Acid dyes from India
India exported $220 million of acid dyes (HS 3204.12) in FY2025-26, down 3.4% on FY2024-25. Goods made in India pay 10% to 16.5% US import duty, depending on the tariff line, against 37.5% to 44% for goods from China.
- US duty from India
- 10%China 37.5%
- India's exports, FY2025-26
- $220MDown 3.4% on last year
- HS code
- 3204.12Page updated 6 Nov 2026
US import duty, India vs China
India pays 27.5 points less on the lowest-duty line. From the USITC HTS 2026 Rev 22.
All 7 US tariff lines
| HTS line | Description | Base | India | China |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3204.12.05.00 | Acid dyes, whether or not premetallized, and preparations based thereon; mordant dyes and preparations based thereon: Acid black 210 powder and presscake | Free | 10% | 37.5% |
| 3204.12.13.00 | Acid dyes, whether or not premetallized, and preparations based thereon; mordant dyes and preparations based thereon: Acid violet 19 | Free | 10% | 37.5% |
| 3204.12.17.00 | Acid dyes, whether or not premetallized, and preparations based thereon; mordant dyes and preparations based thereon: Acid black 31, 50, 94, 129; Acid blue 54, 127, 129, 143; Acid brown 44, 46, 48, 58, 188, 189; Acid green 40; Acid red 130, 145, 174, 211; Acid violet 31, 41, 48; Acid yellow 2, 75; Mordant black 8; Mordant green 47; andMordant red 17, 27 | 6.5% | 16.5% | 44% |
| 3204.12.20.00 | Acid dyes, whether or not premetallized, and preparations based thereon; mordant dyes and preparations based thereon: Acid black 61, 63, 76, 83, 117, 127, 131, 132, 139, 164, 170, 177, 183, 188, 194, 199, 211; Acid blue 1, 47, 60, 61, 66, 72, 81, 82, 83, 90, 98, 102, 112, 123, 126, 127:1, 130, 133, 140, 142, 147, 151, 172, 175, 182, 185, 193, 204, 205, 208, 209, 221, 225, 229, 239, 242, 247, 250, 252, 254, 260, 261, 264, 266, 268, 280, 284, 288, 290, 296, 312, 317, 318; Acid brown 10, 11, 12, 30, 33, 45, 50, 52, 68, 83, 85, 100, 101, 103, 104, 105, 106, 126, 127, 147, 158, 160, 161, 162, 163, 165, 180, 191, 224, 226, 227, 235, 237, 239, 248, 266, 267, 270, 276, 282, 283, 289, 290, 291, 298, 304, 311, 314, 315, 321, 322, 324, 325, 330, 331, 355, 357, 358, 359, 360, 361, 362, 384; Acid green 9, 26, 28, 41, 43, 60, 68, 70, 71, 73, 80, 82, 84, 89, 92, 93, 94, 108, 112; Acid orange 3, 19, 28, 33, 43, 47, 61, 86, 89, 92, 94, 102, 107, 126, 135, 142, 144; Acid red 37, 42, 48, 52, 57, 58, 92, 111, 118, 127, 131, 138, 143, 155, 161, 183, 199, 213, 215, 216, 226, 227, 228, 249, 252, 257, 259, 260, 261, 263, 274, 281, 282, 283, 301, 303, 310, 315, 330, 331, 332, 336, 347, 357, 359, 360, 361, 362, 380, 392, 394, 396; Acid violet 9, 34, 36, 47, 66, 75, 80, 90, 103, 109, 111, 121; Acid yellow 7, 35, 64, 70, 72, 96, 98, 111, 127, 136, 155, 167, 183, 184, 194, 195, 199, 218, 221, 223, 227; Copper phthalocyanine-3,3',4,4'-tetrasulfonic acid; Copper phthalocyanine-4,4ʻ,4'',4'''-tetrasulfonic acid; Dyes containing, by weight--24.2 percent Acid Yellow 135, 21.7 percent Acid Orange 51, and 54.1 percent Acid Blue 113; Dyes containing, by weight-- 10.1 percent Acid Yellow 64, 11.6 percent Acid Orange 51, 26.3 percent Acid Blue 113, 50.5 percent Acid Black 172, and 1.5 percent Acid Green 25 | 6.5% | 16.5% | 44% |
| 3204.12.30.00 | Acid dyes, whether or not premetallized, and preparations based thereon; mordant dyes and preparations based thereon: Mordant black 75; Mordant blue 1; Mordant brown 79; and Mordant red 81, 84 | 6.5% | 16.5% | 44% |
| 3204.12.45.00 | Other: Products described in additional U.S. note 3 to section VI | 6.5% | 16.5% | 44% |
| 3204.12.50 | Other: Other | 6.5% | 16.5% | 44% |
Totals include the Section 301 duty on goods from India or China and any Section 232 metals duty. They exclude anti-dumping and countervailing duties and customs fees. Check the current rate before you quote.
India's exports of acid dyes
India's exports to all countries under HS 3204.12, April to March, from DGCI&S.
Rules and other duties
- EU base duty
- The EU's average applied base (MFN) rate on HS 3204.12 is 6.5%, from 2021 data. It doesn't include India's GSP preference, so goods from India may pay less. Check the current rate in TARIC before you quote.
- RoDTEP
- India's schedule lists 0.7% of FOB value for exporters. The scheme was notified until 30 September 2026, so check with DGFT whether it's been extended.
- India's export policy
- Free to export, with no licence needed.
Common questions
What is the US import duty on acid dyes from India?
10% to 16.5% on the 7 US tariff lines under HS 3204.12, including the Section 301 duty on Indian goods and any Section 232 metals duty. Goods from China pay 37.5% to 44%. Anti-dumping duties and customs fees aren't included.
What is the HS code for acid dyes?
3204.12, under heading 3204 (Synthetic organic coloring matter, whether or not chemically defined; preparations as specified in note 3 to this chapter based on synthetic organic coloring matter; synthetic organic products of a kind used as fluorescent brightening agents or as luminophores, whether or not chemically defined). Check the exact 8-digit or 10-digit line with your customs broker, since duty can differ between lines.
Does India export acid dyes?
Yes. India exported $220 million under HS 3204.12 in FY2025-26, according to DGCI&S, the Ministry of Commerce's trade statistics body.