About the FTA Tariff Tool

What is the FTA Tariff Tool?

The FTA Tariff Tool is an online resource to help you determine the tariff, or tax at the border, that certain foreign countries will collect when your product crosses into their country. In trade agreements, countries commit to lowering tariff rates over time to zero. The FTA Tariff Data Tool is a database with all of the rates the United States’ Free Trade Agreement (FTA) partners have committed to implementing and maintaining.

What is your product’s HS Code?

You need to know your product’s HS code . The HS code can be a 6, 8 or 10 digit number used for a category of products. Unfortunately, the HS code terminology can be somewhat arcane. For example, a computer is referred to as an automated data processing machine in HS code terminology. However, the Census Bureau has developed a cross-reference of everyday terms to HS terminology, and they provide phone support if the database does not work.

Does your product meet the rule of origin?

Under FTAs, tariffs are eventually eliminated for almost all products that meet the agreement’s rule of origin. A rule of origin specifies how a product receives originating status in order to take advantage of the agreement’s tariff reductions and related provisions.

With this information, you can use the FTA Tariff Tool to look up the tariff rate for your product today, as well as identify when in the future the tariff rate will go down further or be eliminated altogether.

Please note: The FTA Tariff Tool only displays the preferential tariff rates negotiated under the U.S. trade agreements. In some instances, FTA partner countries may have unilaterally reduced their most-favored nation (MFN) tariff rate below the FTA rate. In these instances, U.S. exports would receive the MFN rate and not receive preferential treatment into that market. Additionally, the FTA Tariff Tool does not account for changes to the tariff nomenclature since the trade agreements were concluded.

Additional limitations to the FTA Tariff Tool are that it only includes trading partners with which the U.S. has a trade agreement, and product descriptions for tariff schedules not published in English are in a foreign language, such as Spanish or French.

Notes about the Data

Dominican Republic and Costa Rica – the U.S.-Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) entered into force for most of the Central American countries in 2006. However, the FTA did not enter into force for the Dominican Republic until March 1, 2007 and for Costa Rica until January 1, 2009. Under the terms of the agreement, the tariff reductions implemented by those countries were “caught up” as if they entered into force in 2006. This database reflects that.

NAFTA, Israel, Jordan—this database does not include tariff and trade data for the North American Free Trade Agreement, the U.S.-Israel FTA, and the U.S.-Jordan FTA. As of 2010, the tariff rates negotiated under these agreements have been fully implemented.

Product Coverage—currently the database includes tariff and trade information for all products.

Tariff Nomenclature—the tariff information contained in this database includes the tariff nomenclature of the United States and its FTA partners at the time the individual agreements were negotiated. The database does not account for recent changes or updates to U.S. or FTA partner tariff nomenclatures. For the most up-to-date information on the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule, consult the U.S. International Trade Commission. For up-to-date information on FTA partner’s tariff schedules, consult the customs authorities of the FTA partner.