The 25% additional tariff on specified imported cars took effect on April 3, 2025, but it does not apply to every car made outside the United States at one flat rate. Whether a given vehicle pays it depends on the product, its country of origin, whether it qualifies for a trade-agreement process, and whether a later country-specific order changes the treatment. The headline’s “all cars not made in the United States” describes the policy’s intent, not its operating scope.
What the March 2025 announcement said, and what the proclamation did
At the signing remarks on March 26, 2025, President Donald Trump said: “What we’re going to be doing is a 25-percent tariff on all cars that are not made in the United States.” The same remarks said a car built in the United States would not face the tariff. That is the version of the policy most people remember.
The signed document is narrower. Proclamation 10908, dated March 26, 2025, invoked Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act and imposed an additional 25% ad valorem tariff on articles listed in its annexes. For automobiles, the duty applied to goods entered for consumption or withdrawn from warehouse on or after 12:01 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time on April 3, 2025. Automobile parts were scheduled to begin on a later date set in a Federal Register notice, no later than May 3, 2025. The additional rate is in addition to other duties unless an exception or later modification applies.
Does the 25% apply to every imported car?
No. The proclamation covers specified products, and later orders and notices have changed treatment for particular origins. The table below reflects what the official documents establish as of October 8, 2026.
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| Origin or case | What the documents establish | Source | Status as of October 8, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicles assembled in the United States | Not subject to the additional tariff, according to the signing remarks. Manufacturers may receive a parts offset tied to these vehicles. | Signing remarks, March 26, 2025; Proclamation 10925 | Offset schedule in effect; see the parts offset section below |
| Canada or Mexico, qualifying for USMCA preferential treatment | The additional 25% is assessed only on the non-U.S. content value, after the importer’s U.S.-content documentation is approved | Federal Register notice on qualifying automobiles | Process in effect; approval required |
| Canada or Mexico, not qualifying for USMCA preferential treatment | Not eligible for the non-U.S.-content process under the notice | Same notice; Proclamation 10908 | Standard additional rate under Proclamation 10908 applies unless another order changes it |
| Japan | Additional Section 232 rate set so that the Column 1 rate plus the additional rate equals 15% when Column 1 is below 15%; additional rate is zero when Column 1 is 15% or higher | September 2025 implementation order | Effectiveness tied to a Federal Register notice; confirm timing before a specific entry |
| United Kingdom | Within an annual quota of 100,000 automobiles: 7.5% additional tariff, for a 10% combined rate with the 2.5% most-favored-nation rate. Above the quota: full Proclamation 10908 duties | June 2025 implementation order | Quota is annual; confirm quota status for a specific shipment |
| European Union | Reporting describes a planned May 2026 increase for EU-made cars | Implementing action not confirmed in the official documents reviewed | Rate not stated |
| Other origins | Additional 25% under Proclamation 10908 unless an exception or later modification applies | Proclamation 10908 | A complete country-by-country rate table is not established |
The rules key on origin and eligibility, not on the brand name on the car. The table also mixes two kinds of figures: an additional rate (Proclamation 10908, Japan, and the UK quota’s 7.5%) and a combined rate (Japan’s 15% target and the UK’s 10%). Label which one you are reading before comparing countries.
Canada and Mexico: the USMCA content process
A vehicle that qualifies for preferential USMCA tariff treatment does not receive a blanket exemption from the auto tariff. A Federal Register notice describes a separate process for qualifying automobiles imported from Canada and Mexico:
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- Confirm the vehicle qualifies for preferential USMCA tariff treatment. Vehicles from Canada or Mexico that do not qualify are not eligible for this process under the notice.
- The importer submits documentation identifying the vehicle’s U.S. content.
- After approval, the additional 25% is assessed only on the non-U.S. content value.
The process runs through the importer’s documentation and customs filings, not through the buyer. A qualifying vehicle therefore carries the tariff only on its foreign share, while a non-qualifying one is outside the process altogether.
Japan and the United Kingdom: negotiated rates
Japan
A September 2025 implementation order sets the additional rate on covered Japanese automobiles and parts so that the Column 1 general rate of the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule plus the additional Section 232 rate equals 15%, when the Column 1 rate is below 15%. Where the Column 1 rate is 15% or higher, the additional Section 232 rate is zero. For a vehicle with the 2.5% Column 1 rate that applies to most passenger cars, the additional rate works out to 12.5%, giving a 15% combined duty. The order ties its effect to a specified Federal Register notice, so confirm the effective timing before describing a particular import.
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United Kingdom
A June 2025 implementation order created an annual tariff-rate quota of 100,000 automobiles. Within the quota, qualifying UK-origin cars pay a 7.5% additional tariff on top of the 2.5% most-favored-nation rate, a 10% combined rate. Imports beyond the quota remain subject to the full Proclamation 10908 duties. The official documents reviewed do not show how quota usage is tracked for individual shipments, so an importer or dealer is the right source for whether a given car was counted inside the quota.
The EU and the reported May 2026 increase
Reporting describes a planned May 2026 increase for EU-made cars. The official documents reviewed do not confirm an implementing action or a rate for that change as of October 8, 2026, so this article does not state an EU rate. Treat the reporting as an unconfirmed plan, not as proof of the current duty, and check the White House and Federal Register before relying on any EU figure.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.The parts offset for U.S.-assembled vehicles
Proclamation 10925 established an import adjustment offset against a manufacturer’s qualifying auto-parts tariff liability, for vehicles assembled in the United States. The offset is measured as a percentage of aggregate MSRP and is subject to eligibility and caps. It is an offset for manufacturers, not a rebate to buyers and not an exemption for imported vehicles.
| Period | Offset (percent of aggregate MSRP) | Status on October 8, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| April 3, 2025 through April 30, 2026 | 3.75% | Ended |
| May 1, 2026 through April 30, 2027 | 2.5% | In effect |
Figures from the White House fact sheet
The White House fact sheet dated April 29, 2025 presented the administration’s own figures. They describe 2024 activity, were not independently verified in the documents reviewed, and are not current-year measurements.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches- About 16 million cars, SUVs and light trucks were purchased by Americans in 2024, and 50% (8 million) were imports (The White House, 2025).
- The White House estimated average domestic content of the 8 million vehicles assembled in the United States at a conservative 50%, and said the figure was likely closer to 40% (The White House, 2025).
- The White House said only 25% of the vehicle content bought by Americans could be categorized as Made in America (The White House, 2025).
- The U.S. trade deficit in automobile parts reached $93.5 billion in 2024 (The White House, 2025).
What this means if you are shopping for a car
The official documents reviewed do not measure how the tariffs have affected sticker prices, dealer discounts or auto loan terms, so this article does not estimate a price effect. Origin is the practical starting point:
- Read the window sticker (Monroney label). It lists the final assembly point and the country of origin of the engine and transmission, which are the facts the origin rules turn on.
- If the vehicle comes from Canada or Mexico, ask the dealer or importer whether it was entered under the USMCA content process. That answer determines whether the 25% applies to the full value or only the non-U.S. share.
- Ask for the origin and the governing order before accepting any tariff figure in a sales conversation. Rules for Japan, the UK and the EU have changed or remain open since 2025, so an older quote may not reflect current treatment.
The Bottom Line
The headline describes a real policy, but it is a starting point, not a rate card. Origin, USMCA content approval, and the Japan and UK orders decide what a specific car pays. Confirm current rates in the Federal Register and White House actions before relying on any figure.
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