that remains unresolved). CalcMyTariff.com uses 15% as the operational rate. The surcharge applies uniformly to imports from all countries except those with specific exemptions. Key exemptions from Section 122: goods qualifying under USMCA from Canada and Mexico (0% rate applies), products already subject to Section 232 (steel, aluminum, copper, lumber, autos, and semiconductors — they carry their own surcharge and are excluded from S122), critical minerals, pharmaceuticals, certain agricultural goods, passenger vehicles and parts, certain electronics, and certain aerospace products. If your product or sourcing country falls into these categories, the S122 rate does not apply. The 150-day statutory limit under Section 122 means the surcharge expires July 24, 2026, unless Congress acts to extend it or the administration finds alternative legal authority. The expiration represents a potential 15-percentage-point tariff reduction for most affected goods — the single largest scheduled tariff change in 2026.

Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 authorizes the President to restrict imports that threaten national security. Unlike Section 122, Section 232 tariffs have no statutory expiration date and apply indefinitely. Current Section 232 rates: steel at 50% (since June 4, 2025, up from 25%); aluminum at 50% (same); copper at 50%; autos and auto parts at 25% (since April 3, 2025); lumber at 10%; semiconductors at 25% (since January 15, 2026). The United Kingdom has a partial exemption: UK steel and aluminum face 25% rather than 50%. These rates apply to all countries, including USMCA partners Canada and Mexico, unless the goods qualify for USMCA duty-free treatment. A critical interaction: Section 232 products are excluded from Section 122. This means a steel manufacturer importing raw steel pays the S232 rate (50%) — not S232 plus S122 (65%). The exclusion prevents double-counting the national security and balance-of-payments surcharges. For manufacturers who use steel or aluminum as inputs, Section 232 significantly increases production costs. A $1 million steel order from Germany or Japan now carries $500,000 in Section 232 duties alone, before accounting for MPF and other fees. There is no sunset provision, no reauthorization requirement, and no indication the administration plans to reduce these rates in 2026.

Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 authorizes the US Trade Representative to act against unfair foreign trade practices. The current Section 301 tariffs on Chinese goods originated from a 2018 USTR investigation and have been expanded through four tariff lists affecting virtually all Chinese imports. List 1 (25%, $34 billion in trade): industrial machinery, aerospace components, robotics, motor vehicles. List 2 (25%, $16 billion): semiconductors, chemicals, plastics, electric motors. List 3 (25%, $200 billion): most intermediate goods, consumer electronics, furniture. List 4A (7.5%, $120 billion): consumer goods, apparel, footwear, electronics accessories — this was reduced from 15% as part of the Phase One trade deal. The 2024 statutory review increased rates for specific products. These increases replace (not stack on top of) the base list rates: electric vehicles are now 100% (was 25% under List 3); solar cells and modules are 50% (was 25%); Chinese semiconductors are 50% (was 25%); non-EV lithium-ion batteries are 25% (was 7.5%); critical minerals from China are 25% (was 0%). Section 301 stacks on top of everything else. A $10,000 shipment of Chinese electronics under List 3 faces MFN (~3.4%), S122 (15%), and S301 (25%) simultaneously. The total tariff rate is approximately 43.4%, costing $4,340 in duties — not counting MPF. Section 301 has no scheduled expiration and faces ongoing USTR review.

The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which replaced NAFTA on July 1, 2020, provides 0% tariff rates for qualifying goods from Canada and Mexico. This exemption applies to all tariff surcharges, including Section 122, Section 232, and any other authority — as long as the goods meet USMCA rules of origin. Rules of origin are the key requirement. Goods must have sufficient North American content and undergo qualifying production steps. The general regional value content threshold is 60-70% for most goods. Automobiles require 75% North American content. Goods that do not qualify — for example, Chinese goods transshipped through Mexico — face the standard tariff stacking treatment. Bilateral deals negotiated under IEEPA authority (with the EU, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, India, Vietnam, and others) created country-specific rates that replace the Section 122 base rate. However, since the Supreme Court struck down IEEPA authority on February 20, 2026, the legal status of these deals is uncertain. The administration has maintained them as de facto policy. Current rates: EU, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan at 15% (same as S122 base — effectively neutral); India and Vietnam at 18% (3 percentage points above S122 base). For sourcing strategy, USMCA-qualifying goods from Canada and Mexico offer the most reliable tariff advantage. Bilateral deal countries provide clarity on rates, though the legal uncertainty of those deals adds risk to long-term sourcing decisions.

The tariff stacking formula that applies to most US imports in 2026 is: Total Tariff Rate = MFN + max(S122, S232, Bilateral) + S301. The "max" function for the middle tier is critical. You do not add Section 122 and Section 232 together. Instead, the higher of the applicable surcharges applies. If a product is subject to Section 232 (50%) and the base S122 rate (15%), you pay 50% — not 65%. If a product has a bilateral deal rate (18%) that exceeds S122 (15%), you pay 18%. If a product is S122-exempt (USMCA, pharma, ag), you pay 0% for that tier. Section 301 is always additive on top. It stacks unconditionally for Chinese goods. However, the 2024 increases for specific products (EVs, solar, semiconductors) replace the base list rate rather than stacking on it. An EV from China is at 100% total S301 rate — not 25% (List 3 base) + 75% (increase). MPF (Merchandise Processing Fee) applies to all imports at 0.3464% of customs value, with a minimum of $33.58 and a maximum of $651.50 per entry. HMF (Harbor Maintenance Fee) at 0.125% applies to ocean shipments only. Example: $10,000 electronics shipment from Vietnam (bilateral deal rate 18%): MFN ~3.4% ($340) + bilateral 18% ($1,800) + S301 0% = $2,140 in duties + MPF $34.64 = $2,174.64 total fees.

Tariffs are paid by the US importer of record — the person or company responsible for ensuring goods are properly declared and duties are paid to US Customs and Border Protection. This is almost always the buyer, not the foreign seller, unless the sales contract specifies delivered-duty-paid (DDP) terms. For Amazon FBA sellers, the importer of record is typically the seller, even if the goods are shipped directly from a supplier to an Amazon fulfillment center. The seller is responsible for calculating and paying duties, not Amazon. Failure to properly declare and pay tariffs can result in CBP penalties, seizure of goods, and potential debarment from importation. Customs brokers act as agents for the importer of record, filing entry documents and paying duties on the importer's behalf. Using a licensed customs broker is not legally required for most importers but is strongly recommended for shipments over $2,500 or products subject to complex tariff classifications. Broker fees typically run $100-200 per entry for straightforward shipments. The practical implication of importer liability: when you are negotiating prices with foreign suppliers, you need to calculate the total landed cost including all applicable tariffs, MPF, HMF, freight, and broker fees. A supplier quote of "$5 per unit FOB" does not reflect what you will actually pay to land the goods in a US warehouse.

Section 122 expires July 24, 2026. For the vast majority of importers — those sourcing from countries without Section 232 tariffs, without Section 301 obligations, and without bilateral deal rates that exceed 15% — the expiration represents a 15-percentage-point reduction in tariff costs overnight. The practical impact depends on your supply chain. Importers with long lead times (ocean freight from Asia is typically 30-45 days) should consider whether to delay shipments scheduled to arrive in late July to benefit from post-expiration rates. An importer placing a $500,000 order from Vietnam would pay $90,000 in S122 duties at 18% bilateral rate — but after expiration, the bilateral deal rate may fall to a post-S122 level (the legal picture remains uncertain, since the deals were predicated on IEEPA authority). For China-sourced goods, the impact is smaller relative to total tariff burden because Section 301 continues after S122 expiration. A Chinese electronics shipment might go from 43.4% total rate to 28.4% — a meaningful but not transformative change. The expiration creates a planning horizon. Importers should model both scenarios: goods arriving before July 24 (subject to current rates) and goods arriving after (subject to lower rates). Using the CalcMyTariff.com what-if calculator toggle allows you to compare both scenarios instantly for any country-product combination.