Methodology

Data snapshot: 21 Oct 2026. Verify before relying.

1. Base duty (HTSUS)

We fetch the line live from the USITC HTS REST API (cached 24 hours). 10-digit statistical lines inherit the rate of their 8-digit parent. We parse ad valorem (%), specific (¢ or $ per unit) and compound rates. Specific duties need a quantity in the HTS unit. If you claim a preference, we use the special rate for your origin's program (e.g. USMCA "S"); column 2 applies to Cuba, North Korea, Russia and Belarus.

2. Section 232

Our maintained table covers 14 programs. Steel, aluminum, copper, autos and parts, trucks, buses, lumber, upholstered furniture and cabinets are calculated; semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, drones and polysilicon are flagged only because coverage is product-specific. Derivatives are charged on metal content (you enter the %).

3. Section 301 China

Starter table of 20 HTS prefixes with list, rate and a confidence level. Codes not in the table produce a warning, not a zero. Exclusions expire 2026-11-09.

4. Section 301 forced labor

60 economies from CBP CSMS #69326983. "Add" mode adds 10% or 12.5%; "floor" mode (EU, Japan, Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan) raises column 1 + 301 to the floor, using the ad valorem equivalent for specific rates. Exempt: Section 232 articles, USMCA-claimed goods from Canada/Mexico, and starter lists for informational materials, pharmaceuticals and civil aircraft. Economy-specific annex exemptions are not yet modelled.

5. Other

Brazil Section 301 (25%) is calculated. Canada Section 338 and AD/CVD are flagged, not calculated. AD/CVD forces formal entry. De minimis is never applied (suspended).

6. Fees (FY2027)

MPF 0.3464%, min $34.58, max $670.86 on formal entries (value > $2,500 or AD/CVD); informal $2.77. MPF is waived when an exempt FTA program is claimed. HMF 0.125%, ocean only.

7. Customs value

Transaction value excludes international freight and insurance when separately identified (19 CFR 152.103). For C- and D-terms, we deduct the freight and insurance you enter.

8. CBM and containers

Container internals from Hapag-Lloyd specs. Chargeable weight divisors 6,000 (air) and 5,000 (courier), and LCL at 1,000 kg = 1 CBM, are common conventions. The 85% loading efficiency is an assumption you can change.

9. Testing

A suite of unit tests covers 25+ HTS/origin cases using real HTS rates fetched from the USITC on 21 Oct 2026. Expected values reflect our reading of the rules and need licensed-broker verification.