US trade tariffs
Current US tariffs on UK imports
Last updated: 1 July 2026
On the 8 May 2025, the UK – US Economic Prosperity Deal (EPD) was agreed. While not a full Free Trade Agreement, the EPD established a clearer framework for UK – US trade and provided a degree of certainty for Northern Ireland exporters to the US that goods meeting the UK non-preferential origin requirements would face an additional 10% tariff on imports into the US. This came into effect on 5 April 2025.
On 8 May 2025, further changes to US import tariffs were announced as part of the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal. The table below shows the current tariff rates, including which ones are confirmed and which are still being finalised under the agreement.
| Product | Most recent development | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| Steel and aluminium | 5th June 2026 US Customs further adjusted the tariff regimes for imports of aluminium, steel & copper into the US. | 25% additional rate of duty applies to derivative aluminium or steel articles that are the product of the UK in which at least 95% of the aluminium was smelted or cast in the UK, or in which at least 95% of the steel was melted and poured in the UK. |
| Cars | 10% on the first 100,000 vehicles imported annually. Additional vehicles at reduced Most Favoured Nation (MFN) tariff plus 25%. | Confirmed. Tariff reduced from 27.5%, effective 30 June 2025. View the Federal Register: Imports of Automobiles, Automobile Parts, Civil Aircraft and Civil Aircraft Parts From the United Kingdom Under Executive Order 14309. |
| Beef | Effective from 1 January 2026, 0% applies to a UK “tariff rate quota” (TRQ) of 13,000 tonnes | Under the UK – US EPD, both countries agreed to implement a reciprocal 13,000 tonne quota for beef. |
| Aircraft engines and components | 0% | Confirmed. Tariff reduced from 10%, effective 30 June 2025. View the Federal Register: Imports of Automobiles, Automobile Parts, Civil Aircraft and Civil Aircraft Parts From the United Kingdom Under Executive Order 14309. |
| Pharmaceuticals | 0% | UK – US Pharmaceutical Deal applies for a minimum of 3 years, from April 2026. |
| Whiskey | 0% - however, the zero % tariff is subject to "country of origin" rules, typically defined by where "substantial transformation" last occurred. Simply bottling Republic of Ireland distilled whiskey in NI is unlikely to meet the threshold of substantial transformation. | President Trump announced in May 2026 that all whiskey produced in the UK will no longer face tariffs. By contrast whiskey distilled in the Republic of Ireland will continue to face the standard 15% tariff which applies to EU goods entering the US. |
For information on the commitments made by the UK and US as part of the 8 May trade deal and areas where the UK and US intend to negotiate further, see General terms for the United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Economic Prosperity Deal.
You can check new taxes on imports to the US using the check duties and customs procedures for exporting goods tool.
Clarification on Origin Concepts
It is important to reiterate the distinction between non-preferential and preferential origin.
- The UK-US and EU-US arrangements are not full Free Trade Agreements and do no create preferential origin rights.
- Trade with the US therefore operates on the basis of non-preferential origin, which determines what tariff treatment applies, but does not reduce or eliminate tariffs.
- This contrasts with full FTAs such as the UK – EU Trade & Co-operation Agreement, where preferential origin can reduce tariffs to zero where product-specific rules and evidential requirements are met.
For exports to the US, it is also important to note that:
- Chamber-issued Certificates of Origin are not accepted by US Customs as primary evidence of non-preferential origin.
- US Customs instead require substantive evidence of substantial transformation, such as bills of materials, production records, and manufacturing processes, to support origin claims.