US Tariff Rate Changes — April 2026

April 2026 brought some of the most consequential tariff actions of the year so far. The administration issued sweeping new Section 232 proclamations covering both metals and pharmaceuticals, Commerce published significant anti-dumping determinations on solar imports, and the USITC released three HTS revisions in a single month. Here is what importers need to know.

Section 232 Metals Tariffs Overhauled

On April 2, 2026 — the one-year anniversary of Liberation Day — the President issued Proclamation 11021, "Strengthening Actions Taken to Adjust Imports of Aluminum, Steel, and Copper Into the United States." This overhaul restructures the Section 232 metals tariff regime significantly:

• 50% tariff on the full customs value of articles primarily made of aluminum, copper, or steel
• 25% tariff on derivative products substantially made of those metals
• UK exception: 25% on articles and 15% on derivatives for United Kingdom-origin products
• De minimis threshold: Products containing 15% or less steel, aluminum, or copper by weight are no longer subject to Section 232 metals tariffs

The new rates took effect April 6, 2026. Importers of fabricated metal components, industrial machinery with steel frames, and building materials should recalculate landed costs immediately — the shift from the prior rate structure to the full customs value basis changes the effective duty on many products.

A follow-up notice on April 29 clarified that UK-origin steel articles produced by Tata Steel UK, where the reported country of melt and pour is the Netherlands, may continue to enter at the lower UK rate through January 1, 2028.

Section 232 Pharmaceutical Tariffs Announced

The same day, a second proclamation imposed Section 232 tariffs on patented pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) — the first time this authority has been applied to the pharmaceutical sector. The structure:

• 100% ad valorem duty on patented pharmaceuticals for companies without an approved pricing or onshoring agreement
• 20% reduced rate for companies with a Secretary of Commerce-approved plan to transition manufacturing to the United States — rising to 100% on April 2, 2030
• Generic pharmaceuticals and biosimilars are exempt

The tariffs take effect July 31, 2026 for companies listed in Annex III of the proclamation and September 29, 2026 for all others. While the duty collection dates are still ahead, importers of pharmaceutical products should begin evaluating exposure now. Companies that source patented APIs from overseas for domestic formulation are directly in scope.

This proclamation does not affect finished generic drugs or biosimilars, but the 100% headline rate on patented products is likely to reshape pharmaceutical supply chains over the four-year onshoring window.

Anti-Dumping Duties on Solar Imports from India, Indonesia, and Laos

The Department of Commerce announced preliminary affirmative determinations in anti-dumping investigations on crystalline silicon photovoltaic (CSPV) cells from three countries:

• India: 123.04% preliminary dumping margin
• Indonesia: 35.17%
• Laos: 22.46%

These AD duties come on top of preliminary countervailing duties announced in February 2026. For importers of solar panels and CSPV cells, the combined effect is substantial. India-origin cells face a particularly steep barrier. Companies sourcing from Southeast Asia as an alternative to China should reassess their supply chains given the expanding scope of solar trade remedies.

Additional AD/CVD Activity

April was busy across the trade remedies docket:

• Chassis and subassemblies: Final affirmative determinations issued April 24 for imports from Mexico, Thailand, and Vietnam
• Oil country tubular goods (OCTG): New AD/CVD investigations initiated April 23 covering imports from Austria, Taiwan, and the United Arab Emirates
• Administrative reviews: Commerce initiated reviews of multiple AD/CVD orders with March anniversary dates, which will produce revised duty deposit rates over the coming months

Importers of chassis, OCTG, and products under existing AD/CVD orders should verify their current deposit rates and watch for preliminary results from these reviews.

Three HTS Revisions in One Month

The USITC published three revisions to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule in April:

• Revision 5 (April 8): Modifications implementing the overhauled Section 232 metals tariff structure for aluminum, steel, and copper
• Revision 6 (April 23): Updated procedures for steel and aluminum producers
• Revision 7 (April 29): Technical corrections and additional updates

Three revisions in a single month is unusual. Importers relying on HTS classifications from earlier in the year should verify their codes against the latest revision. Customs brokers will need the current schedule to file entries correctly, particularly for metal products where the Section 232 restructuring introduced new subheadings and rate lines.

The USITC also posted proposed updates for public comment, with a submission deadline of May 18, 2026. These updates relate to the broader World Customs Organization Harmonized System amendments that all member countries must implement by January 1, 2028.

What Importers Should Do Now

April's changes are broad enough that most importers will be touched by at least one of them. Here are the immediate priorities:

• Recalculate metal product duties. The shift to full customs value at 50% for primary metal articles is a significant increase for many product categories. Update your landed cost models before your next shipment clears.

• Assess pharmaceutical exposure. If you import patented drugs or APIs, you have until July 31 to prepare for the new duties. Evaluate whether your suppliers qualify for the reduced 20% rate through an onshoring plan.

• Check your solar supply chain. Preliminary AD margins above 100% on India-origin CSPV cells may force sourcing changes. Even Indonesia and Laos margins in the 22–35% range add meaningful cost.

• Update HTS classifications. With three schedule revisions in April alone, now is the time to pull your most recent entry summaries and verify every code against the current HTS.

• Watch the AD/CVD docket. If you import chassis, OCTG, or any product under an existing AD/CVD order, confirm your deposit rates reflect the latest administrative review results.

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Related Reading

• US Tariff Rate Changes — March 2026 — Last month's tariff activity including Section 301 reviews, AD/CVD determinations, and USITC schedule updates.
• What Is an HTS Code? A Plain-English Guide — Everything importers need to know about HTS codes, how they're structured, and why classification matters.
• US Import Tariff Glossary — Definitions of key trade terms including HTS, AD/CVD, Section 301, Section 232, and more.
• How to Track Tariff Changes on Your Imports — A complete guide to why US duty rates change and what a reliable monitoring system looks like.
• What Happens When Tariff Rates Change Mid-Shipment — Learn how CBP determines which rate applies when duties change while your goods are on the water.