Paints and varnishes (including enamels and lacquers) based on synthetic polymers or chemically modified natural polymers, dispersed or dissolved in a nonaqueous medium; solutions as defined in note 4 to this chapter

Every line of heading 3208

• 3208 Paints and varnishes (including enamels and lacquers) based on synthetic polymers or chemically modified natural polymers, dispersed or dissolved in a nonaqueous medium; solutions as defined in note 4 to this chapter.
• 3208.10.00.00 Based on polyesters (under: Paints and varnishes (including enamels and lacquers) based on synthetic polymers or chemically modified natural polymers, dispersed or dissolved in a nonaqueous medium; solutions as defined in note 4 to this chapter) (liters, kg): General 3.7%; Special Free (A,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG); Column 2 15.4¢/kg +46%.
• 3208.20.00.00 Based on acrylic or vinyl polymers (liters, kg): General 3.6%; Special Free (A,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG); Column 2 25%.
• 3208.90.00.00 Other (under: Paints and varnishes (including enamels and lacquers) based on synthetic polymers or chemically modified natural polymers, dispersed or dissolved in a nonaqueous medium; solutions as defined in note 4 to this chapter) (liters, kg): General 3.2%; Special Free (A,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG); Column 2 25%.

From MFG Calcs data: Paints, coatings, and finishes

U.S. imports of paints, coatings, and finishes (headings 3208, 3209, 3210) came to $1.23B in 2025, with $120M in calculated duty: an effective duty of 9.8%, every duty included.

Effective duty in Sep 2026: 8.6%, against 13.8% in Sep 2025.

Largest sources in 2025: Canada $360M at 5.3% effective duty; Germany $180M at 11.3% effective duty; Mexico $124M at 11.0% effective duty; Japan $83.7M at 11.0% effective duty; Italy $75.1M at 11.6% effective duty.

These are family totals from U.S. import statistics published through USITC DataWeb, not this heading's rate alone; effective duty is calculated duty as a share of customs value, an estimate, not a ruling.

• Paints, coatings, and finishes: tariffs and imports
• Paints, coatings, and finishes: landed cost by country
• Paints, coatings, and finishes: reshoring outlook

About these rates

The rates are those printed in the 2026 HTS Revision 23, published by the U.S. International Trade Commission. A 10-digit statistical line takes the rates printed on the 8-digit line above it. Chapter 99 duties (Section 232, Section 301, IEEPA) depend on the product, the origin and the date, are charged on top, and are not included. A code here is a strong lead, not a ruling: confirm it with a customs broker or a CBP binding ruling.