HTS heading 3920 · Chapter 39, Plastics and articles of plastic
US imports of Other plates, sheets, film, foil and strip, of plastics
Other plates, sheets, film, foil and strip, of plastics, noncellular and not reinforced, laminated, supported or similarly combined with other materials
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, USA Trade Online / International Trade API, imports for consumption, March–July 2026; effective duty = calculated duty ÷ dutiable value.
US imports under HTS 3920 at a glance
Between March and July 2026, US importers entered $2.50 billion of other plates, sheets, film, foil and strip, of plastics under HTS heading 3920, from 54 of the 55 origin countries covered here and across 33 ten-digit tariff lines — roughly $500 million a month of customs value under a single four-digit heading.
Heading 3920 sits in chapter 39, plastics and articles of plastic, so anything classified here shares a duty structure with the rest of that chapter.
Top origin countries by share of HTS 3920
Origin countries: value, share and duty paid
| Origin | Import value | Share | Dutiable share | Effective duty | Duty per $100 | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $661 million | 26.4% | 0.7% | 13.79% | $0.10 | |
| Mexico | $402 million | 16.1% | 1.2% | 7.57% | $0.09 | |
| Germany | $158 million | 6.3% | 99.4% | 14.22% | $14.13 | Duty on 3920.20.00 |
| Japan | $146 million | 5.9% | 99.9% | 13.94% | $13.92 | Duty on 3920.10.00 |
| South Korea | $140 million | 5.6% | 93.3% | 10.29% | $9.60 | Duty on 3920.62.00 |
| Vietnam | $121 million | 4.8% | 99.8% | 13.11% | $13.09 | Duty on 3920.10.00 Vietnam lane |
| China | $116 million | 4.6% | 98.9% | 38.56% | $38.14 | Duty on 3920.10.00 China lane |
| Thailand | $95.4 million | 3.8% | 100% | 14.12% | $14.12 | Duty on 3920.10.00 Thailand lane |
| Taiwan | $67.9 million | 2.7% | 99.1% | 14.26% | $14.13 | Duty on 3920.20.00 |
| United Kingdom | $65.0 million | 2.6% | 99.8% | 14.23% | $14.21 | Duty on 3920.20.00 |
| India | $64.5 million | 2.6% | 100% | 13.75% | $13.75 | Duty on 3920.20.00 India lane |
| Italy | $51.9 million | 2.1% | 99.9% | 14.04% | $14.02 | Duty on 3920.10.00 Italy lane |
| Turkey | $45.9 million | 1.8% | 100% | 14.44% | $14.44 | Duty on 3920.10.00 |
| Colombia | $33.8 million | 1.4% | 93.3% | 10.16% | $9.48 | Duty on 3920.20.00 |
| Peru | $33.1 million | 1.3% | 96.9% | 10.10% | $9.79 | Duty on 3920.20.00 |
Who exports other plates, sheets, film, foil and strip, of plastics to the United States
Canada is the largest origin with $661 million, or 26.4% of the heading, with Mexico at 16.1% and Germany at 6.3%. The top three take 48.9% between them — enough concentration to matter when one origin's duty treatment changes, but not so much that a buyer has no alternative to qualify.
Canada and Mexico sit near the top of the table, and the duty numbers reflect it: Canada entered 99.3% of its value free of duty and Mexico entered 98.8% of its value free of duty. Cargo that qualifies under USMCA and is claimed correctly at entry pays nothing; cargo that does not qualify, or that is never claimed, pays the ordinary rate. The certification is the whole difference.
What importers actually paid in duty
Duty treatment is split. 57.1% of the entered value was dutiable and the rest came in free, usually under a trade agreement or a duty-free provision in the tariff schedule. CBP collected $218 million in all, an effective 15.3% on the dutiable value and $8.74 per $100 of goods once the free entries are counted.
The spread between origins is real. Among origins with at least 2% of the heading, China paid the most duty relative to value — $38.14 per $100 — while Mexico paid $0.09. On a $250,000 purchase order that gap is about $95,000 in duty alone, which is worth pricing into a sourcing decision rather than discovering on the entry summary.
10-digit tariff lines under HTS 3920
| HTS code | Description | Import value | Share | Duty per $100 | Largest origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3920.10.00.00 | Of polymers of ethylene | $964 million | 38.5% | $6.80 | Canada |
| 3920.20.00.55 | Other | $460 million | 18.4% | $8.78 | Mexico |
| 3920.62.00.90 | Other | $260 million | 10.4% | $9.20 | Mexico |
| 3920.49.00.00 | — | $120 million | 4.8% | $9.45 | Canada |
| 3920.43.50.00 | — | $111 million | 4.4% | $13.72 | Canada |
| 3920.30.00.00 | Of polymers of styrene | $64.1 million | 2.6% | $4.43 | Mexico |
| 3920.99.20.00 | — | $59.3 million | 2.4% | $15.04 | Japan |
| 3920.91.00.00 | — | $55.1 million | 2.2% | $7.68 | Mexico |
| 3920.51.10.00 | — | $48.9 million | 1.9% | $8.98 | Mexico |
| 3920.51.50.90 | — | $48.8 million | 1.9% | $10.04 | Mexico |
| 3920.61.00.00 | — | $48.5 million | 1.9% | $13.81 | Germany |
| 3920.62.00.50 | Of poly(ethylene terephthalate) | $46.7 million | 1.9% | $9.71 | Mexico |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, USA Trade Online / International Trade API, imports for consumption, March–July 2026; effective duty = calculated duty ÷ dutiable value.
The 10-digit lines under heading 3920
33 ten-digit lines carried trade under this heading in the period. The largest, 3920.10.00.00 (of polymers of ethylene), took 38.5% of the heading at $964 million. 3920.20.00.55, 3920.62.00.90 and 3920.49.00.00 follow. Rates diverge between those lines, so the classification your broker files is worth checking against the goods rather than carried over from the last entry.
What the duty stack looks like
The rate on an entry is not one number. It is a stack: the general (column 1) rate for the 10-digit line, less any trade-agreement preference the goods qualify for, plus whatever additional duties apply to that product and origin, all applied to the customs value declared. The $8.74 per $100 above is what that stack averaged across every entry in this heading — a benchmark, not a quote.
For the origins carrying the most volume, the per-country breakdowns go a level deeper: Germany (3920.20.00), Japan (3920.10.00) and South Korea (3920.62.00). To price a specific shipment, put your 10-digit code and country of origin into the tariff simulator.
What this means for your next shipment
Classify first, confirm origin second, quote freight third. A heading like 3920 rewards that order, because the duty differences between lines and between origins are usually larger than the freight differences on the same lane. Airlift USA handles the freight and coordinates classification and entry through our licensed broker network.
For the operational side rather than the tariff side, see the Rubber & Plastic Commodities guide for how this cargo moves, the Vietnam to USA lane for transit times and ports and the heading index to compare against the rest of chapter 39.
Price a shipment under HTS 3920
Airlift USA has moved ocean and air freight into the United States since 1999 and coordinates HTS classification, ISF and entry filing through our licensed broker network.
Methodology
Figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau's international trade statistics for imports for consumption — the customs value of goods entered into US commerce, not shipments in transit or goods held in bonded warehouses. The period is March–July 2026 (5 months of data), and coverage is limited to 55 major origin countries, so totals here are lower than published US-wide totals for the same heading.
Three quantities are additive and everything else is derived from them: entered customs value, dutiable value and calculated duty. Effective duty is calculated duty divided by dutiable value — the rate CBP actually applied to the part of the trade that was dutiable. Dutiable share is dutiable value divided by entered value; below 20% it means the trade entered mostly free, under a trade agreement or a duty-free provision. Duty per $100 spreads calculated duty across all entered value, which is the figure comparable between origins.
Chapter 98 and chapter 99 are excluded: those are special classification and temporary-measure provisions rather than product headings. Heading and tariff-line descriptions are the current HTS text. Values are historical and reflect duty as calculated at the time of entry; they are not a quote and not a prediction of the rate on a future shipment.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, USA Trade Online / International Trade API, imports for consumption, March–July 2026; effective duty = calculated duty ÷ dutiable value. Census data is a work of the US government and is in the public domain.
Frequently asked questions
Which countries export the most other plates, sheets, film, foil and strip, of plastics to the United States?
Canada is the largest origin under HTS heading 3920, with $661 million entered between March and July 2026, or 26.4% of the heading. Mexico follows at 16.1% and Germany at 6.3%. Figures cover the 55 major origin countries in this dataset. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, USA Trade Online / International Trade API, imports for consumption, March–July 2026; effective duty = calculated duty ÷ dutiable value.
How much import duty is paid on other plates, sheets, film, foil and strip, of plastics under HTS 3920?
Across all origins, 57.1% of the entered value was dutiable and CBP calculated $218 million of duty over the five months — an effective 15.3% on dutiable value, or about $8.74 per $100 of goods across the whole heading. Your own rate depends on the exact 10-digit line and country of origin.
Which HTS codes fall under heading 3920?
Heading 3920 covers other plates, sheets, film, foil and strip, of plastics, noncellular and not reinforced, laminated, supported or similarly combined with other materials. 33 ten-digit lines recorded imports in this period; the largest by value were 3920.10.00.00, 3920.20.00.55, 3920.62.00.90 and 3920.49.00.00. Duty rates differ between those lines, so the 10-digit classification matters more than the heading.
Which origin pays the lowest duty on other plates, sheets, film, foil and strip, of plastics?
Among origins with at least 2% of the heading, Mexico paid the least duty relative to entered value — about $0.09 per $100 of goods, with 98.8% of its value entering free. Duty is only one part of landed cost, and a claim has to be substantiated at entry to be allowed.
How do I check the duty on my own shipment?
Use the Airlift USA tariff simulator with your 10-digit HTS code and country of origin to see the duty stack that applies today, then confirm the classification before you file. Airlift USA coordinates classification and entry filing through our licensed broker network and can review the code against your product specification.