What is the U.S. tariff rate on technical and refractory ceramics?

USITC calculated duties imply an effective rate of 9.43% in Jun 2026 (calculated duties ÷ covered customs value, USITC DataWeb). The parseable Column 1 General line-rate range is 0%–4.5%; 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 technical and refractory ceramics?

The parseable Column 1 General line-rate range is 0%–4.5% across the family's 9 eight-digit HTS lines in the 2026 Harmonized Tariff Schedule (headings 6903, 6909). “Free” means the official General field is literally Free for a line; it does not determine final entry liability.

Which countries supply the most technical and refractory ceramics to the U.S.?

Top retained sources in 2025: Japan ($408.4M at 8.66%), Mexico ($309.1M at 0.1%), Germany ($114.2M at 10.49%). Japan holds 31.6% of total family import customs value. Retained sources cover 89%; their HHI is 1760, a lower bound whose floor falls in the moderately concentrated range without classifying the omitted tail.

How much technical and refractory ceramics does the U.S. import?

$1.3B of customs value in 2025, with $129.1M in USITC Calculated Duties — an effective calculated-duty rate of 9.99%.

Is the U.S. a net importer of technical and refractory ceramics?

Yes — a net importer in 2025: $1.3B imported vs $1.1B exported (exports are 83% of imports).

Tariff monitor · Other Families

Technical and Refractory Ceramics: Statutory & Effective Tariff Rates

USITC Column 1 General rates for 9 technical and refractory ceramics HTS lines (parseable range 0%–4.5%). Effective rate Jun 2026: 9.43%; monthly history since 2014.

The short answer

The observed effective calculated-duty rate on U.S. imports of technical and refractory ceramics was 9.43% in Jun 2026, down from 10.52% a year earlier — USITC Calculated Duties divided by covered customs value. The Column 1 General line-rate range is 0%–4.5% 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. Japan is the largest source, holding 31.6% of 2025 imports.

Statutory rates from the schedule

Crucibles, kiln furniture, nozzles, and wear parts — refractory and technical ceramics for high-heat and abrasive service. This family covers HTS headings 6903, 6909: 9 eight-digit rate lines with a parseable Column 1 General range of 0%–4.5% 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, 9903.90.08) identify provisions to review; applicability and any additional duty depend on the entry facts.

Observed calculated-duty data

Latest month on record (2026-06): 9.43% effective on $133.6M of imports, versus 10.52% 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 $1.3B in customs value, with $129.1M in USITC reported calculated duty on $1.3B of covered customs value: an effective calculated-duty rate of 9.99%. 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 2.92%, so the observed rate rose 7.1 points.
Top source countries in 2025: Japan ($408.4M at 8.66%), Mexico ($309.1M at 0.1%), Germany ($114.2M at 10.49%), China ($98.3M at 45.75%), Poland ($52.3M at 10.45%).
Reported freight and insurance equaled 3.17% of covered customs value in 2025 ($36.4M total); charge coverage was 89% 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.
For scale, 2025 imports in this family equal 0.7% of the U.S. nonmetallic mineral products industry's $176B gross output (2025, BEA).

Representative rate lines

6903.10.00.00: Containing by weight more than 50 percent of free carbon · MFN Free
6903.20.00.00: Containing by weight more than 50 percent of alumina (Al2O3) or of a · MFN Free
6903.90.00: Other · MFN Free
6909.11.20.00: Machinery parts · MFN Free
6909.11.40.00: Other · MFN 4.5%
6909.12.00.00: Articles having a hardness equivalent to 9 or more on the Mohs scale · MFN 4%
6909.19.10.00: Ferrite core memories · MFN Free
6909.19.50: Other · MFN 4%

Frequently asked questions

What is the U.S. tariff rate on technical and refractory ceramics? USITC calculated duties imply an effective rate of 9.43% in Jun 2026 (calculated duties ÷ covered customs value, USITC DataWeb). The parseable Column 1 General line-rate range is 0%–4.5%; 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 technical and refractory ceramics? The parseable Column 1 General line-rate range is 0%–4.5% across the family's 9 eight-digit HTS lines in the 2026 Harmonized Tariff Schedule (headings 6903, 6909). “Free” means the official General field is literally Free for a line; it does not determine final entry liability.
Which countries supply the most technical and refractory ceramics to the U.S.? Top retained sources in 2025: Japan ($408.4M at 8.66%), Mexico ($309.1M at 0.1%), Germany ($114.2M at 10.49%). Japan holds 31.6% of total family import customs value. Retained sources cover 89%; their HHI is 1760, a lower bound whose floor falls in the moderately concentrated range without classifying the omitted tail.
How much technical and refractory ceramics does the U.S. import? $1.3B of customs value in 2025, with $129.1M in USITC Calculated Duties — an effective calculated-duty rate of 9.99%.
Is the U.S. a net importer of technical and refractory ceramics? Yes — a net importer in 2025: $1.3B imported vs $1.1B exported (exports are 83% of imports).

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.