2026 HTS Revision 18: Section 232 Drone Tariffs, Beef Quota

2026 HTS Revision 18 carries three unrelated changes. The big one is a new Section 232 tariff on drones and drone parts under Proclamation 11055, from September 3, 2026: 25% for most drones and 100% for drones with thermal imaging, larger drones and docking stations. The other two are smaller: an extra quota for lean beef trimmings, and updated statistical numbers for a handful of Section 301 exclusions.

At a glance

What changed

Section 232 drone tariffs: rates and covered products

New U.S. note 43 to Chapter 99 and headings 9903.08.20 to 9903.08.26 set the rates, from September 3, 2026. Note 43(c) defines four groups of products:

The headings are mutually exclusive, so each entry uses exactly one. Note 43(b) says the duty is collected on top of any special rate, so a free trade agreement claim doesn't remove it.

Four headings lower or remove the duty:

• 9903.08.20: goods under the listed provisions that aren't for use in or with unmanned aircraft, such as an ordinary control panel. No added duty.
• 9903.08.23: products of the UK, + 10%.
• 9903.08.24: products of Japan, Liechtenstein, Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan or the EU, 15% in total including the regular duty.
• 9903.08.25 and 9903.08.26: goods imported under an onshoring plan approved by the Department of Homeland Security or the Department of War (.25), or by Commerce (.26). No added duty.

The UK and allied rates apply only if substantially all the critical components and technology come from the United States, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, an EU member or the UK (note 43(d)).

An extra lean beef trimmings quota

Under Proclamation 11059, new heading 9903.54.02 lets an additional 300,000 metric tons of lean beef trimmings from countries other than Argentina enter between September 1 and November 30, 2026, in three 30-day tranches of 100,000 tons. It covers 0201.30.5091, 0201.30.5097, 0202.30.5091 and 0202.30.5097. The heading has no rate of its own: it gives access to the in-quota rate in Chapter 2.

Section 301 China exclusions follow new statistical numbers

Four China exclusions in note 20(vvv) now name the statistical numbers that took effect on July 1, 2026:

• Pump casings, pump covers and plastic pump parts: 8413.91.9039, 8413.91.9046, 8413.91.9059 or 8413.91.9099 (previously 8413.91.9085 or 8413.91.9096).
• Plastic articles in (iv)(4): 3926.90.9915 or 3926.90.9920 (previously 3926.90.9910).

The products and the exclusion heading, 9903.88.69, didn't change. The update dates back to July 1, 2026. These exclusions currently run to November 9, 2026; see Section 301 China exclusions extended.

What it means for importers

On $10,000 of drones under 8806.22.00 (base rate free):

A Vietnamese drone with thermal imaging moves to 9903.08.21 at 100%. A German drone that can't show U.S. or allied critical components pays the full 25% under 9903.08.22, plus the EU rate. If you import drones, docking stations, large-drone parts, or the listed power supplies and control panels, check each line against note 43(c) and decide whether the end use, thermal imaging or component origin applies to you. The duty calculator asks those questions for each drone line and stacks the result with the country rates. US tariff stacking rules explains why drones don't get the Section 232 exemption from the country programs, and the 2026 HTS revisions hub lists every 2026 revision.