RATE TIMELINE

China IEEPA tariff rates: the complete timeline.

IEEPA tariffs on Chinese imports escalated from 10% in February 2025 to 145% at peak in April 2025, before being partially reduced. All rates were effectively set to zero on February 20, 2026, when the Supreme Court ruled them unconstitutional.

Every rate change, every date.

Your refund amount depends on which rate was in effect when each of your entries was filed. Entries at higher-exposure industries carry larger per-entry recovery.

February 4, 2025
10%
EO 14195 — Fentanyl IEEPA

First IEEPA tariff on China. 10% on all Chinese-origin goods. HTS: 9903.01.20. Rationale: fentanyl trafficking national emergency. Applied to all goods from China regardless of product type.

March 4, 2025
20%
EO 14195 increase

China fentanyl tariff doubled to 20% cumulative (10% original + 10% increase). HTS: 9903.01.24 covers the additional 10%.

April 2, 2025
54%
EO 14257 — Reciprocal

Added 34% reciprocal tariff on China. Cumulative: 20% fentanyl + 34% reciprocal = 54%. HTS: 9903.01.25.

April 9, 2025
145%
EO 14257 increase — PEAK

Reciprocal tariff on China raised to 125%. Cumulative: 20% fentanyl + 125% reciprocal = 145%. HTS: 9903.01.63 (additional 91%). This is the peak rate. Entries filed April 9–11 carry the highest per-entry exposure in the entire IEEPA program.

April 11, 2025
~54%
Reciprocal pause

Reciprocal tariff increase paused for most countries. China's reciprocal portion returned to baseline 34%. Cumulative: approximately 54% (20% + 34%).

July 8, 2025
~30–54%
Rate adjustments

Effective cumulative rate on China approximately 30–54% depending on product classification and subsequent modifications.

February 20, 2026
0%
Supreme Court ruling

All IEEPA tariffs unconstitutional. Effective rate: zero. All duties collected at any rate during the covered period may be refundable.

February 24, 2026
Suspended
IEEPA suspended

IEEPA tariffs officially suspended. Entries filed after this date do not include IEEPA duties.

Estimated exposure by import value.

Range reflects 10% (minimum IEEPA rate) to 145% (peak rate). Your actual exposure depends on entry dates and applicable rates. Ecommerce importers typically fall at the higher end — most products were duty-free before IEEPA.

China Import Value (covered period) Estimated IEEPA Exposure
$100,000 $10,000 – $145,000
$250,000 $25,000 – $362,500
$500,000 $50,000 – $725,000
$1,000,000 $100,000 – $1,450,000
$5,000,000 $500,000 – $7,250,000

These estimates do not include interest. Under 19 U.S.C. §1505(c), CBP must also pay interest from the date of deposit. Not sure if your entries qualify? Check your eligibility →

Frequently asked questions

What was the highest IEEPA rate on China?

145%, in effect from April 9–11, 2025. This combined the 20% fentanyl tariff with a 125% reciprocal tariff.

Does the refund include interest?

Yes. Under 19 U.S.C. §1505(c), CBP must pay interest on excess duties deposited, accruing from the date of deposit until refund.

Are all China IEEPA tariffs refundable, or only some rates?

All IEEPA tariffs on China — both fentanyl and reciprocal — were ruled unconstitutional. The full IEEPA portion at whatever rate was in effect is potentially refundable.

For immediate capital instead of waiting for CAPE processing, tariffbuyouts.com → delivers non-recourse payment in 48 hours.

Last updated: March 26, 2026

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