25% Tariff Reinstated on All China-Made LVT

Washington, DC, August 7, 2020--The United States Trade Representative has published a list of items granted extended exemption from the Section 301 tariff, and floorcovering is not included on that list. Exclusion from the tariff-enacted in November 2019 and applied from September 24, 2018 to August 7, 2020-granted a reprieve from the 25% tariff for China-made LVT products. The flooring category most affected by this is rigid LVT.

This week, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) released a list of products that would be granted extended exempted from the tariffs, and flooring was not included.

The tariffs included,

“...(3) Floor coverings of polyvinyl chloride, presented in the form of tiles or planks designed to snap together during installation (described in statistical reporting number 3918.10.1000)

(4) Vinyl floor tiles of polymers of vinyl chloride, designed to click together during installation, each measuring 4.7 mm or more but not over 8 mm in thickness, 18 cm or more but not over 23 cm in width and 120 cm or more but not over 182 cm in length (described in statistical reporting number 3918.10.1000)

(5) Vinyl floor tiles of polymers of vinyl chloride, designed to click together during installation, measuring 7 mm in thickness, 18 cm or more but not over 19 cm in width and 120 cm or more but not over 125 cm in length (described in statistical reporting number 3918.10.1000).”

In May 2020, the tariff exclusions were expanded to include, “edges that are interlocking or simply cut at a 90-degree angle.”

As a result of this omission from the exemption list, all vinyl flooring made in China is saddled with a 25% tariff, effective immediately.