Importing Steel from China to Colombia: 2026 Tariffs, the 35% Measure and Landed Cost
Verified 2026-10-29 against official Colombian and WTO sources. Colombia has no free trade agreement with China, so Chinese steel pays the standard tariff — and in March 2026 Colombia raised the MFN rate to 35% on 14 iron and steel product lines for non-FTA origins, with an initial duration of one year.
Import duty (arancel ad valorem) on steel
| HS heading | Product group | Standard rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7208 | Hot-rolled flat, non-alloy (HRC, plate) | 10% | Check the March 2026 measure — several flat-steel lines raised to 35% |
| 7209 | Cold-rolled flat | 10% | Included in the 2026 increases on selected lines |
| 7210 / 7212 | Coated flat (galvanised, prepainted) | 10% | Selected lines raised to 35% (Mar 2026) |
| 7213–7215 | Bars, rods, wire rod | 10% | Selected lines raised to 35% (Mar 2026) |
| 7216 | Sections (angle, channel, beam) | 10% | — |
| 7225 / 7226 | Alloy flat — wear plate NM300–NM600, high-strength BS/Q grades, silicon steel | 10% | Confirm exact 10-digit CHTS line against the Mar 2026 measure |
| 7303 / 7304 / 7306 | Tubes and pipes | 10% | Selected lines raised to 35% (Mar 2026) |
Sources: Colombian Customs Tariff (Decree 2153/2016, as amended); HKTDC Research trade alert of 2026-03-25 on the steel tariff increase; WTO Trade Policy Review 2025. Colombia applies only ad valorem tariffs; the Andean price-band system (SAFP) covers agricultural goods only — never steel.
The March 2026 tariff increase — what actually changed
In March 2026 Colombia raised the MFN import duty from 5% or 10% to 35% on 14 iron and steel product categories (together with certain aluminium products), targeting imports from countries without a free trade agreement — China, Turkey, Russia and others. The measure has an initial duration of one year. In 2025 Colombia imported 134,928 t of the now-covered products worth US$124.6 million, primarily from China — this is the government's response to low-priced import pressure on its domestic steel industry (Acerías Paz del Río, Gerdau Diaco, Siderúrgica Nacional).
What this means for buyers: whether your specific plate or coil line sits inside the 14 covered categories depends on the exact 10-digit CHTS subheading. Before any quotation we run the classification with our Colombian customs partner — on a covered line the difference is 10% vs 35%, which decides the deal.
No separate anti-dumping duties on Chinese flat steel were in force at verification date; the tariff measure is the active instrument.
The full landed-cost cascade
| Charge | Typical level | Base |
|---|---|---|
| Import duty (arancel) | 10% standard / 35% on covered 2026 lines | CIF value |
| VAT (IVA) | 19% | CIF + duty |
| Customs fee (DIM / formulario) | approx. 0.5% of CIF (capped) | CIF value |
| Customs broker | agreed fee per declaration | per import |
VAT-registered Colombian importers recover IVA as input tax, so the duty line is the real cost variable. De minimis courier imports (approx. US$200) are exempt from duty and VAT, but this does not apply to commercial steel shipments.
Documentation that matters
- Commercial invoice and packing list consistent with the BL — DIAN cross-checks values against its reference-price database.
- Certificate of origin: China and Colombia have no FTA, so a preferential C/O does not exist; a standard non-preferential C/O (CCPIT) is used for banking and statistics.
- RUT/NIT of the importer: only DIAN-registered users can clear imports; the RUT must be active for imports at the time of the DIN.
- Mill test certificate per heat — Colombian fabricators require it for grade verification.
- Wood packaging ISPM 15 stamping enforced.
Official sources for this page
- DIAN — Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales — Customs Tariff and import procedures (gov.co)
- MinCIT — Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism — trade-policy announcements (gov.co)
- WTO Tariff Download Facility — applied MFN rates
The March 2026 measure was announced via MinCIT/DIAN channels and reported by HKTDC Research (2026-03-25); exact subheading coverage is confirmed with our Colombian customs partner before every quotation.
Change log — what moved, and when
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| 2026-03 | Colombia raised MFN import duty from 5–10% to 35% on 14 iron/steel product categories (plus certain aluminium products); initial duration one year; targets non-FTA origins including China (MinCIT / HKTDC Research). |
| 2026-10-29 | Page published. Structure verified against WTO Trade Policy Review (2025) and DIAN tariff schedule: 10% standard steel duty, 19% VAT, no China FTA. |
Colombia steel tariff FAQ
Does the 35% rate apply to all steel imported into Colombia?
No. It applies to 14 specific iron and steel product categories (plus certain aluminium products) from countries without an FTA, for an initial one-year period. Most other steel lines remain at the standard 10%. The exact 10-digit CHTS subheading decides which rate applies — verify before quoting.
Can a China–Colombia FTA certificate reduce the duty?
No FTA exists between China and Colombia (nor with the Andean Community or Pacific Alliance). Chinese origin always pays the full MFN rate. Colombia's FTAs — with the US, EU, Canada, South Korea and Pacific Alliance partners — do not help Chinese steel.
Is there any way to ship steel to Colombia at less than 10% duty?
Only if the product genuinely qualifies as originating from an FTA partner — which requires real substantial transformation there, not transhipment. Misdeclaring origin to access FTA rates is customs fraud in both countries.
How does the 35% measure affect wear plate (NM400–NM500) shipments?
Wear plate normally classifies under 7225/7226. Whether a specific 10-digit line is inside the 14 covered categories is checked line by line — the measure covers selected flat and long products. We confirm classification with our customs partner before quoting, since the difference between 10% and 35% decides the deal.
Sources & verification
- 1DIAN — Colombian National Tax and Customs Directorate (Arancel de Aduanas)
- 2MinCIT — Colombian Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism (trade-remedy registry)
- 3WTO Tariff Download Facility
Figures on this page were verified on 2026-10-29 against the official sources below. Data is reviewed and re-verified monthly; dates of each review are shown on this page.
