Question 1

What is an anti-dumping duty?

Accepted Answer

Anti-dumping duty (ADD) is a tariff imposed when a foreign country exports goods at a price below their "normal value" (essentially, the price in the home market or cost of production). The duty is designed to level the playing field for domestic manufacturers. In the US, anti-dumping investigations are conducted jointly by the Department of Commerce (DoC, determines dumping margin) and the International Trade Commission (ITC, determines injury). If both find dumping and injury, a countervailing duty order is issued — importers then pay ADD on top of all other applicable duties.

Question 2

How is anti-dumping duty calculated in the US?

Accepted Answer

US anti-dumping duty rates are calculated per-company by the Department of Commerce. The dumping margin (the percentage by which the export price is below normal value) becomes the AD rate. If your specific Chinese manufacturer has been individually investigated and received a lower rate, you pay that rate. If your manufacturer has NOT been individually investigated, you pay the "all-others" rate (or in some cases, the much higher "China-wide" rate if China is treated as a non-market economy). AD rates for Chinese goods often range 10–600%+, making some Chinese products effectively unimportable.

Question 3

How do I know if my product is subject to anti-dumping duties?

Accepted Answer

Check the USITC Antidumping/Countervailing Duty (AD/CVD) Lookup Tool at usitc.gov or CBP's ADCVD search at cbp.gov. Search by HTS code or product description. The order scope describes exactly which products are covered — scope language is precise and technical. If your product is similar to but not within the scope, you may request a scope ruling from the DoC. Scope rulings are legally binding and protect you from incorrect duty assessment. If your product is within scope and you import without paying ADD, CBP can assess duties retroactively with interest and penalties.

Question 4

What is the difference between anti-dumping and countervailing duties?

Accepted Answer

Anti-dumping duties (ADD) target below-market pricing by foreign producers. Countervailing duties (CVD) target foreign government subsidies that benefit producers and distort competition. Both are authorized under WTO agreements. In practice, US AD and CVD orders are often issued together against the same Chinese product — so importers pay both. CVD rates for Chinese goods reflect the benefit of Chinese government subsidies and range from 0% to 200%+. Both ADD and CVD are in addition to standard duties, Section 301, and IEEPA tariffs.

Question 5

What is an annual administrative review and how does it affect AD rates?

Accepted Answer

After an AD order is issued, the DoC conducts annual administrative reviews (AARs) where importers or exporters can request a review of the AD rate for the prior year. If the actual dumping margin is lower than the assessed rate, you may receive a refund. If higher, you may owe additional duties (called "retroactive assessment"). This creates significant uncertainty — companies import goods, post a bond for estimated duties, and only discover the actual liability 2–3 years later after the review. This is why AD orders create serious cash flow risk for importers.

Question 6

What Chinese products have the highest US anti-dumping duty rates?

Accepted Answer

Some of the highest US AD+CVD rates on Chinese products: Steel wire rod — up to 800% AD. Steel nails — 118–186% AD. Solar cells/panels — up to 254% combined AD+CVD. Aluminum extrusions — up to 374% AD + 374% CVD. Certain steel pipe products — up to 266% AD. Wooden bedroom furniture — 6.65–216% AD. Ceramic tile — up to 337% AD. Crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells — 19.5–249% AD. These orders often effectively eliminate imports of those products from China into the US.

Question 7

Can I avoid anti-dumping duties by sourcing from a third country?

Accepted Answer

Only if the goods are genuinely manufactured in that third country. CBP and Commerce actively investigate "circumvention" — routing Chinese goods through third countries (Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand) with minimal transformation. If CBP finds circumvention, they can extend the AD order to cover imports from the third country. Real manufacturing in a third country (substantial transformation) avoids ADD — but the legal standard is high. In recent years, Vietnam-origin solar panels, steel, and aluminum have faced circumvention investigations specifically because of Chinese transshipment concerns.

Question 8

How does the anti-dumping cash deposit rate work?

Accepted Answer

When an AD order is in effect, importers must post a cash deposit (effectively a bond/payment) equal to the estimated AD rate at the time of entry. The actual rate is determined later by annual administrative review. If the review rate is lower, CBP refunds the difference with interest. If higher, additional duty is assessed. Cash deposits tie up significant working capital for importers: a $100,000 shipment with 50% cash deposit rate requires $50,000 upfront. This unpredictability is why many importers avoid China-origin products under AD orders entirely.

Rate Type	When Applied	Who Gets It
Company-specific rate	Manufacturer was individually reviewed	Best outcome — lowest rate
All-Others rate	Manufacturer not individually reviewed	Middle tier
China-wide rate	Manufacturer unknown or non-compliant	Highest rate — often 100–500%+
Preliminary rate	During investigation, before final order	Applied at entry, adjusted later

Item	Calculation	Amount
FOB Price	$200/panel × 100 panels	$20,000
Sea Freight	—	$1,500
Insurance	$20,000 × 0.5%	$100
CIF Value		$21,600
Standard HTS Duty	$21,600 × 0%	$0
Section 301	$20,000 × 50% (solar panels)	$10,000
IEEPA	$20,000 × 20%	$4,000
Anti-Dumping Deposit	$21,600 × 19.5% (Company A rate)	$4,212
CVD Deposit	$21,600 × 15.24%	$3,292
MPF + HMF	—	$47
Broker + Delivery	—	$600
Total Duties + Fees		$22,151
Total Landed		$43,751
Effective tariff rate	On FOB value	~119%

Product	AD Rate Range	CVD Rate
Steel wire rod	145–806%	Additional
Steel nails	118–186%	—
Aluminum extrusions	32–374%	10–374%
Wooden bedroom furniture	6.65–216%	—
Ceramic tile	0–337%	—
Solar cells/panels	19.5–249%	11–291%
Certain cold-rolled steel	70–209%	Additional
Crystalline silicon PV	Various	Various

Anti-Dumping Duty Calculator — ADD & CVD from China

How Anti-Dumping Duties Work in Practice

The AD Rate Structure

Worked Example: Solar Panels from China (AD+CVD Order)

Major US AD Orders on Chinese Goods (Active 2026)

How to Check if Your Product Has an AD Order

Protecting Yourself from AD Risk

Tips for China Importers