9903.82.21 Consolidated Metal 232: CA/MX Low US Content, 0% Duty

Key Points

• HTS 9903.82.21 carries a 0 percent additional duty rate under the Consolidated Metal 232 program, effective June 8, 2026 through January 1, 2028.
• The heading applies to goods of Canadian or Mexican origin whose U.S. content is 40 percent or less of the total value of the article.
• This is an exemption or exception heading within the 9903.82 block: it zeroes out an otherwise-applicable Section 232 metals duty rather than imposing one.
• Goods entered under 9903.82.21 are explicitly not eligible for the S122 exemption under 9903.03.06.
• The announced termination date is January 1, 2028; entries on or after that date cannot rely on this heading without further government action.

On this page

1. What 9903.82.21 is and who needs it
2. Scope: which goods and countries qualify
3. The 0% rate and its effective window
4. How this heading stacks with other duties
5. How the heading appears on a customs entry
6. The S122 / 9903.03.06 ineligibility rule
7. What importers should do
8. Key references

HTS 9903.82.21 is a zero-duty exemption heading within the Consolidated Metal 232 program. It applies, as of June 8, 2026, to articles of Canadian or Mexican origin that contain 40 percent or less U.S. content by value, relieving those goods of any additional Section 232 metals duty that would otherwise be owed. If your supply chain runs steel, aluminum, or copper through Canada or Mexico and includes a modest amount of U.S.-origin input, this heading is the specific instrument that determines your duty exposure.

The links in this article go to the primary documents: the proclamations, Federal Register notices, and official tariff schedule pages themselves. Read the source.

What 9903.82.21 is and who needs it

The 9903.82 block is the Chapter 99 home for the Consolidated Metal 232 regime, which consolidates Section 232 duties on steel, aluminum, and copper articles. Within that block, individual headings either impose an additional duty rate or, as here, operate as exception or exemption provisions that set the additional duty to zero for a defined subset of entries.

9903.82.21 is the latter kind. Its official heading text reads: "CA/MX US content <= 40% of value; 0% (2nd line, qty 0); NOT eligible for S122 9903.03.06 exemption." The rate column is 0 percent additional duty. The heading does not itself impose a charge; it is the line you claim to confirm that no additional Consolidated Metal 232 duty applies to your shipment.

The importers and brokers who need to pay close attention are those importing covered metals articles that originate in Canada or Mexico and that incorporate some, but not a dominant share, of U.S.-origin material. As of August 2026, this is a live, active heading.

For closely related headings in the same program block, see our articles on 9903.82.20 (USMCA derivative steel, 25% duty), 9903.82.18 (steel exemption heading), and 9903.82.19 (aluminum exemption heading).

Scope: which goods and countries qualify

Country of origin

The heading is limited to goods whose country of origin is Canada or Mexico. Origin is determined under standard CBP rules. Goods transshipped through Canada or Mexico without a genuine change of origin do not qualify; confirm actual origin documentation is in order before claiming this heading. CBP actively pursues transshipment schemes, as detailed in our article on transshipment customs fraud.

U.S. content threshold

The defining criterion is a U.S. content percentage of 40 percent or less of the total value of the article. An article with more than 40 percent U.S. content by value does not fall under 9903.82.21. Confirm whether a different heading in the 9903.82 block governs higher U.S.-content goods, and verify the calculation methodology in the current Harmonized Tariff Schedule or with your broker.

Product coverage

The heading sits within the Consolidated Metal 232 block covering steel, aluminum, and copper articles. The facts block does not specify a narrower product list at the 9903.82.21 level. Confirm precise product scope, including any applicable Chapter 99 notes, in the current HTSUS.

The 0% rate and its effective window

The additional duty rate under 9903.82.21 is 0 percent. This rate took effect on June 8, 2026, and the announced termination date is January 1, 2028.

Between June 8, 2026, and January 1, 2028, qualifying entries claim this heading and owe zero additional Consolidated Metal 232 duty on the applicable merchandise. Entries before June 8, 2026, or on and after January 1, 2028, cannot rely on this heading without further government action extending or modifying the program. Monitor Federal Register notices and CBP guidance for any modification before the announced termination date.

How this heading stacks with other duties

Chapter 99 exemption headings like 9903.82.21 zero out the specific additional duty they govern, but they do not affect other simultaneously applicable duties. Your entry will still owe:

• The standard column 1 general rate of duty from the applicable Chapter 1 through 97 classification line.
• Any antidumping or countervailing duties assessed under a separate AD/CVD order. If you are unsure whether your product falls within an AD/CVD order's scope, see our article on AD/CVD scope rulings.
• Any other Chapter 99 additional duties that apply to the same goods under different programs, for example Section 301 or Section 201 duties, unless a separate exemption heading eliminates those as well.

The 0 percent rate under 9903.82.21 applies only to the Consolidated Metal 232 additional duty column. All other obligations remain. Use our duty calculator to model your full landed cost across all applicable duty layers.

How the heading appears on a customs entry

Chapter 99 headings are "second-line" or "secondary" HTS codes. On an ACE entry summary, you report the primary Chapter 1-97 classification on one line, then add 9903.82.21 as a second HTS line for the same article. The quantity reported on the 9903.82.21 line is zero, consistent with the heading's "qty 0" notation in the official text. CBP uses the secondary line to flag and process the exemption claim.

Ensure your entry summary presents both lines correctly. An omitted or incorrectly coded Chapter 99 line can result in the system assessing the full applicable Section 232 rate rather than the zero exemption rate. Confirm current ACE filing requirements with your broker or at cbp.gov.

The S122 / 9903.03.06 ineligibility rule

The official heading text for 9903.82.21 explicitly states that goods entered under this heading are NOT eligible for the S122 exemption available under 9903.03.06. This is a material restriction. If you have been relying on both a Consolidated Metal 232 exemption heading and the S122 provision for the same entry line, those two cannot be combined when 9903.82.21 is the applicable heading.

Importers who have structured their supply chain or duty calculations around stacking these two provisions should review their entries. Confirm the interaction with your customs broker and check the current HTSUS notes at hts.usitc.gov. Do not assume the S122 path is available simply because it applies to other headings in the same program block.

What importers should do

• Verify origin and U.S. content documentation for all Canadian and Mexican-origin metal articles: confirm that your supplier can substantiate a U.S. content figure at or below 40 percent of value before you claim 9903.82.21 on any entry.
• Audit open and upcoming entries to ensure the Chapter 99 second line is coded as 9903.82.21 with quantity zero, and that no 9903.03.06 S122 claim is being applied to the same line.
• Set a calendar reminder well before January 1, 2028, to check the Federal Register and CBP CSMS messages for any extension, modification, or termination of the heading.
• Model your full duty stack, including column 1 duties and any applicable AD/CVD orders, separately from the Consolidated Metal 232 exemption, because the 0 percent rate under this heading does not eliminate those obligations.

Key references

• Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (USITC): the authoritative schedule where 9903.82.21 and all Chapter 99 notes are published.
• Federal Register (federalregister.gov): search for Consolidated Metal 232 notices and any modifications to the 9903.82 block.
• White House (whitehouse.gov): proclamations establishing and amending the Section 232 metals program.
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection (cbp.gov): CSMS messages, ACE filing guidance, and entry summary instructions for Chapter 99 secondary lines.
• 9903.82.20: USMCA Derivative Steel, 25% Duty: the duty-imposing companion heading in the same program block for USMCA-origin derivative steel.
• 9903.82.18: Steel Exemption Heading Explained: parallel exemption heading analysis for steel articles.
• 9903.82.19: Aluminum Exemption Heading: parallel exemption heading analysis for aluminum articles.
• 2026 Tariff Code Overview: CustomsGenius reference page for Chapter 99 codes active in 2026.