Paper towels import duty from the European Union to the USA (2026) — HTS 4818.20.00.20

15%

HTS code 4818.20.00.20 · Paper towels · origin the European Union · data as of 2026-09-22

A shipment of paper towels entering the United States from the European Union is classified under HTS code 4818.20.00.20 and pays 15% total import duty on its customs value. That is the 0% normal (MFN) rate plus Reciprocal tariff, 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

Common ways this question is asked

• What is the tariff on paper towels from the European Union? 15% 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 the European Union 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.

Reciprocal tariff

The reciprocal tariff is the across-the-board rate applied to a trading partner. For some partners a ceiling applies, so the reciprocal rate and the normal rate together cannot exceed that ceiling.

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

• USITC HTS 4818.20.00.20
• HTS Chapter 99 — the additional duty headings
• CBP classification rulings

Other origins

• Paper towels · China
• Paper towels · Vietnam
• Paper towels · India
• Paper towels · Mexico

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)