The U.S. government has officially imposed a four-year Section 201 safeguard tariff-rate quota (TRQ) on imported quartz surface products (QSP) used for countertops. The Presidential Action was signed by the president on July 31, 2026, the new safeguard measures go into effect at 12:01 a.m. ET on August 15, 2026. [1, 2, 3]
The action follows an affirmative injury determination by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), which concluded that surging quartz imports were severely harming the domestic manufacturing industry. [2, 4]
The Tariff & Quota Breakdown
The safeguard structure combines an import volume cap (quota) with a two-tiered ad valorem tariff rate. While the White House adopted the volume quotas recommended by the ITC, it enacted stricter over-quota tariff penalties than the commission originally proposed. [5, 6]
The baseline schedule for the four-year remedy operates as follows: [6]
| Period | Quota Volume Limit | In-Quota Tariff Rate | Over-Quota Tariff Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 (Aug 2026 – Aug 2027) | 140 million sq. ft. | 25% | 50% |
| Year 2 (Aug 2027 – Aug 2028) | 159 million sq. ft. | 23% | 49% |
| Year 3 (Aug 2028 – Aug 2029) | 164 million sq. ft. | 21% | 48% |
| Year 4 (Aug 2029 – Aug 2030) | 169 million sq. ft. | 19% | 47% |
Note: Quota allocations are managed on a quarterly basis. These safeguard duties are cumulative and will be applied in addition to normal standard tariffs and any pre-existing anti-dumping or countervailing duties (AD/CVD) currently active on quartz imports. [6]
Covered Products
The Section 201 safeguard covers engineered, resin-bound quartz surface products entering under the following Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTSUS) subheadings: [2, 4, 7]
Natural stone products (such as granite or marble) and resin-free sintered stone alternatives are completely excluded from this investigation and carry no safeguard duties. [8, 9]
Key Country Exclusions
Due to free trade agreements and specific international trade provisions, imports from the following partner nations are exempt from the TRQ limits and safeguard duties: [7, 10, 11]
- Canada and Mexico (USMCA partners)
- Australia, Colombia, Israel, Jordan, Panama, Peru, Singapore, and South Korea
- CAFTA-DR member countries
- Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA) beneficiaries
- Specific developing nations with minor market shares (less than 3% individually and 9% collectively of total global imports) [2, 7, 10, 11, 12]
If you are managing logistics or supply chains, please let me know:
- Your primary origin countries for quartz sourcing
- Whether you need the exact customs entry classification rules for Foreign Trade Zones (FTZs)
I can provide the specific compliance details to help you calculate your duty exposure.
