Trusted sources of U.S. Tariff Information and Duty Rates

Knowing where to find reliable tariff information is a necessary first step, though not a sufficient one on its own; applying it correctly to a specific product, supply chain, and trade flow is a separate exercise. What follows is a working reference to the sources we consider most reliable, and where each one’s limitations lie.

U.S. Sources

Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) The Harmonized Tariff Schedule, maintained by the U.S. International Trade Commission, is the official U.S. tariff database and the essential starting point for identifying a duty rate against a specific HS code.

Customs Binding Ruling Where a classification is genuinely uncertain, a binding ruling can be requested from U.S. Customs and Border Protection ahead of shipping, converting an interpretative judgment into a position CBP itself has confirmed in writing.

Local CBP port Local CBP ports can also be contacted directly for guidance, and U.S. customs brokers are able to run clearance simulations ahead of an actual shipment.

For the origin side of the analysis, the Congressional Research Service’s overview of U.S. rules of origin remains a useful reference despite its age. International Trade (Updated March 3, 2020): U.S Rules of Origin.

It is worth being clear on where legal responsibility sits throughout this process: the duty rate is ultimately determined by CBP, not by the importer, but the importer of record remains legally responsible for the accuracy of what is declared.

EU Sources

The European Commission’s Access2Markets tool gives EU exporters a practical way to check U.S. import duties, HS codes, and non-preferential origin requirements in one place, and now includes a section covering reciprocal duty positions. Its limitation is worth noting explicitly: it cannot simulate triangular trade, meaning it will not correctly model a scenario such as EU-origin goods shipped to the U.S. from a third country like China.

Access2Markets (European Commission)

UK Sources

The UK government’s own step-by-step guide provides a structured route for UK traders to establish the U.S. import duty applicable to their goods, and is a reasonable starting point for straightforward, non-triangulated trade flows.

UK Government’s Step-by-Step Guide

International Sources

The International Trade Centre’s Market Access Map shows current U.S. reciprocal import tariff rates across a wide range of countries, and carries the same limitation as the EU’s own tool: it cannot combine an origin country with a separate country of shipment, so goods of UK origin shipped from China will return the Chinese duty rate rather than the correct triangulated position. Where the objective is simply tracking how U.S. tariff policy itself is changing over time, the Atlantic Council’s tariff tracker provides a clear, regularly updated log of measures with links back to the underlying regulations.

ITC Market Access Map

Atlantic Council Tracker

Information Is Not the Same as Application

Locating the right source is the more straightforward half of this problem. The harder half is applying it correctly to a specific product, a specific supply chain, and a specific trade flow, particularly where that flow is triangulated across more than one origin and shipment country, which is exactly where the tools above reach their limits.

If you need certainty about how U.S. tariffs apply to your specific products or supply chain, feel free to reach out directly.