08/14/2026
A potential 25% tariff on brass instruments could be coming soon.
Statement from NAMM President and CEO on Section 232 Addition of Brass-wind Instruments:
The Bureau of Industry and Security's (BIS) notice proposing the inclusion brass-wind musical instruments and their parts and accessories within the scope of Section 232 duties on steel, aluminum, and copper derivative articles will further harm the American businesses, musicians, and children.
Over 25 million students participate in school music each year, supported by a network of thousands of American retailers who have imported and supplied these instruments for decades. These students feed the pipeline of American musicians who contribute to the creative economy that produces $1.17 trillion of economic activity, accounts for 4.2 percent of U.S. GDP, and provides 5.4 million arts and cultural jobs nationwide according to a 2025 report by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.
There is absolutely no national security risk with musical instruments, and in fact, the opposite is true. Music making has been one of the most culturally uniting activities for thousands of years.
NAMM strongly opposes the addition of brass-wind musical instruments and parts and accessories (HTSUS 9205.10.0000 and 9209.99.4080) in the proposed Section 232 and will be filing comments against them to the Bureau of Industry and Security's (BIS), U.S. Department of Commerce. NAMM has been consistent in this message, including the excerpt from our oral testimony in the Section 301 committee hearing on excess capacity in May. We will continue to champion access to American music making for our current and future generations.
Read the full press release here: https://www.namm.org/news/press-releases/statement-namm-president-and-ceo-section-232-addition-brass-wind-instruments
