Tariff monitor · Metals & Mill Products

Aluminum Articles: Statutory & Effective Tariff Rates

USITC Column 1 General rates for 8 aluminum articles HTS lines (parseable range 0%–6%). Effective rate Jun 2026: 44.08%; monthly history since 2020.

The short answer

  • The observed effective calculated-duty rate on U.S. imports of aluminum articles was 44.08% in Jun 2026, up from 41.15% a year earlier — USITC Calculated Duties divided by covered customs value. The Column 1 General line-rate range is 0%–6% across 8 HTS lines in the 2026 schedule; individual lines are called “Free” only when the official General field is literally Free, which still does not determine a shipment’s final duty. China is the largest source, holding 22.7% of 2025 imports.

Statutory rates from the schedule

  • Other articles of aluminum, including fabricated and cast parts not covered by the mill-product headings. This family covers HTS heading 7616: 8 eight-digit rate lines with a parseable Column 1 General range of 0%–6% in the 2026 schedule. “Free” means the official General field is literally Free for that line; it does not determine final entry liability.

Observed calculated-duty data

  • Latest month on record (2026-06): 44.08% effective on $169.2M of imports, versus 41.15% in the same month a year earlier. The monthly archive holds 78 observations from 2020-01 through 2026-06.
  • In 2025, U.S. imports for consumption in this family totaled $1.9B in customs value, with $598.4M in USITC reported calculated duty on $1.9B of covered customs value: an effective calculated-duty rate of 31.11%. The aggregate reflects the recorded entry mix but does not attribute the result to a specific legal provision.
  • A year earlier the effective calculated-duty rate was 7.93%, so the observed rate rose 23.2 points.
  • Top source countries in 2025: China ($437.5M at 60.89%), Mexico ($413.2M at 17.21%), Canada ($174.5M at 18.14%), Vietnam ($116.0M at 27.4%), Germany ($107.8M at 22.91%).
  • Reported freight and insurance equaled 4.94% of covered customs value in 2025 ($79.3M total); charge coverage was 83.4% of customs value, from USITC DataWeb. It is shown alongside the effective calculated-duty rate and is not part of the customs-value duty base.
  • Customs unit value: 27.7066 per kg in 2025, aggregate declared customs value divided by reported quantity across eligible single-unit lines (USITC DataWeb); not a transaction price.
  • For scale, 2025 imports in this family equal 0.4% of the U.S. fabricated metal products industry's $468B gross output (2025, BEA).

Representative rate lines

  • 7616.10.10.00: Nails, tacks and staples · MFN 5.7%
  • 7616.10.30.00: Rivets · MFN 4.7%
  • 7616.10.50.00: Cotters and cotter pins · MFN 5.7%
  • 7616.10.70: Having shanks, threads or holes over 6 mm in diameter · MFN 5.5%
  • 7616.10.90: Other · MFN 6%
  • 7616.91.00.00: Cloth, grill, netting and fencing, of aluminum wire · MFN 2.5%
  • 7616.99.10.00: Luggage frames · MFN Free
  • 7616.99.51: Other · MFN 2.5%

Frequently asked questions

  • What is the U.S. tariff rate on aluminum articles? USITC calculated duties imply an effective rate of 44.08% in Jun 2026 (calculated duties ÷ covered customs value, USITC DataWeb). The parseable Column 1 General line-rate range is 0%–6%; individual lines are called “Free” only when the official General field is literally Free, and product, origin, preference and tariff mix can contribute to the observed-rate difference.
  • What are the statutory MFN line rates for aluminum articles? The parseable Column 1 General line-rate range is 0%–6% across the family's 8 eight-digit HTS lines in the 2026 Harmonized Tariff Schedule (headings 7616). “Free” means the official General field is literally Free for a line; it does not determine final entry liability.
  • Which countries supply the most aluminum articles to the U.S.? Top retained sources in 2025: China ($437.5M at 60.89%), Mexico ($413.2M at 17.21%), Canada ($174.5M at 18.14%). China holds 22.7% of total family import customs value. Retained sources cover 83.4%; their HHI is 1210, a lower bound whose floor falls in the diversified range without classifying the omitted tail.
  • How much aluminum articles does the U.S. import? $1.9B of customs value in 2025, with $598.4M in USITC Calculated Duties — an effective calculated-duty rate of 31.11%.
  • Is the U.S. a net importer of aluminum articles? Yes — a net importer in 2025: $1.9B imported vs $1.3B exported (exports are 65% of imports).
  • What is the customs unit value of aluminum articles? $27.7/kg in 2025, derived as customs value ÷ reported quantity from USITC DataWeb. It is an aggregate across the family's product and origin mix, not a transaction price or supplier quote.

About this data

  • Reference statistics derived from USITC published data. Not a customs ruling. MFN-Free and Special-rate fields describe statutory line coverage only; final entry liability requires origin, date, eligibility, exclusions and other transaction facts. Calculated Duties are statistical estimates, not a cash-collections ledger. Confirm classification, origin, program eligibility, and final entry liability with a licensed customs broker.

Last reviewed 2026-08-31.