Section 232 Aluminum at 50 Percent: 2026 Calculator and Worked Examples

The Section 232 rate on aluminum doubled from 25 percent to 50 percent on June 4 2025. The same proclamation expanded the derivative articles annex to cover additional chapter 84, 85, 87, and 94 product lines where aluminum content is significant. For mid-market importers of extrusion, sheet, plate, foil, or aluminum-rich derivative articles, the landed cost picture in 2026 is materially different from 2024.

This guide walks through the current scope, the smelt-and-cast origin rule, the derivative articles list, country arrangements as of mid-2026, and worked examples for the most common import lanes.

The current scope

The 50 percent rate applies to most of chapter 76 (aluminum and articles thereof):

• 7601 unwrought aluminum
• 7602 aluminum waste and scrap (in scope, often surprising)
• 7603 aluminum powders and flakes
• 7604 aluminum bars, rods, profiles
• 7605 aluminum wire
• 7606 to 7607 aluminum plates, sheets, strip, foil
• 7608 aluminum tubes and pipes
• 7609 fittings
• 7610 aluminum structures (windows, doors, building components)
• 7611 to 7613 containers
• 7614 stranded wire and cables
• 7615 table, kitchen, household articles
• 7616 other aluminum articles

Plus an expanding list of derivative articles in other chapters. The June 2025 expansion added items in 8418 (refrigerator parts), 8516 (electric heating parts), 8302 (fittings), 9403 (metal furniture), and several lines in 8708 (vehicle parts) where aluminum content is the dominant material.

Smelt-and-cast origin

The origin of aluminum for Section 232 purposes is determined by:

1. Where the primary aluminum was smelted (from alumina via the Hall-Heroult electrolytic process).
2. Where the molten aluminum was first cast into a solid form (ingot, billet, T-bar, or slab).

The commercial invoice country of export is irrelevant if the underlying smelt was in a different country. Mexican extrusion plants importing Chinese billet, then extruding into profile, then exporting to the US, generate Chinese-origin aluminum for Section 232. The Mexican exporter is on the commercial paperwork. Chinese smelt origin governs the duty.

For secondary aluminum (recycled from scrap), the origin is where the scrap was remelted and cast. A US scrap dealer who sends mixed scrap to a Vietnam remelt facility generates Vietnamese-origin secondary if the resulting ingot is poured in Vietnam.

Worked example: Chinese billet extruded in Mexico

A Mexican aluminum extrusion plant imports Chinese-smelt billet, extrudes 100,000 USD of HTS 7604.29 hollow profiles, and ships to a US building materials wholesaler.

Effective rate 75 percent. Note Section 232 anti-stack suppresses Section 122 but does NOT suppress Section 301. Both 232 and 301 can apply to the same aluminum product when origin is China.

USMCA wipes the MFN and the Section 122 anti-stack picks up. But the Chinese smelt origin means Section 232 and Section 301 both fire. The Mexican processing does not protect the importer from either.

Worked example: Norwegian primary aluminum

Norway is a major source of hydropower-driven primary aluminum (Hydro Sunndalsora, Karmoy). 500,000 USD of HTS 7601.10 unwrought aluminum, Norwegian origin.

Effective rate 50.25 percent. Norway has no quota arrangement; the full 50 percent applies. The 2018 era exemption for Norway was rescinded in 2025.

Worked example: Canadian rolled sheet

500,000 USD of HTS 7606.12 aluminum sheet, alloyed, rolled in Quebec from Canadian-smelt billet.

Effective rate 0.25 percent. Canadian-smelt aluminum inside the TRQ allocation is the lowest-duty source available to US importers in 2026. The TRQ allocation runs quarterly. CBP publishes the running fill rate. Importers should book early in the quarter to be sure of within-quota treatment.

Worked example: derivative article (refrigerator panel)

An aluminum refrigerator side panel, HTS 8418.99.80, made in Korea, with 60 percent aluminum value content. Invoice value 50,000 USD.

The derivative rule applies Section 232 to the aluminum-value portion only.

Effective rate 39.1 percent. The derivative split applies the 50 percent only to the aluminum value portion declared on the producer affidavit. Section 122 applies on the non-232 value layer (20,000) per the anti-stacking rule. If the affidavit is missing, CBP defaults to the full entry value being aluminum, applying the 50 percent to the full 50,000 USD (and suppressing the 122 layer entirely under the same anti-stacking rule).

Country arrangements (mid-2026)

Documentation CBP wants

• Mill test report or smelt certificate identifying the country of smelt and country of cast.
• Heat number traceability.
• For derivative articles, a producer affidavit identifying the aluminum value portion.
• For Canadian or Mexican TRQ entries, the quota allocation number.
• For EU arrangement entries, the quota category and the member state allocation reference.

Run your aluminum entry now

The LandedFees calculator includes the 50 percent Section 232 with smelt-and-cast logic, the current Canada and Mexico TRQ status, the EU and UK arrangement quotas, and the derivative annex value-split. Upload the commercial invoice and the engine returns the per-line landed cost with the correct origin.

Calculate an aluminum shipment

Section 122 status as of June 20 2026

The May 7 2026 Court of International Trade ruling in Oregon v. United States (consolidated with Burlap and Barrel v. United States) struck down the Section 122 proclamation. The Federal Circuit issued an administrative stay on May 12 2026, so CBP is still collecting the duty pending appeal. Importers paying now should preserve protest rights and refund claims in case the government loses on the merits. The underlying Section 122 authority sunsets July 24 2026 under the statutory 150-day ceiling, regardless of the appeal outcome, unless Congress extends or a fresh proclamation restarts the clock.

Citations

• Section 232 aluminum 50 percent proclamation June 4 2025: Federal Register Vol 90 No 107
• White and Case briefing on the proclamation: https://www.whitecase.com/insight-alert/trump-administration-increases-steel-and-aluminum-section-232-tariffs-50-and-narrows
• USITC Harmonized Tariff Schedule chapter 76: https://hts.usitc.gov/?query=7601
• CBP aluminum TRQ guidance: https://www.cbp.gov/trade/trade-community/programs-outreach/trade-publications
• Smelt-and-cast certification framework: 19 CFR Part 132