Tariff monitor · Metals & Mill Products

Fabricated Structural Steel: Statutory & Effective Tariff Rates

USITC Column 1 General rates for 9 fabricated structural steel HTS lines (parseable range 0%). Effective rate Jun 2026: 34.3%; monthly history since 2014.

The short answer

  • The observed effective calculated-duty rate on U.S. imports of fabricated structural steel was 34.3% in Jun 2026, up from 25.85% a year earlier — USITC Calculated Duties divided by covered customs value. The Column 1 General line-rate range is 0% across 9 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. Mexico is the largest source, holding 22.1% of 2025 imports.

Statutory rates from the schedule

  • Fabricated structures and parts — frames, towers, columns, and prefab structural assemblies. This family covers HTS heading 7308: 9 eight-digit rate lines with a parseable Column 1 General range of 0% in the 2026 schedule. “Free” means the official General field is literally Free for that line; it does not determine final entry liability.
  • Chapter 99 references on individual lines (for example, 9903.90.09) identify provisions to review; applicability and any additional duty depend on the entry facts.

Observed calculated-duty data

  • Latest month on record (2026-06): 34.3% effective on $546.7M of imports, versus 25.85% in the same month a year earlier. The monthly archive holds 150 observations from 2014-01 through 2026-06.
  • In 2025, U.S. imports for consumption in this family totaled $7.1B in customs value, with $1.5B in USITC reported calculated duty on $7.1B of covered customs value: an effective calculated-duty rate of 20.77%. 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 2.22%, so the observed rate rose 18.6 points.
  • Top source countries in 2025: Mexico ($1.6B at 7.7%), Canada ($966.1M at 12.42%), Denmark ($674.2M at 26.18%), China ($666.1M at 57.86%), Germany ($497.6M at 27.27%).
  • Reported freight and insurance equaled 5.5% of covered customs value in 2025 ($321.8M total); charge coverage was 82.3% 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: 2.8004 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 1.5% of the U.S. fabricated metal products industry's $468B gross output (2025, BEA).

Representative rate lines

  • 7308.10.00.00: Bridges and bridge sections · MFN Free
  • 7308.20.00: Towers and lattice masts · MFN Free
  • 7308.30.10.00: Of stainless steel · MFN Free
  • 7308.30.50: Other · MFN Free
  • 7308.40.00.00: Equipment for scaffolding, shuttering, propping or pit- propping · MFN Free
  • 7308.90.30.00: Not in part of alloy steel · MFN Free
  • 7308.90.60.00: Other · MFN Free
  • 7308.90.70.00: Steel grating · MFN Free

Frequently asked questions

  • What is the U.S. tariff rate on fabricated structural steel? USITC calculated duties imply an effective rate of 34.3% in Jun 2026 (calculated duties ÷ covered customs value, USITC DataWeb). The parseable Column 1 General line-rate range is 0%; 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 fabricated structural steel? The parseable Column 1 General line-rate range is 0% across the family's 9 eight-digit HTS lines in the 2026 Harmonized Tariff Schedule (headings 7308). “Free” means the official General field is literally Free for a line; it does not determine final entry liability.
  • Which countries supply the most fabricated structural steel to the U.S.? Top retained sources in 2025: Mexico ($1.6B at 7.7%), Canada ($966.1M at 12.42%), Denmark ($674.2M at 26.18%). Mexico holds 22.1% of total family import customs value. Retained sources cover 82.3%; their HHI is 990, a lower bound whose floor falls in the diversified range without classifying the omitted tail.
  • How much fabricated structural steel does the U.S. import? $7.1B of customs value in 2025, with $1.5B in USITC Calculated Duties — an effective calculated-duty rate of 20.77%.
  • Is the U.S. a net importer of fabricated structural steel? Yes — a net importer in 2025: $7.1B imported vs $131.2M exported (exports are 2% of imports).
  • What is the customs unit value of fabricated structural steel? $2.8/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.