Stainless steel in ingots or other primary forms — HTS 7218
Stainless steel in ingots or other primary forms; semi-finished products of stainless steel
Chapter 72 › Heading 7218
2026 HTS Rev 19 Synced Rules verified Operational
Written to help non-specialists understand this page. Rates, dates, and legal facts come from the official records above and on the linked source.
HTS heading 7218 is a broad product category for stainless steel in basic or partly processed forms. It covers stainless steel ingots and other primary forms, plus semi-finished products such as certain slabs, billets, blooms, and similar shapes that are not yet finished into a final article.
To reach the correct 8-digit HTSUS code, first confirm that the merchandise belongs in heading 7218 rather than a heading for finished stainless-steel products. Then use the lower-level tariff provisions, which commonly distinguish the material’s form, dimensions, cross-sectional shape, manufacturing condition, and other product characteristics. The product’s technical description and physical condition at import are usually more important than its commercial name.
What to check
- Confirm the item is stainless steel and is imported as an ingot, primary form, or semi-finished product—not as a finished bar, sheet, wire, tube, fitting, or other article.
- Identify the precise form: for example, ingot, slab, billet, bloom, or another semi-finished shape, and record its cross-sectional dimensions where relevant.
- Review the material specification, including the steel grade, chemical composition, and any alloy or metallurgical details required by the applicable subheading.
- Compare the product’s mill certificates, drawings, invoices, packing lists, and physical measurements with the wording of the candidate 8-digit provisions.
- Check the current HTSUS notes, statistical subdivisions, and applicable classification guidance; ask a customs broker or seek a binding ruling when the form or material classification is unclear.
HTS heading 7218 summary
Stainless steel in ingots or other primary forms is a 4-digit product category containing 1 published product-code lines in this snapshot. A heading does not carry one universal duty rate; classification must be narrowed to the line matching the product facts.
How to find your code in this category
A heading is a product category. To get the exact duty, narrow from this 4-digit heading to a sub-category (usually by material), then open the 8-digit code that matches your product.
Open any code in the tables below to see its exact duty rate, a duty calculator (enter your shipment value → estimated duty and landed cost), the rate-change history chart, and the country-by-country breakdown (including Section 301/232 add-on duties).
Why you have to click in: a single category can contain products with very different duties. The rate depends on the specific product — its material and construction — and on the country of origin, and those only get pinned down at the 8-digit code level. That is why this page points you to codes instead of showing one rate for the whole category.
Product codes & duty rates
👇 Each row is a specific product code — click a blue code to open its full page with exact duty rates by country, the rate-history chart, and a duty calculator. 👉
| Code | Description | General (MFN) | Special | Column 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7218.10.00.00 👉 | Ingots and other primary forms | Free | — | 29% |
"Special" shows the free-trade-agreement rate; open a code to see exactly which countries qualify.
Common questions
What products fall under HTS heading 7218?
Stainless steel in ingots or other primary forms; semi-finished products of stainless steel. To classify a specific item you must pick the matching sub-category and 8-digit code above; the right choice usually depends on the material and construction of the product.
How do I choose the right code within this category?
Start from the sub-categories (typically divided by material—for example cotton versus man-made fibers), then open the active 8- or 10-digit code that matches the product. When unsure, a licensed customs broker or a CBP binding ruling can confirm the classification.
Reference information only, not customs, legal, or classification advice. Confirm the current code and rate against the official HTS before you import.