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Glossary · Customs & duties
What is MFN (Most-favored-nation duty)?
The normal US import duty rate in the HTS General column, applied to goods from WTO members such as China before any additional duties.
In US law, MFN status is called normal trade relations (NTR). The rate is listed in the General column of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule for each HTS line. It can be free, a percentage of value, a fixed amount per unit, or a mix.
For goods from China, the MFN rate is only the starting point. Additional duties such as Section 301, Section 232 or AD/CVD are added on top through separate provisions or orders, and together they often amount to more than the MFN duty itself.
When you compare duty estimates, ask for a breakdown by layer: MFN duty, each additional duty, and fees such as MPF and HMF. It makes changes easy to track when one layer moves.
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