Swanum › Import duty › Paper towels › China
Paper towels tariff & import duty from China to the USA (2026) — HTS 4818.20.00.20
37.5%
HTS code 4818.20.00.20 · Paper towels · origin China · data as of 2026-11-02
A shipment of paper towels entering the United States from China is classified under HTS code 4818.20.00.20 and pays 37.5% total import duty on its customs value. That is the 0% normal (MFN) rate plus Section 301, which is a separate heading in Chapter 99 of the tariff schedule. The duty is worked out on the customs value of the goods, which is normally what you paid for them; freight, insurance, customs brokerage and any merchandise processing fee come on top and are not included in the figure above.
Import duty calculator
How the rate is built up
| Layer | Heading | Rate | As the schedule words it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal duty (MFN, column 1-General) | 4818.20.00.20 | 0% | Free |
| Section 301 (China) | 9903.88.03 | 25% | The duty provided in the applicable subheading + 25% |
| Section 301 (forced labor, by country) | 9903.05.31 | 12.5% | The duty provided in the applicable subheading + 12.5% |
| Total | 37.5% | ||
Common ways this question is asked
- What is the tariff on paper towels from China? 37.5% of the customs value, all layers included.
- What is the HTS code for paper towels?
4818.20.00.20. - How much is the import tax from China to the USA on paper towels? The table above shows every duty that applies and the heading each one comes from.
- Who pays it? The importer of record pays the duty to CBP at entry, not the seller abroad.
What each of these duties is
Normal duty (MFN, column 1-General)
The normal duty is the column 1-General rate the Harmonized Tariff Schedule sets for this code. Every country the United States trades with normally pays it unless a trade agreement or a preference programme says otherwise.
Section 301 (China)
Section 301 is the extra duty on goods of Chinese origin that sits on top of the normal rate. Which list a code falls on is set out in the Chapter 99 headings.
Section 301 (forced labor, by country)
Since July 24, 2026 a Section 301 duty of 10% or 12.5% applies to goods from 60 economies that do not ban imports made with forced labor. It replaced the Section 122 surcharge, which had replaced the IEEPA "reciprocal" and fentanyl tariffs the Supreme Court struck down on February 20, 2026. For the EU, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland and Taiwan it works as a floor: the normal rate is topped up to 10% or 12.5%.
What the code rests on
Toilet paper and similar paper, cellulose wadding or webs of cellulose fibers, of a kind used for household or sanitary purposes, in rolls of a width not exceeding 36 cm, or cut to size or shape; handkerchiefs, cleansing tissues, towels, tablecloths, table napkins, bed sheets and similar household, sanitary or hospital articles, articles of apparel and clothing accessories, of paper pulp, paper, cellulose wadding or webs of cellulose fibers: > Handkerchiefs, cleansing or facial tissues and towels > Towels
Sources
Other origins
This page is information, not legal or customs advice. The final classification and the duty owed are decided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at entry. All products · Classify a whole list (free during beta) · Duty by country: report and data
More tools from Swanum: Vinted sold prices