Get a Heads-Up When US-China Tariffs Change
The tariff layers that decide your landed cost - Section 301, Section 232, de minimis, and customs fees - each move on their own schedule. If you price orders off last quarter's rates, your margin math is quietly wrong. These emails exist so you hear about changes before they reach your customs bill, not after.
What you get
- A short email every month. What changed, dates to watch, and a simple cost example. Quiet months are short.
- A separate email only for important changes that can't wait. No "tips", no promotions.
- Checked against official sources before it's sent. Our regular monitoring checks the Federal Register, USTR, and CBP, and a person confirms every item against the official source before anything goes out.
- Plain English, with the source. Each item says who it affects and links the official notice, plus the calculator so you can rerun your numbers in seconds.
- Unsubscribe anytime. Double opt-in on the way in, one click on the way out.
US-China tariff rules have moved repeatedly through 2025-2026: a suspended de minimis exemption, a temporary Section 122 surcharge that expired, a separate Section 301 action that took effect the same day, and Section 301 and 232 rates that get revised by product. We updated our tariff guidance on 24 July when Section 122 expired and a separate Section 301 action took effect. Each change lands directly on your landed cost per unit. For the current picture, see today's China tariff rates.
Sample email
Our first monthly check-in, sent 29 September 2026, as subscribers received it.
Hi,
Where things stand
We found no change this month to the main tariffs on Chinese goods. Drone tariffs started 3 Sep (we sent an alert that day).
Coming up
- 1 Oct: customs processing fee. The minimum fee for a formal customs entry goes up by $1 (to $34.58) and the maximum by $19.36 (to $670.86). The percentage rate stays the same.
- 9 Nov: some tariff exemptions are due to end. Some Chinese products are exempt from the older Section 301 tariffs. Those exemptions end at 11:59pm Eastern on 9 Nov unless they're extended, and no extension has been announced. Ordering or shipping before the deadline doesn't lock in the exemption. What to do: ask your broker whether your entries use exemption code 9903.88.69 or 9903.88.70, and which customs entry date will apply to your next shipment.
- No date yet: possible lower tariffs on some household goods and toys. On 27 Sep the US and China published a list of 77 product codes that could get lower tariffs in future, including some toys and baby gear, small kitchen appliances, bed and table linen, and plastic tableware. Nothing has changed yet, and there's no rate or date. What to check: ask your broker whether your product matches the tariff code and any product restrictions on the list.
What it could cost
If your product has a November exemption and would otherwise pay the 25% tariff, losing it adds $2,500 for every $10,000 of goods.
Refunds
If you're owed a refund of the 2025 IEEPA tariffs that were struck down in court, ask your broker whether any refunds were rejected because bank details were missing. They can check report REV-613 (CBP says about 20,000 refunds were held up this way as of 11 Sep). And if UPS, FedEx or a DDP shipper was the importer on paper, the refund may go to them, not you. Our refund guide explains who gets it.
Every item is checked against the official source (sources checked through 28 Sep). If a date here affects an order you're planning, you can rerun the numbers in the calculator, or just reply with a question.
Best,
Saurav, Import Cost Calculator
Planning estimates, not legal or customs advice. You're getting this because you signed up for tariff updates at importcostcalculator.com.
Sign up for the monthly check-in
Frequently Asked Questions
How often will I get emailed?
Once a month, plus a separate email only when an important change can't wait for the next one.
Will the email cover my product?
Everyone gets the same email. We label updates that affect particular products so you can find what matters to you.
Which tariff changes do you track?
The layers that move a China-to-USA landed cost: Section 301 tariffs, Section 232 actions, the de minimis exemption rules, and the MPF and HMF customs fee levels. We updated our tariff guidance on 24 July when Section 122 expired and a separate Section 301 action took effect. Sources checked include the Federal Register, USTR, and CBP. For the current state of each layer, see today's China tariff rates.
Can I unsubscribe?
Yes, any time, with one click - every email includes an unsubscribe link. Signup uses double opt-in, so you also will not be subscribed at all unless you confirm from your inbox first. Your email address, the page or calculator category you signed up from, and any estimate you asked us to email are stored by our email service provider as described in the privacy policy.
Planning Information Only
These emails are general information, not legal, customs, tax, or financial advice. They summarize changes in plain English and link to official sources; always verify rates against the USITC, USTR, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, or a licensed customs broker, before committing money to an order.