Aluminum Tariff Change Coming March 12

On February 10, 2025, President Trump signed a Proclamation on Adjusting Imports of Aluminum into the United States.

Effective March 12 at 12:01 am ET, all imports of certain aluminum articles and derivative aluminum articles shall be subject to the additional ad valorem tariffs under Section 232 at 25%. This tariff action increases Section 232 aluminum tariffs from 10% to 25%. The revised duty rate is applicable to all countries of origin except for aluminum smelted or cast in Russia shall be subject to the previously established 200% duty rate.

Over the past few years, several exemptions and product exclusions have been granted to goods of specific country of origins, to importers of specific products, and on specific Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) numbers. All country of origin and general approved exclusions (GAEs) will be revoked. Importer-specific exclusions will continue to be available until their expiration or until excluded product volume is imported, whichever occurs first.

The proclamation includes language that allows the addition of new aluminum derivative products and mentions steep monetary penalties in the case of misclassification that leads to non-payment of Section 232 duties.

What to Expect

More Details

A Federal Register notice will be published soon. It will contain additional details and confirm the information in the proclamation.

Exclusions

Country of Origin Exemptions

Products of these countries of origin will no longer be exempt from Section 232 aluminum tariffs. This includes origins that have been eligible for an absolute and tariff-rate quota.

• Argentina
• Australia
• Canada
• Mexico
• EU member countries
• United Kingdom

Importer-Specific Exclusions

• The product exclusion process will be terminated.
• As of 11:59 pm ET on Feb 10, 2025, the Secretary shall not consider any product exclusion requests or renew any requests in effect.
• Granted product exclusions shall remain effective until their expiration date or until excluded product volume is imported, whichever occurs first.

General Approved Exclusions

All existing General Approved Exclusions shall be terminated as of March 12, 2025.

New for Derivative Aluminum Articles

• Derivative aluminum articles will be identified in the annex (that will be published in the Federal Register)
• Section 232 duties shall not apply to derivative aluminum articles processed in another country from aluminum articles that were smelted and cast in the U.S.
• Importers will need to provide any information necessary to identify the aluminum content used in the manufacture of aluminum derivative article imports.
• Within 90 days, the Secretary shall establish a process for including additional derivative aluminum articles.

Drawback

No drawback shall be available for these duties.

Aluminum Smelted or Cast in Russia

All imports of derivative aluminum articles specified in Annex I to this proclamation that are the product of Russia and all imports of derivative aluminum articles specified in Annex I to this proclamation where any amount of primary aluminum used in the manufacture of the derivative aluminum articles is smelted in Russia, or the derivative aluminum articles are cast in Russia, shall be subject to the 200 percent ad valorem rate of duty.

Primary aluminum is defined as new aluminum metal that is produced from alumina (or aluminum oxide) by the electrolytic Hall-Heroult process.  

If Misclassification is Discovered

CBP shall prioritize reviews of the classification of imported aluminum articles and derivative aluminum articles and, in the event that it discovers misclassification resulting in loss of revenue of the ad valorem duties proclaimed herein, it shall assess monetary penalties in the maximum amount permitted by law. In addition, CBP shall promptly notify the Secretary regarding evidence of any efforts to evade payment of the ad valorem duties proclaimed herein through processing or alteration of aluminum articles or derivative aluminum articles as a disguise or artifice prior to importation.In such circumstances, the Secretary shall consider the processed or altered aluminum articles or derivative aluminum articles for inclusion as derivative aluminum articles pursuant to clause 5 of this proclamation.

HTSUS Subject to Section 232

These are the tariff numbers that are currently subject to the Section 232 aluminum tariffs. Additional number may be included in the forthcoming Federal Register notice.

Aluminum Articles

(i) unwrought aluminum provided for in heading 7601:

(ii) bars, rods and profiles provided for in heading 7604; wire provided for in heading 7605;

(iii) plates, sheets and strip provided for in heading 7606; foil provided for in heading 7607;

(iv) tubes, pipes and tube or pipe fittings provided for in heading 7608 and 7609;

(v) castings and forgings of aluminum provided for in subheading 7616.99.51.

Derivative Aluminum Articles

(A) stranded wire, cables, plaited bands and the like, including slings and similar articles, of aluminum and with steel core, not electrically insulated; the foregoing fitted with fittings or made up into articles (described in subheading 7614.10.50);

(B) stranded wire, cables, plaited bands and the like, including slings and similar articles, of aluminum and not with steel core, not electrically insulated; the foregoing comprising electrical conductors, not fitted with fittings or made up into articles (described in subheading 7614.90.20);

(C) stranded wire, cables, plaited bands and the like, including slings and similar articles, of aluminum and not with steel core, not electrically insulated; the foregoing not comprising electrical conductors, not fitted with fittings or made up into articles (described in subheading 7614.90.40);

(D) stranded wire, cables, plaited bands and the like, including slings and similar articles, of aluminum and not with steel core, not electrically insulated; the foregoing fitted with fittings or made up into articles (described in subheading 7614.90.50);

(E) bumper stampings of aluminum, the foregoing comprising parts and accessories of the motor vehicles of heading 8701 to 8705 (described in subheading 8708.10.30); and (F) body stampings of aluminum, for tractors suitable for agricultural use (described in subheading 8708.29.21).

We will continue to monitor this tariff action and provide updates as they become available.