U.S. President Donald Trump’s 25% auto tariffs will cover hundreds of billions of dollars worth of imports of vehicles and auto parts
imports annually, according to a Reuters analysis of tariff codes included in a fede
ral register notice on Wednesday.
The update of Trump’s auto tariff proclamation from last week included nearly 1
50 auto parts categories that will face tariffs starting on May 3, a month after Thursda
y’s midnight activation of 25% tariffs on vehicle imports.
The list includes tariff codes for engines, transmissions, lithium-ion
batteries and other major components, along with less expensive parts including tires, s
hock absorbers, spark plug wires and brake hoses.
Related: From Repairs to Insurance, Trump’s Tariffs Could Make Owning a Car More Expensive
But the list also includes automotive computers covered under the four digit tariff code that includes all computer products, in
cluding laptop and desktop computers and disk drives. The category had imports of $138.5 billion in 2024, according to U.S. Census Bure
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au data. There is no separate code for automotive computers.
The parts list, along with the May 3 timing for tariffs on those imports, was disclosed just before Trump announced a base
line 10% tariff for all U.S. imports, with many countries slapped with higher reciprocal d
uties meant to counteract non-tariff trade barriers.
Related: Tariffs & Collision Repair: The Rising Costs You Need to Know
Senior Trump administration officials said autos and auto parts subject to the Section 232 national security tariffs would not als
o be charged the separate baseline or reciprocal tariffs. In other words, the auto tariffs do not stack on top of the new reciprocal tariffs, wh
ich start on April 5.
More parts could be added to the tariff list, as the White House directed the Commerce Department to establish a proce
ss within 90 days for domestic producers to request that other parts imports be targeted.
The notice said that for vehicles qualifying under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreemen
t’s rules of origin, importers can pay the 25% duty on only the non-U.S. content of the order.
