What changed This is a T-2 preview of a known effective date. On July 31, 2026, President Trump signed a Section 201/203 safeguard proclamation imposing a four-year tariff-rate quota (TRQ) on quartz surface products. The measure takes the form of a four-year tariff-rate quota (TRQ) and applies to goods entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on Saturday, August 15, 2026. New details since the Aug 6 alert: confirmed HTS quota headings and — critically — that these duties stack on top of everything else. The safeguard duties are cumulative and are imposed in addition to the duty rate otherwise applicable. This means that this Section 201 duty stacks with all other duties, including the Section 301 Forced Labor duty, the Section 301 China duty, and all other applicable duties. Further, this Section 201 duty stacks with AD & CVD duties.
Who's affected Importers of quartz surface products in HTS chapters 68 and 70. The proclamation establishes a four-year tariff-rate quota (TRQ) on certain QSP classified under HTSUS subheadings 6810.99.0020, 6810.99.0040, and 7020.00.6000.
If you import QSP, including countertops, backsplashes, vanity tops, bar tops, work tops, tabletops, flooring, wall facing, shower surrounds, fireplace surrounds, mantels, and tiles, this measure will likely affect your imports. Direct importers, distributors, fabricators, and FTZ operators are all in scope. The measure will apply to imports from all countries, with certain exclusions for imports from Australia, Canada, Colombia, South Korea, Israel, Mexico, Panama, Peru, and Si ngapore plus CAFTA-DR/CBERA participants.
Cost impact
For 2026-2027, the annual target level is approximately 140 million ft², divided every 90 days from Aug. 15 to a level of 35 million ft². Products arriving in the United States before the target get a 25% tariff; then 50% above the target amount. In-quota entries use the new HTSUS heading 9903.45.30. Once that volume is exhausted, additional entries pay a substantially higher over-quota rate under new heading 9903.45.31. Because this stacks on Section 301 China, forced-labor 301, and AD/CVD, your effective rate = QSP rate (25% or 50%) plus all other applicable duties.
What to do 1. Audit every entry under HTS 6810.99.0020, 6810.99.0040, 7020.00.6000 and confirm classification before Saturday. 2. If your origin is exempt (Canada, Mexico, Australia, S. Korea, Israel, Colombia, Panama, Peru, Singapore, CAFTA-DR/CBERA), document country of origin to claim it. 3. For non-exempt origin, try to clear in-transit shipments before 12:01 a.m. ET Aug 15 to avoid the safeguard entirely; entries after that date pay the in-quota or over-quota rate. 4. FTZ operators: any covered QSP admitted on/after Aug 15 must go in under privileged foreign status (19 CFR 146.41) — set the status flag now. 5. Re-quote landed cost on affected SKUs at both the 25% and 50% scenarios, and model the stack with any 301/AD-CVD duties you already pay. 6. Monitor CBP CSMS/quota bulletins for the quarterly quota fill rate to time Q1 shipments (quarter runs Aug 15–Nov 14).
Effective dates - QSP TRQ takes effect → Aug 15, 2026, 12:01 a.m. ET - First quota quarter → Aug 15 – Nov 14, 2026 - Year-1 annual quota ≈ 140M ft² (≈35M ft²/quarter); rates 25% in-quota / 50% over-quota - FTZ privileged-foreign-status requirement → on/after Aug 15, 2026
Sources - White House proclamation: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/07/to-facilitate-positive-adjustment-to-competition-from-imports-of-quartz-surface-products/ - KPMG (HTS codes, effective date, FTZ): https://kpmg.com/us/en/taxnewsflash/news/2026/08/united-states-quartz-surface-products-safeguard-trq.html - Customs & International Trade Law Blog (stacking, quota headings, PF status): https://customsandinternationaltradelaw.com/2026/08/10/new-section-201-safeguard-tariffs-on-quartz-surface-products/ - Stone Update (quota volumes, rate schedule): https://stoneupdate.com/quartz-safeguard-import-tariffs-to-start-aug-15/ - International Trade Insights / Husch Blackwell (country exclusions): https://www.internationaltradeinsights.com/2026/08/president-trump-issues-proclamation-imposing-tariff-rate-quota-on-quartz-surface-products/
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This alert is informational only and is not legal, customs, or trade-compliance advice. Verify current rates and rules against the linked primary sources or with a licensed customs broker before acting. Corrections: errors are corrected in-place with a dated note.