Chapter 45
Cork and Articles of Cork
By TariffCenter Research Team · Updated 2026-04-09 · Source: USITC Harmonized Tariff Schedule
At a glance
Chapter 45 contains 26 HTS lines covering cork and articles of cork. General U.S. duty rates: Free to 14%. Section 301 surcharges apply on selected lines for imports from China. Reciprocal tariffs apply following the February 2026 SCOTUS ruling.
4501 — Natural cork, raw or simply prepared; waste cork; crushed, granulated or ground cork
#Heading 4501 contains 5 HTS lines. General U.S. duty rates: Free. Section 301 surcharges (7.5%–100%) and Section 122 surcharge (15%) apply to selected lines.
4501
Natural cork, raw or simply prepared; waste cork; crushed, granulated or ground cork:
Free
4501.10.00.00
Natural cork, raw or simply prepared
Free
4501.90
Other:
Free
4501.90.20.00
Waste cork
Free
4501.90.40.00
Crushed, granulated or ground cork
Free
| HS Code | Description | General Rate | Special Rates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4501 | Natural cork, raw or simply prepared; waste cork; crushed, granulated or ground cork: | Free | 301: 25%S122: 10% |
| 4501.10.00.00 | Natural cork, raw or simply prepared | Free | 301: 25%S122: 10% |
| 4501.90 | Other: | Free | 301: 25%S122: 10% |
| 4501.90.20.00 | Waste cork | Free | 301: 25%S122: 10% |
| 4501.90.40.00 | Crushed, granulated or ground cork | Free | 301: 25%S122: 10% |
4502 — Natural cork, debacked or roughly squared, or in rectangular (including square) blocks, plates, sheets or strip (including sharp-edged blanks for corks or stoppers)
#Heading 4502 contains 1 HTS line. General U.S. duty rates: Free. Section 301 surcharges (7.5%–100%) and Section 122 surcharge (15%) apply to selected lines.
| HS Code | Description | General Rate | Special Rates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4502.00.00.00 | Natural cork, debacked or roughly squared, or in rectangular (including square) blocks, plates, sheets or strip (including sharp-edged blanks for corks or stoppers) | Free | 301: 25%S122: 10% |
4503 — Articles of natural cork
#Heading 4503 contains 10 HTS lines. General U.S. duty rates: Free–14%. Section 301 surcharges (7.5%–100%) and Section 122 surcharge (15%) apply to selected lines.
4503
Articles of natural cork:
Free
4503.10
Corks and stoppers:
Free
4503.10.20.00
With maximum diameter not over 19 mm
Free
4503.10.30.00
Wholly of cork, of a thickness (or length) greater than the maximum diameter
Free
4503.10.40.00
Other
Free
4503.10.60.00
Other
Free
4503.90
Other:
Free
4503.90.20.00
Disks, wafers and washers
Free
4503.90.40.00
Wallcoverings, backed with paper or otherwise reinforced
Free
4503.90.60.00
Other
14%
| HS Code | Description | General Rate | Special Rates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4503 | Articles of natural cork: | Free | 301: 25%S122: 10% |
| 4503.10 | Corks and stoppers: | Free | 301: 25%S122: 10% |
| 4503.10.20.00 | With maximum diameter not over 19 mm | Free | 301: 25%S122: 10% |
| 4503.10.30.00 | Wholly of cork, of a thickness (or length) greater than the maximum diameter | Free | 301: 25%S122: 10% |
| 4503.10.40.00 | Other | Free | 301: 25%S122: 10% |
| 4503.10.60.00 | Other | Free | 301: 25%S122: 10% |
| 4503.90 | Other: | Free | 301: 25%S122: 10% |
| 4503.90.20.00 | Disks, wafers and washers | Free | 301: 25%S122: 10% |
| 4503.90.40.00 | Wallcoverings, backed with paper or otherwise reinforced | Free | 301: 25%S122: 10% |
| 4503.90.60.00 | Other | 14% | 301: 25%S122: 10%hts_special: Free (A,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG) |
4504 — Agglomerated cork (with or without a binding substance) and articles of agglomerated cork
#Heading 4504 contains 10 HTS lines. General U.S. duty rates: Free. Section 301 surcharges (7.5%–100%) and Section 122 surcharge (15%) apply to selected lines.
4504
Agglomerated cork (with or without a binding substance) and articles of agglomerated cork:
Free
4504.10
Blocks, plates, sheets and strip; tiles of any shape; solid cylinders, including disks:
Free
4504.10.10.00
Vulcanized sheets and slabs wholly of ground or pulverized cork and rubber
Free
4504.10.20.00
Insulation, coated or not coated, of compressed cork
Free
4504.10.30.00
Floor coverings
Free
4504.10.40.00
Wallcoverings, backed with paper or otherwise reinforced
Free
4504.10.45.00
Stoppers, not tapered, wholly of cork, of a thickness (or length) greater than the maximum diameter
Free
4504.10.47.00
Other
Free
4504.10.50.00
Other
Free
4504.90.00.00
Other
Free
| HS Code | Description | General Rate | Special Rates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4504 | Agglomerated cork (with or without a binding substance) and articles of agglomerated cork: | Free | 301: 25%S122: 10% |
| 4504.10 | Blocks, plates, sheets and strip; tiles of any shape; solid cylinders, including disks: | Free | 301: 25%S122: 10% |
| 4504.10.10.00 | Vulcanized sheets and slabs wholly of ground or pulverized cork and rubber | Free | 301: 25%S122: 10% |
| 4504.10.20.00 | Insulation, coated or not coated, of compressed cork | Free | 301: 25%S122: 10% |
| 4504.10.30.00 | Floor coverings | Free | 301: 25%S122: 10% |
| 4504.10.40.00 | Wallcoverings, backed with paper or otherwise reinforced | Free | 301: 25%S122: 10% |
| 4504.10.45.00 | Stoppers, not tapered, wholly of cork, of a thickness (or length) greater than the maximum diameter | Free | 301: 25%S122: 10% |
| 4504.10.47.00 | Other | Free | 301: 25%S122: 10% |
| 4504.10.50.00 | Other | Free | 301: 25%S122: 10% |
| 4504.90.00.00 | Other | Free | 301: 25%S122: 10% |
Frequently Asked Questions — Chapter 45
Sources & Methodology
- Base HTS rates: U.S. International Trade Commission — Harmonized Tariff Schedule (2025 edition, Chapter 45). “General rate” shows the min–max range across all 10-digit subheadings.
- Section 301 rates: Office of the U.S. Trade Representative — Section 301 action lists. Flags indicate HTS lines listed on USTR China 301 Lists 1–4B.
- Reciprocal tariffs: Based on the post-SCOTUS Section 122 framework (February 2026). See the TariffCenter Tariff Tracker for current program status.
- Verify before importing: U.S. Customs and Border Protection — Rulings Online or consult a licensed customs broker for binding classification rulings.
Glossary
- General rate (MFN rate)
- The base import duty applied to all World Trade Organization members under Most-Favored-Nation treatment. This is the standard rate shown in the General Rate column.
- Section 301 tariff (301: 7.5%–100%)
- An additional surcharge authorized under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, imposed on selected imports from China. Rates vary by product list and category: Lists 1–3 at 25%, List 4A at 7.5%, with four-year review increases up to 100% on strategic sectors (EVs, semiconductors, solar, medical equipment). Applied on top of the MFN base rate.
- Section 122 surcharge (Sec. 122: 15%)
- A 15% global surcharge on all imports enacted under Section 122 authority after the February 2026 SCOTUS ruling struck down IEEPA-based reciprocal tariffs. USMCA-qualifying goods are exempt. Stacked on top of base and Section 301 rates.
- Section 232 tariff (S232)
- Tariffs on qualifying steel, aluminum, copper, and derivative products imposed under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 on national security grounds. Rates now vary by product bucket and current Chapter 99 treatment.
- hts_special / Special rates
- Preferential duty rates available to imports from countries with Free Trade Agreements or other special trade programs with the U.S. Country codes: AU (Australia), BH (Bahrain), CA (Canada), CL (Chile), CO (Colombia), IL (Israel), JO (Jordan), KR (South Korea), MA (Morocco), MX (Mexico), OM (Oman), PA (Panama), PE (Peru), SG (Singapore). Free (AU,BH...) means duty-free treatment for those partners.