Example alert
Effective date, source URL, source notes, old/new treatment, and estimated annual impact are included when the official scope is clear enough to summarize.
Open the example HTS page: 6404.20.40.
Related alert workflows
When this alert is useful
This workflow is designed for importers who already know the codes they buy against and need a plain-English signal when official sources mention those codes, countries, or programs. It helps catch changes before a supplier quote, broker instruction, or purchase order turns into a surprise landed-cost increase.
The alert should trigger review, not autopilot. Your team still needs to confirm product facts, country of origin, entry timing, preference eligibility, and any scope language that is more specific than the HTS code alone. The highest-value alert is one that reaches the person who can pause a shipment, update a landed-cost sheet, or ask a broker for the official-source reading before goods move. Keep the saved code list narrow so every email maps to a real product line.
How the China Section 301 lists and Chapter 99 overlays are structured in 2026
The China Section 301 actions are layered on top of the Column 1 General rate through Chapter 99 of the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule, not by editing the chapter that classifies your product. Lists 1, 2, and 3 add a 25% ad valorem duty via Chapter 99 headings 9903.88.01, 9903.88.02, and 9903.88.03 respectively. List 4A adds 7.5% via 9903.88.15 — originally announced at 15% and reduced to 7.5% effective February 14, 2020 under the U.S.-China Phase One Agreement. Many subheadings have one or more product-specific exclusions with their own Chapter 99 headings and expiration dates. A saved 8-digit HTS code alone is not enough to determine your overlay; you also need to confirm which list applies to your subheading, whether an active exclusion covers your product description, and the controlling entry date.
What changed in 2026 and why a saved-code alert is the right tool
USTR opened a second statutory four-year review of the China Section 301 actions on May 6, 2026 (Federal Register 2026-08806). Domestic-industry continuation requests can be filed May 7 to July 5, 2026 for the original July 6, 2018 action (Lists 1 and 2) and June 24 to August 22, 2026 for the August 23, 2018 action (Lists 3 and 4A). Under the statutory four-year-review mechanism, if no representative of a benefiting domestic industry requests continuation, that action terminates — July 6, 2026 for Lists 1 and 2, and August 23, 2026 for Lists 3 and 4A — so the request windows are themselves a near-term trigger worth watching. The initiation notice does not by itself raise, lower, add, or remove any duty rate or exclusion. Any change will arrive in separate USTR and Federal Register notices spread across a long review window — and the first four-year review (2022-2024) ended in targeted modifications and a machinery exclusion process rather than full removal of the tariffs. A saved-code alert is the right tool here because a code that looked safe one quarter can become expensive before the next shipment, and the published changes will not arrive on a single dated event. The alert is a review trigger, not a substitute for confirming Chapter 99 treatment, exclusion eligibility, and entry-date rules in the official source.
Frequently asked questions
Are Section 301 China tariffs still in effect in 2026?
Yes. The original July 6, 2018 (Lists 1 and 2) and August 23, 2018 (Lists 3 and 4A) actions remain in effect, and USTR opened a second statutory four-year review on May 6, 2026 to decide whether to continue, modify, or end them. Lists 1, 2, and 3 still carry a 25% ad valorem overlay through Chapter 99 headings 9903.88.01 / .02 / .03, and List 4A carries a 7.5% overlay through 9903.88.15. Confirm the current Chapter 99 treatment and any active product exclusion for your specific HTS code and entry date before relying on a landed-cost figure.
What are the current Section 301 tariff rates for China-origin imports in 2026?
As of June 15, 2026 the published rates are 25% on List 1 (Chapter 99 heading 9903.88.01), 25% on List 2 (9903.88.02), 25% on List 3 (9903.88.03), and 7.5% on List 4A (9903.88.15). These are additional duties layered on top of the Column 1 General rate, not replacements for it. The List 4A rate was originally announced at 15% and reduced to 7.5% effective February 14, 2020 under the Phase One Agreement. Specific product exclusions and the post-2024 machinery-exclusion process have their own Chapter 99 headings and effective windows; check the controlling Federal Register notice for your shipment's entry date.
How do I check whether my HTS code is on a Section 301 list or has an exclusion?
Open the current Chapter 99 Subchapter III in the USITC Harmonized Tariff Schedule for the entry date that controls your shipment, then read the statistical notes under 9903.88.01 (List 1), 9903.88.02 (List 2), 9903.88.03 (List 3), and 9903.88.15 (List 4A). Each note references the 8-digit subheading list in the underlying USTR notice. After you confirm the list, check the active exclusion headings — many exclusions are product-description specific rather than HTS-wide, so a matching code is a starting point, not a guarantee. A saved-code alert from Tariff Sentinel can flag when USTR or Federal Register notices touch your code, but the final reading still belongs to the official source and your broker.
When can I expect changes from the 2026 four-year review of China Section 301?
USTR opened the second four-year review on May 6, 2026, with continuation-request windows of May 7 to July 5, 2026 for the July 6, 2018 action and June 24 to August 22, 2026 for the August 23, 2018 action. After comments close, USTR reviews whether each action remains effective and how it affects the U.S. economy before publishing any modifications in separate notices. The first four-year review (2022-2024) ended in targeted modifications and a machinery exclusion process rather than full removal of the tariffs, so importers should plan for a long window of possible scope changes rather than a single dated event.
Sources verified for this alert
- USTR: Section 301 tariff actions and exclusion process (retrieved Jun 15, 2026)
- Federal Register: Initiation of Second Four-Year Review of China Section 301 actions (May 6, 2026) (retrieved Jun 15, 2026)
- USITC Harmonized Tariff Schedule — Chapter 99 (Section 301 overlays) (retrieved Jun 15, 2026)
Last verified: Jun 15, 2026. The rates, program scope, agency processes, and effective-date rules above were checked against the cited official sources on that date. Always confirm the controlling text in the official source for your specific code and entry date before filing or sourcing decisions.