China Section 301 Tariffs Continue; 178 Exclusions Expire Nov 9
The China Section 301 tariffs are staying. On October 7, 2026, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) published a notice confirming that the tariffs first imposed in 2018 did not terminate at their four-year mark and remain in effect. At the same time, the 178 product exclusions that still shield some goods from these duties are set to expire on November 9, 2026, unless USTR extends them. Here is what was confirmed, what is still open, and what importers should check now.
What USTR confirmed
According to the Federal Register notice (91 FR 64212, Oct 7, 2026), USTR began the second statutory four-year review of the two China Section 301 actions on May 6, 2026, and notified domestic industries of the possible termination. Because it "received requests for continuation of both actions," the actions "have not terminated and will remain in effect, subject to possible further modifications, including any modifications resulting from the statutory four-year review."
- Requests received. Gateway Lines (Oct 6, 2026) reports 68 producer and 18 association requests to continue the July 6, 2018 action, and 57 producer and 19 association requests for the August 23, 2018 action.
- No rate changes. The tariffs range from 7.5% to 25% depending on the list and cover about $370 billion of imports from China across Lists 1 to 4A, according to Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg (Oct 8, 2026).
- A review is coming. ST&R says a separate notice will describe the review process, with a comment period on the tariffs' effectiveness and economic effects, including on consumers.
| List | Effective | Rate | Scope (per Gateway Lines) |
|---|---|---|---|
| List 1 | July 6, 2018 | 25% | 818 tariff subheadings, about $34 billion a year |
| List 2 | August 23, 2018 | 25% | 279 subheadings, about $16 billion |
| List 3 | Later addition | 25% | — |
| List 4A | Later addition | 7.5% | — |
The November 9 exclusion deadline
Gateway Lines reports that 178 product exclusions remain and expire at 11:59 p.m. Eastern on November 9, 2026, unless extended; as of October 6, no extension had been published. These are what is left of a much longer list:
"Unless USTR extends them again, excluded goods entered on or after Nov. 10 pay the Section 301 duty of their list," Gateway Lines writes. Its worked example: on a $100,000 shipment of a List 3 product, a lapsed exclusion adds 25%, or $25,000; on a List 4A product, 7.5%, or $7,500.
What it means for sellers (our analysis)
Plan on Section 301 staying through 2027. The review could modify the tariffs, but nothing in the notice suggests a quick removal. Price and margin plans for China-made goods should assume these duties continue.
Check whether any of your products use an exclusion. Only 178 product types are excluded, so many sellers will not be affected, but if your broker has been claiming one, the duty on your next shipments could jump after November 9. Ask your broker now.
Time shipments carefully. If you rely on an exclusion, goods entered on or before November 9 still qualify. Ocean transit takes weeks, so check arrival and entry dates, not ship dates.
Watch for the review notice. The comment period is a chance for importers and industry groups to explain how the tariffs affect them. Keep an eye on USTR and Federal Register announcements.
Remember that Section 301 is only one layer of US duties on Chinese goods. See our guides on finding your HTS code and duty rate and the US–China truce and 30-for-30 list. This article is general information, not legal advice.
Checklist for importers
- Confirm the Section 301 list and rate for each of your HTS codes.
- Ask your broker whether any entries use a Section 301 exclusion.
- If yes, map shipments that will enter after November 9 and recalculate landed cost.
- Update 2027 pricing assumptions to include Section 301 duties.
- Follow USTR for the four-year review notice and comment deadline.
How Atronia Innovations can help
From Los Angeles and Shenzhen, we help Chinese factories and brands sell on Amazon, Walmart and TikTok Shop, including landed-cost pricing and logistics planning. Talk to our team.
Sources
- Federal Register — Continuation of Actions: China's acts, policies, and practices related to technology transfer, IP and innovation, 91 FR 64212 (Oct 7, 2026)
- Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg — Section 301 tariffs on imports from China officially continued (Oct 8, 2026)
- Gateway Lines — China Section 301 tariffs stay; 178 exclusions end Nov. 9 (Oct 6, 2026)
