Free calculator · checked 14 October 2026
Section 232 metal-content calculator
Since 6 April 2026, Section 232 duty on steel, aluminium and copper products is charged on the full customs value, not just the metal. A product escapes only if each metal is 15% or less of its value. Check yours here and print the worksheet as proof.
How the 15% test works
- Find the unit customs value. The price per unit on the commercial invoice, in US dollars.
- Cost the raw metal in each component. Ask your supplier for the metal cost (weight × metal price), not the price of the finished part.
- Add up each metal separately. Steel, aluminium and copper are tested one at a time. Three metals at 12% each still pass.
- Divide by the unit value. If every metal is 15% or less, Section 232 doesn't apply. If any one is over, the whole customs value pays.
There's no partial credit. At 16% steel, duty is charged on 100% of the value. That's why a few cents of metal can matter.
Which rate?
| Rate | Applies to |
|---|---|
| 50% | Steel and aluminium articles, most copper articles, and near-pure derivatives such as coil, sheet, rod and bar |
| 25% | Derivative products made substantially of metal |
| 15% | Transitional rate to 31 Dec 2027 for certain metal-intensive equipment: some agricultural machinery, residential HVAC and industrial machinery |
| 10% | Metal melted and poured (steel) or smelted and cast (aluminium) in the US, with documents. From 8 June 2026 this needs 85% US content |
| 0% | Every covered metal is at or under 15% of the customs value |
Goods that pay Section 232 are left out of the Section 301 tariff that started on 24 July 2026, so the 232 rate replaces it rather than adding to it. Goods under the 15% line go back to the normal duty plus any Section 301 tariff for their origin. Check that with the US price checker.
Keep the proof
Customs can ask how you worked out the metal shares. Keep the worksheet with each entry, along with your supplier's metal cost breakdown. Update it when you change supplier, design, or when metal prices move a lot.
Sources: Freight Figures on the 15% metal-content test; Beancount small-business guide to Section 232; BDO on the expanded and recalibrated metals tariffs; proclamations effective 6 April 2026 and 8 June 2026. Checked 14 Oct 2026. This is general information, not legal or customs advice. Confirm the rate and your classification with a licensed customs broker.