Metal Roofing Tariff and Import Exposure Report (2026)

Metal roofing carries more tariff risk in 2026 than any other roofing category, because every common panel metal (steel, aluminum, and copper) now sits under a 50% Section 232 tariff, and one of them, aluminum, is majority imported. Steel-based panels dominate the residential market and are mostly rolled from domestic coil, so their exposure shows up as price inflation rather than supply shortage. Aluminum, copper, and architectural zinc panels carry the true import risk. This report ranks each metal roofing material by import exposure and traces how the 2025 to 2026 tariff schedule moved coil and panel prices.

Key findings

• The Section 232 tariff on steel, aluminum, and copper stands at 50% in 2026, up from 25% in March 2025 and doubled to 50% in June 2025 (Congressional Research Service; Roofing Contractor, 2025).
• As of April 6, 2026, the tariff applies to the full customs value of covered articles and derivatives, not just the metal content, which widened the tax base for panels, trim, and fasteners (C.H. Robinson; White & Case, 2026).
• Aluminum roofing is the most supply-exposed common metal: about 60% of US aluminum consumption was imported in 2025, and Canada supplied the majority (USGS; Visual Capitalist, 2025).
• Steel roofing is the least supply-exposed but still price-exposed: finished steel imports were roughly 18% of the US market in 2025, and domestic mills price under the tariff umbrella (American Iron and Steel Institute, February 2026).
• CRU hot-rolled coil rose from about $694 per short ton on January 1, 2025 to roughly $1,002 by March 2026, a gain near 44% (CRU via Steel Warehouse, 2026).
• Some fabricators reported metal panel quotes up as much as 60% between March and June 2025 as the tariff doubled, though realized job-cost increases were smaller (Roofing Contractor; RoofVista, 2025).

How the Section 232 metal roofing tariff reached 50% and full customs value

The tariff that governs metal roofing costs is Section 232, a national-security trade measure covering steel, aluminum, and, since 2026, copper. It moved in three steps: a 25% rate in March 2025, a doubling to 50% in June 2025, and a structural change on April 6, 2026 that applied the duty to the entire customs value of a product rather than only its metal weight. That last change matters most for finished roofing goods, because a coated steel panel or an aluminum drip edge is now taxed on its full invoice value.

1. March 2025: Section 232 tariffs of 25% imposed on steel and aluminum imports and named derivative products (Congressional Research Service, 2025).
2. June 2025: Rate doubled to 50% on steel and aluminum (Roofing Contractor, 2025).
3. April 6, 2026: 50% applied to full customs value across Harmonized Tariff chapters 72, 73, 74, and 76; copper added; derivative articles with more than 15% metal content pulled in (C.H. Robinson; Crane Worldwide, 2026).
4. June 2026: Refinements added a 10% rate for derivatives made entirely from US-smelted or US-poured metal, and lower rates for certain partners such as the UK (White & Case; C.H. Robinson, 2026).

The practical effect for a roofing buyer is that the tariff now touches almost every metal item on a metal-roof invoice: panels (chapter 72 or 76), ridge and rake trim, clips, and screws (chapter 73), and copper flashing or full copper roofs (chapter 74). Products with less than 15% metal weight by value are generally excluded.

The metal roofing import exposure index: which panels carry the most tariff risk

Import exposure is not the same as tariff exposure. A material can face a 50% tariff yet still be sourced domestically, in which case the tariff raises the domestic price without threatening supply. The table below ranks common metal roofing materials on two axes: supply exposure (how much of US demand is imported) and tariff status under Section 232. Steel-based products, which make up the large majority of residential metal roofs in our roofing material market share report, sit lowest on supply exposure; aluminum, copper, and zinc sit highest.

The ranking shows why the tariff debate splits by metal. A homeowner choosing Galvalume steel standing seam is largely buying domestic coil, so the tariff shows up as a higher list price, not a stockout. A homeowner choosing aluminum shingles or a copper roof is buying into a supply chain where imports set the marginal price, so both price and availability can move. For a primer on the metals and coatings behind each panel, see our guide to what metal roofs are made of.

Why steel roofing prices rose even though most coil is domestic

Steel roofing prices climbed in 2025 and 2026 despite low import dependence because domestic mills price under the tariff umbrella. When a 50% tariff makes imported coil expensive, US producers can raise their own prices toward that new ceiling without losing share. The US produced about 82 million metric tons of raw steel in 2025, and finished imports fell to roughly 18% of the market, yet domestic hot-rolled coil still rose sharply (AISI, February 2026).

The coil benchmark tells the story. CRU hot-rolled coil started 2025 near $694 per short ton, climbed to about $967 by early April 2025, softened mid-year, and reached roughly $1,002 per short ton by March 2026 (CRU via Steel Warehouse, 2026). Galvanized coil, the base for most steel roofing, carried an added premium over hot-rolled that reached about $175 per short ton in September 2025, with galvanized base prices near $960 per short ton at that time (Steel Market Update, 2025).

Producer price data confirms the direction. The BLS steel mill products index (series WPU1017) reached about 325 in early 2026 on a 1982 base, and steel mill product prices rose 7.1% in March 2025 alone (Bureau of Labor Statistics via FRED, 2026). For a roofing crew, a coil-cost move of that size flows through to fabricated panel prices within weeks, because coil is the dominant input in a formed steel panel. Our 2026 roofing cost report tracks how these material moves land in installed prices by region.

Aluminum, copper, and zinc roofing carry the highest import risk

Aluminum, copper, and zinc roofing sit at the top of the exposure index because imports set their prices and, in the case of zinc, most supply is foreign. Aluminum is the clearest case among mainstream products: about 60% of US aluminum consumption was imported in 2025, and Canada supplied the majority, with US primary aluminum imports from Canada near 2.7 million metric tons in 2024 (USGS; Visual Capitalist, 2025). A 50% tariff on chapter 76 aluminum therefore reaches a large share of the metal in an aluminum roof.

Copper roofing and copper flashing moved into the 50% band when copper joined Section 232 in 2026, and the US imports roughly 40% to 45% of its refined copper needs (USGS, 2025). Architectural zinc is the most import-dependent of all, because rolled zinc panels for roofing come almost entirely from European producers, though zinc itself is not a named Section 232 metal and is affected mainly through general and country-specific tariffs. Buyers of these three metals should expect both higher prices and longer lead times than steel buyers.

What the tariffs did to metal roofing prices in 2025 and 2026

Reported price effects range from modest single-digit panel increases to headline figures near 60%, and the gap comes down to what is being measured. The largest numbers describe short-run mill or fabricator quotes during the June 2025 doubling; realized homeowner job costs rose less, because materials are only part of an installed price and labor did not carry the tariff.

The tariff also changed trade flows, which can affect availability. Total US steel imports fell 12.6% in 2025 to 25.2 million net tons, and early 2026 data showed imports down further, as buyers shifted to domestic mills (AISI, 2026; Manufacturing Dive, 2026). Less import competition tends to keep domestic prices firm even when demand cools.

What the tariffs mean for homeowners and contractors

For homeowners weighing a metal roof in 2026, the material choice now carries a tariff dimension on top of the usual tradeoffs of lifespan and looks. Steel panels remain the lowest-risk metal option on supply, though their price has risen with domestic coil. Aluminum, copper, and zinc can cost more and take longer to source. Buyers can reduce exposure by asking suppliers to document domestic melt-and-pour origin, which may qualify derivatives for lower rates in some cases.

• Lock pricing where possible: coil and panel prices moved on a scale of weeks in 2025, so a written quote with a validity window limits mid-project surprises.
• Ask about metal origin: panels made from US-smelted or US-poured metal may face a 10% derivative rate rather than 50% under the June 2026 rules, depending on documentation.
• Compare steel against aluminum on total exposure, not sticker alone: aluminum’s higher import dependence can mean more price volatility over a project timeline.
• Budget for trim and fasteners too: the full-customs-value change means clips, screws, and flashing now carry tariff cost, not just the main panels. Our guide on how to read a metal roof estimate shows where these line items hide.

Contractors quoting fixed-price jobs face the sharpest risk, because a tariff or coil move between bid and install can erase margin. Many now write material-escalation clauses or shorten quote validity, practices that were rare before 2025.

Methodology and sources

This report synthesizes public trade, price, and tariff data current to mid-2026. Tariff rates and dates come from the Congressional Research Service, C.H. Robinson, White & Case, and Crane Worldwide trade advisories on the 2025 to 2026 Section 232 actions. Steel import volumes and market share come from the American Iron and Steel Institute (February 2026 release). Coil and galvanized prices come from CRU figures reported by Steel Warehouse and from Steel Market Update. Producer price levels come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics steel mill products index (WPU1017) via FRED. Aluminum and copper import dependence come from the US Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries and reporting by Visual Capitalist. Reported panel price increases come from Roofing Contractor and RoofVista industry coverage.

The import exposure index is our own synthesis. It combines documented import dependence for each metal with the applicable Section 232 chapter and rate to rank materials by risk. Figures are approximate and vary by grade, coating, region, and week; where a range exists, we state it. Percentages described as “reported” reflect industry quotes rather than measured installed-cost changes, and should be read as directional. Tariff policy is subject to change, and rates or exclusions may differ by country of origin and product classification.

Frequently asked questions

What is the current tariff on metal roofing materials in 2026? Steel, aluminum, and copper roofing materials face a 50% Section 232 tariff in 2026, up from 25% in March 2025 and doubled to 50% in June 2025. Since April 6, 2026, the tariff applies to the full customs value of covered panels, trim, and fasteners rather than only their metal content (C.H. Robinson; Congressional Research Service).

Which metal roofing material has the most tariff and import risk? Architectural zinc carries the highest supply risk because most rolled zinc panels are imported from Europe, followed by copper and aluminum, which are both majority or heavily import-dependent and now sit under 50% Section 232 tariffs. Steel-based panels have the lowest supply risk because roughly 82% of US steel is domestic.

Did metal roof prices really rise 60% from tariffs? Some fabricators reported metal panel quotes up as much as 60% between March and June 2025 when the tariff doubled, per Roofing Contractor and RoofVista. Realized homeowner job costs rose less, because materials are only part of an installed price and labor is not tariffed. Treat the 60% figure as a short-run quote spike, not a typical installed-cost increase.

Is steel roofing affected by tariffs if the steel is made in America? Yes, indirectly. Even though about 82% of US steel is domestic, a 50% tariff on imported coil lets domestic mills raise prices toward the tariff-inflated ceiling. CRU hot-rolled coil rose from about $694 per short ton in January 2025 to roughly $1,002 by March 2026, and that coil cost flows into panel prices.

How can I reduce tariff cost on a metal roof? Ask suppliers to document US melt-and-pour origin, which may qualify some derivative products for a 10% rate rather than 50% under June 2026 rules. Choosing domestic steel panels over aluminum or copper lowers supply exposure, and locking a written quote with a short validity window limits price moves between bid and install.

Reviewed by The Roofing Brief Team. Last reviewed July 2026.