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US Aluminum Imports - Import License Required

June 1, 2023

[Updated June 14, 2021]

The filing of aluminum licenses will become mandatory as of June 28, 2021

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US Importers of some aluminum will be required to register for a license beginning January 25th, 2021.

On December 23, 2020, the US Department of Commerce (Commerce) published a final rule in the Federal Register adopting the Aluminum Import Monitoring and Analysis (AIM) system regulations and establishing an AIM website. The AIM website consists of an online aluminum import license application platform and public AIM monitor.

The license application system will be available for early registration on or after January 4, 2021, and licenses will be required for entries of covered aluminum products beginning January 25, 2021.

Products Affected By This New Requirement Will Be:

  • Products affected by this new requirement will be:
  • Unwrought Aluminum - alloy and non-alloy
  • Bars, Rods, and Profiles - non-alloy
  • Hollow Profiles - Alloyed
  • Bars, Rods & Solid Profiles - Alloyed
  • Redraw Rod
  • Wire - Alloy and non-alloy
  • Sheet & Plate
  • Can Stock
  • Aluminum Foil
  • Seamless Pipe and Tube
  • non-Seamless Pipe and Tube
  • Tube and Pipe Fittings
  • Castings and  Forgings

Click HERE for a list of Tariff numbers affected.

Definitions:

Country of Largest Smelt:

The country where the largest volume of primary aluminum used in the manufacture of the product was smelted applies to the country where the largest volume of new aluminum metal is produced from alumina (or aluminum oxide) by the electrolytic Hall–Héroult process. Filers may state “not applicable” for this field if the product contains only secondary aluminum and no primary aluminum. Secondary aluminum is defined as aluminum metal that is produced from recycled aluminum scrap through a re-melting process. For license applications up to December 23, 2021, filers may state “unknown” for this field. Effective December 24, 2021, filers may not state “unknown” for this field.


The country where the second largest volume of primary aluminum used in the manufacture of the product was smelted applies to the country where the second largest volume of new aluminum metal is produced from alumina (or aluminum oxide) by the electrolytic Hall–Héroult process. Filers may state “not applicable” for this field if the product does not contain a second largest volume of primary aluminum or if the product contains only secondary aluminum and no primary aluminum. Secondary aluminum is defined as aluminum metal that is produced from recycled aluminum scrap through a re-melting process. For license applications up to December 23, 2021, filers may state “unknown” for this field. Effective December 24, 2021, filers may not state “unknown” for this field.


Country where the product was most recently cast applies to the country where Most Recent Cast: the aluminum (with or without alloying elements) was last liquified by heat and cast into a solid state. The final solid state can take the form of either a semi-finished product (slab, billets or ingots) or a finished aluminum product. Filers may not state “not applicable” for this field. Filers may not state “unknown” for this field. Please spell out the country name (no abbreviations).


The final rule offers a grace period of one year for the reporting of the country of first and second smelt if not known. This grace period will run from January 25th, 2021 through December 24, 2021.

Exceptions To The Requirements:


Shipments valued at less than $2,500 USD and meeting the requirements to be entered under an informal consumption entry will not require an Aluminum License.


Imports of aluminum products valued at less than $5,000 USD are subject to reduced reporting requirements under the Low Value License. Under this provision the license number can be used multiple times for the same importer of record, until the threshold of $5,000 USD is met.