Section 232 tariffs are additional duties on steel, aluminum, and copper — and, importantly, on finished products that merely contain those metals. The rates are high, and there is no public tool to look up whether your product is covered: it's determined from the tariff proclamations and your product's classification. That makes this a topic to work through with your customs broker. This article explains what Section 232 is and the process to review with them.
What Section 232 Is
Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 lets the President impose tariffs on imports treated as a national-security concern. The active programs cover steel, aluminum, and copper. There are two ways it can reach your product:
- The product is the metal — steel, aluminum, or copper articles.
- The product is a "derivative" — a finished good that contains steel, aluminum, or copper (for example, a product with metal parts or a metal housing). The derivative lists have expanded significantly, and this is the case that catches people off guard.
As of this writing, the additional duty is 50% on steel, aluminum, and copper, and generally 25% on derivative products, with a reduced 15% rate extended to certain categories (such as some agricultural equipment, residential HVAC systems, and certain machinery). Products that are 15% or less metal by content are no longer covered. These rates and lists change frequently — your broker confirms the current figure.
Two things make Section 232 a specialist calculation: the duty applies only to the metal content of the product (your other tariffs apply to the rest of the value), and the amount depends on the value and weight of that metal content — which your broker reports under specific tariff codes.
Why There's No Self-Check
Unlike Section 301, there is no public "enter your HTS code" search tool for Section 232. Coverage is set by presidential proclamations and their tariff-code annexes, read against your product's classification and metal content. Determining it is customs work. The official program reference, for those who want the source, is the Bureau of Industry and Security: https://www.bis.gov/about-bis/bis-leadership-and-offices/SIES/section-232-investigations/section-232-steel-aluminum.
A Note on Exclusions
This changed recently and matters: the Section 232 product-exclusion process is closed. As of February 10, 2025, Commerce no longer accepts or issues new exclusions; only exclusions granted before then remain, until they expire. So for most importers there is no exclusion to apply for. (A separate "inclusions" process now exists, but it only adds products to the tariff — it does not reduce your duty.) Ask your broker whether any previously granted exclusion still applies to your product, but don't count on one.
The Process to Review With Your Broker
- Determine whether your product is covered — as metal or as a derivative. The surprising one is derivatives: a finished product with steel, aluminum, or copper components can be pulled in. Ask your broker whether your product's classification is on the current Section 232 lists.
- Confirm the rate and what it applies to. Ask which rate applies (the metal rate, the derivative rate, or a reduced-category rate) and confirm the duty is charged on the metal content, with your other duties applying to the rest.
- Confirm how the metal content is measured and reported. The duty depends on the value and weight of the steel, aluminum, or copper content. Make sure you can get that content and value from your supplier, because your broker needs it to file correctly.
- Check for any legacy exclusion. Ask whether a previously granted exclusion still covers your product, since no new ones are being issued.
- Confirm it's documented. Metal content, values, and origin — documented so you can support the entry if Customs asks.
The Questions to Bring to Your Broker
- Is my product subject to Section 232 — as a metal product, or as a derivative that contains steel, aluminum, or copper?
- What rate applies, and is it charged only on the metal content?
- How is the metal content's value and weight determined and reported, and what do I need from my supplier to support it?
- Does any previously granted exclusion still apply to my product?
- Are we documenting metal content and origin so we can defend the entry?
This is general guidance, not legal advice. Section 232 rates, product lists, and procedures change frequently and are fact-specific — confirm how they apply to your goods with a licensed customs broker before relying on them.
Do you know whether any of your products — or their metal components — fall under Section 232, or would a duty on the metal content catch you by surprise? We'd like to hear how you handle it.