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Are Trump’s 104% Tariffs on China Still in Effect? What Importers Need to Know

The 104% figure combined an April 2025 reciprocal tariff component with earlier duties. Later orders changed the policy; a product’s current tariff depends on its classification, entry date, and applicable measures.
From TheFinanceBase Team4 min to read

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No—not as a blanket rate. The “104%” figure refers to a short-lived April 2025 headline combining an 84% China-specific reciprocal tariff with 20% in earlier duties. The reciprocal tariff changed again the next day, and later orders replaced the heightened rate. The White House said in November 2025 that a 10% reciprocal rate would remain while heightened tariffs were suspended through November 10, 2026. That does not establish the total tariff on every Chinese-origin product today: the applicable amount depends on the product, its tariff classification, entry date, and any other duties or exceptions.

Are Trump’s 104% tariffs on China in effect?

No. The 104% figure is a dated combined headline from April 2025, not a single, permanent tariff applying to all goods from China. It combined an 84% reciprocal-tariff component with 20% in earlier duties. The April executive orders changed the reciprocal component rapidly, and subsequent action lowered it.

On April 2, 2025, Executive Order 14257 set a general additional duty of 10%, effective April 5, and scheduled country-specific rates to begin April 9, subject to exceptions and transition rules. The order said that covered articles would be “subject to an additional ad valorem rate of duty of 10 percent.” Read Executive Order 14257.

For China, an April 8 order raised the reciprocal component from 34% to 84%, effective April 9. An April 9 order raised that component again to 125%, effective April 10. These figures describe the reciprocal component—not necessarily the complete duty owed on a particular item. See the April 8 order and the April 9 order.

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How the China tariff changed after April 2025

Date and action What changed How to interpret it
April 2, 2025 A general 10% additional duty was set to begin April 5; country-specific rates were scheduled from April 9. Exceptions and transition rules applied. This was not a claim that every product would owe the same total duty.
April 9, 2025 The China-specific reciprocal component rose to 84%. The 104% headline combined this component with 20% in earlier duties; it was not a universal all-in rate stated in the order.
April 10, 2025 The China-specific reciprocal component rose to 125%. This was another change to the reciprocal schedule, not a complete calculation for every product.
May 14, 2025 A May 12 order took effect, replacing the heightened China-specific reciprocal rates with a 10% reciprocal component for an initial 90-day period. The order was subject to exceptions. Read the May order.
November 2025 announcement The White House said the heightened reciprocal tariffs would remain suspended through November 10, 2026, with the 10% reciprocal rate remaining in effect. The same fact sheet said 10 percentage points would be removed from cumulative fentanyl-related tariffs, effective November 10, 2025. That is a separate tariff layer. Read the White House fact sheet.

Why there is no single tariff rate for every product from China

The reciprocal tariff is only one possible part of an import’s duty calculation. What an importer owes can depend on the goods’ country of origin, the applicable tariff classification, the date of entry, and any exceptions, exclusions, or additional product-specific measures. Other tariff actions may apply alongside or instead of a particular reciprocal rate.

For example, a July 2026 White House memorandum describes another Section 301 action with varying rates and exemptions. Its existence is one reason not to treat the April 2025 headline as a current, universal total. Read the July 2026 memorandum.

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How to check the tariff on a specific shipment

  1. Identify the product and country of origin. The country from which goods ship is not necessarily their country of origin; classification and origin determine which tariff provisions need checking.
  2. Find the product’s HTS classification. Use the USITC’s current Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) resources to identify the relevant tariff heading and provisions. The USITC announced Revision 20 on September 28, 2026; use the live schedule rather than relying on an older copy. Open the USITC tariff-information page.
  3. Check all applicable rates, notes, and exceptions. Review the HTS entry and relevant official notices for the shipment’s entry date, including whether other duties or a product-specific action applies. The HTS provides the tariff schedule; a headline rate alone does not calculate the shipment’s total duty.
  4. Review later trade actions. The USTR maintains an index of presidential tariff actions and trade announcements, useful for checking whether a later measure affects the product or date in question. See the USTR action index.
  5. Get classification help when the stakes are material. If the classification, origin, or interaction of duties is uncertain, a customs broker or trade-compliance professional can help assess the entry. Do not assume a service provider can guarantee a particular rate.
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What this means for personal-finance decisions

A tariff is a duty on imported goods, generally paid by the importer—not a fixed surcharge that automatically appears on every consumer’s purchase. Importers may absorb the cost or pass some of it along through prices, but the tariff announcements alone do not establish how much any particular retailer or product price will change.

If you are budgeting for an imported item, the 104% headline is not a reliable way to estimate its current price. Product-specific duty treatment and a seller’s pricing decisions both matter; check the item’s current price and relevant import details rather than applying one broad percentage to all Chinese goods.

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