Where the second four-year review stands as of June 24, 2026
As of June 24, 2026, the China Section 301 tariffs remain fully in effect — an additional 25% on List 1, List 2, and List 3 goods and 7.5% on List 4A goods, stacked on the normal Column 1 duty — while USTR's second four-year review runs through two continuation-request windows. The window for the July 6, 2018 action (List 1) closes July 5, 2026, and that action terminates on July 6, 2026 if no representative of a benefiting U.S. domestic industry files a qualifying continuation request. The window for the August 23, 2018 action (List 2, and the List 4A modification many footwear, plastics, and travel-goods lines track) opened June 24, 2026 and closes August 22, 2026, with statutory termination on August 23, 2026 absent a qualifying request. As of this review date, USTR had not publicly announced receipt of a continuation request; in the first four-year review (concluded September 2024) USTR did receive continuation requests and continued the actions, adding targeted product increases rather than ending them, so import teams should plan for continuation as the base case while still confirming each entry against the official USTR and CBP notices.
How the four-year review works and what it can and cannot do
Section 301 trade actions are governed by the Trade Act of 1974. Under Section 307(c) of that Act (19 U.S.C. 2417(c)), a Section 301 action terminates four years after it takes effect unless a representative of a domestic industry that benefits from the action asks USTR to continue it. When continuation is requested, USTR reviews whether the action remains effective and how it affects the U.S. economy, including consumers. This May 6, 2026 notice opens that request-for-continuation and review process for the China technology-transfer actions. It does not by itself raise, lower, add, or remove any duty rate or product exclusion; any change would come only through a later, separate notice after the review.
This is the second four-year review of the China Section 301 actions
The two underlying actions took effect on July 6, 2018 (List 1) and August 23, 2018 (List 2). USTR later modified those actions under Section 307 by adding supplemental product lists, including List 3 and List 4A, by creating temporary product exclusions, and by making changes after the first statutory four-year review. The 2026 notice begins the second review of the two actions as modified, so import teams should read it as a signal that the existing China Section 301 structure is being re-examined, not as an immediate change to landed cost.
Why Lists 3 and 4A still need monitoring during this review
The Federal Register notice does not treat List 3 and List 4A as irrelevant to the 2026 process. It lists both as modifications currently in effect and says USTR would examine the July 6, 2018 action and the August 23, 2018 action, as modified, through those notices. That is why a List 4A footwear code such as 6404.20.40, a List 4A plastics code such as 3924.90.56, and a List 3 travel-goods code such as 4202.92.31 all remain source-watch candidates even though their current additional rates differ.
Key dates
- Initiation notice published: May 6, 2026
- July 6, 2018 action: continuation-request window: May 7 to July 5, 2026
- July 6, 2018 action: statutory termination date absent continuation request: July 6, 2026
- Aug 23, 2018 action: continuation-request window: June 24 to Aug 22, 2026
- Aug 23, 2018 action: statutory termination date absent continuation request: Aug 23, 2026
China Section 301 lists, current rates, and 2026 review timing
| List / action | Current additional rate | 2026 continuation-request window | Termination date if no qualifying request is filed |
|---|---|---|---|
| List 1 / July 6, 2018 action | 25% | May 7 to July 5, 2026 | July 6, 2026 |
| List 2 / August 23, 2018 action | 25% | June 24 to Aug 22, 2026 | Aug 23, 2026 |
| List 3 supplemental modification | 25% | Reviewed as part of the actions as modified; confirm the controlling Chapter 99 heading and source notice | Depends on the underlying action that governs the product |
| List 4A supplemental modification | 7.5% | Reviewed as part of the actions as modified; many List 4A lines track the August 23, 2018 action window | Aug 23, 2026 for the August 23 action absent a qualifying continuation request |
The May 6, 2026 notice covers two Section 301 actions: the July 6, 2018 action and the August 23, 2018 action, both as modified. The notice expressly lists List 3, List 4A, first-review modifications, and exclusions as modifications currently in effect, so importers should treat the review as a live monitor for the full China Section 301 structure while still confirming the specific Chapter 99 heading for each product.
List 4B was announced but never took effect. Separately, the first four-year review concluded in September 2024 with targeted increases on specific products — including electric vehicles, EV batteries, solar cells, steel and aluminum, ship-to-shore cranes, syringes, and certain critical minerals — phasing in through 2026 at rates up to 100%. Confirm the additional rate, exclusion eligibility, and entry-date rules for your specific HTS code against the official USTR and CBP sources.
Affected HTS codes
Related review paths
Related tariff changes
Frequently asked questions
Will the China Section 301 tariffs end in 2026?
Only if no benefiting U.S. domestic industry asks USTR to continue them. Under the statute, the July 6, 2018 action (the 25% List 1 duties) terminates July 6, 2026 and the August 23, 2018 action (List 2, and the List 4A modification many lines track) terminates August 23, 2026 unless a qualifying continuation request is filed in the request window — May 7 to July 5, 2026, and June 24 to August 22, 2026, respectively. If USTR receives a request, it announces continuation and opens a comment phase, and the tariffs stay in effect during that review. In the first four-year review (2024) USTR received continuation requests and continued the actions, so the practical base case is continuation; treat termination as a contingency to monitor rather than to assume, and confirm the outcome in the official Federal Register and USTR notices before changing landed-cost assumptions.
Does this four-year review change my Section 301 tariff rate right now?
No. The initiation notice opens a review and comment process; it does not change any duty rate or product exclusion on its own. Any change would require a later, separate USTR action. Until then, keep applying the Section 301 rate and any active exclusion that governs your HTS code and entry date.
What is the four-year review of China Section 301 tariffs?
It is the statutory review required by Section 307(c) of the Trade Act of 1974. A Section 301 action ends four years after it takes effect unless a domestic industry that benefits from it asks USTR to continue the action. If continuation is requested, USTR reviews whether the action is still effective and how it affects the U.S. economy before deciding whether to keep, modify, or end it.
When can continuation requests or comments be filed?
Representatives of domestic industries that benefit can request continuation in two windows: 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. Submissions go through the USTR comments portal. Confirm the controlling deadlines and any later updates in the official Federal Register notice.
Which HTS codes does this review affect?
The review concerns the China technology-transfer Section 301 actions broadly, not a fixed short list of codes. Tariff Sentinel flags codes in this catalog that carry China-origin Section 301 overlays so you have a starting point, but you still need to confirm the current Chapter 99 treatment, exclusion eligibility, and entry-date rules for your specific product against the official sources.
What are the current Section 301 tariff rates on Chinese goods in 2026?
The additional Section 301 duty is generally 25% for goods on Lists 1, 2, and 3 and 7.5% for goods on List 4A, stacked on top of the normal Column 1 duty. Separately, targeted increases from the first four-year review took effect in September 2024 and phase in through 2026 on specific products — for example electric vehicles, EV batteries, solar cells, steel and aluminum, and certain critical minerals — at rates up to 100%. Your actual rate depends on the HTS code, origin, entry date, and any active exclusion, so confirm it against the official USTR action list and your CBP entry data.
Does the 2026 second four-year review cover all four Section 301 tariff lists?
It covers two Section 301 actions as modified, not four standalone statutory actions. List 1 belongs to the July 6, 2018 action and List 2 belongs to the August 23, 2018 action; the notice also lists List 3 and List 4A as modifications currently in effect. The practical takeaway is that all China Section 301 list treatment should stay on watch, while the exact deadline and Chapter 99 heading for a shipment still need source-specific review.
What happens if no continuation request is filed in a 2026 review window?
Under the statute cited in the notice, the relevant action terminates at the close of its four-year period if no representative of a benefiting domestic industry submits a continuation request in the last 60 days. For 2026, that means July 6, 2026 for the July 6, 2018 action and August 23, 2026 for the August 23, 2018 action. If USTR receives a qualifying request, it announces continuation and opens a later review phase before any modification.
Official source links
Sources verified for this notice
- Federal Register: Initiation of Second Four-Year Review (USTR, May 6, 2026) (retrieved Jun 24, 2026)
- USTR: Four-Year Review of China Section 301 actions (retrieved Jun 24, 2026)
- USTR: China Section 301-Tariff Actions and Exclusion Process (List effective dates and rates) (retrieved Jun 24, 2026)
Last verified: Jun 24, 2026. Dates, process details, source-watch status, and review caveats above were checked against the cited official sources on that date. Always confirm the controlling text in the official source before filing or sourcing decisions.
What to do with this notice
Compare the affected HTS list with your saved codes, then check whether the official text limits treatment by country, entry date, product description, importer action, or exclusion language. A notice can be important even when it does not immediately change the duty shown on a calculator.
Tariff Sentinel keeps the source URL, official PDF when available, and review status close to the affected-code list so teams can decide whether to update landed-cost assumptions, hold a purchase order, or send the source to a broker for a product-specific reading. Keep the reviewed source with the shipment file so later audits can show which notice informed the decision and when it was checked.