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HSChapter 04
U.S. imports of cheese, not elsewhere specified or included (including cheddar and colby) (HS 040690) totaled $135.5M in April 2026, traded with 56 countries.
Importers of Cheese, Not Elsewhere Specified or Included (Including Cheddar and Colby) paid $23.9M in duties in April 2026 — an effective duty rate of 18% on $130.8M in dutiable value, based on actual customs collections rather than the published tariff schedule. Cheese, Not Elsewhere Specified or Included (Including Cheddar and Colby) imports of $135.5M in April 2026 ran 10% above the year-to-date monthly average of $122.7M.
Last updated: April 2026 dataHeading 0406.90 is the broadest cheese classification in Chapter 4, capturing aged and specialty varieties not covered by the fresh, grated, processed, or blue-veined headings — including Cheddar, Colby, Edam, Gouda, Gjetost, Goya, Swiss/Emmenthaler, Italian-type cow's-milk cheeses, sheep's-milk varieties, and Bryndza. Italy and France lead US imports under this heading, supplying aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino, Comté, and other premium varieties that anchor the specialty cheese retail and foodservice markets. The schedule's granularity is exceptional: separate lines exist for Canadian Cheddar without a license (0406900810), Romano/Reggiano/Parmesan/Provolone (0406904300), Swiss with eye formation (0406904800), and Pecorino in original loaves suitable for grating (0406905600), among many others. Dairy food admissibility requirements apply; importers should engage a licensed customs broker experienced in Chapter 4 additional notes.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
Line 0406904800 specifically covers Swiss and Emmenthaler cheeses that exhibit the characteristic eye (hole) formation produced during aging, which is the defining quality marker for authentic Emmenthaler. Swiss-type cheeses that lack eye formation — such as certain processed or young Swiss-style products — would not qualify for this line and must be classified elsewhere, potentially under the processed cheese heading or a residual NESOI line. The distinction matters because TRQ treatment under Additional US Note 25 applies specifically to the eye-formation variety.
Line 0406900810 is reserved for Canadian Cheddar cheese imported without a TRQ import license, meaning it enters outside the quota at the over-quota duty rate. Importers who hold a valid license for Canadian Cheddar under the applicable TRQ program would instead use line 0406900890. This split allows CBP to separately track licensed (in-quota) and unlicensed (over-quota) Canadian Cheddar entries, which is important for quota administration and duty assessment.
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Monthly import values over time
HS10 import codes under this HS6 parent. Source: U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
| Code | Description | Import Value | Effective Tariff % | Duty Collected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0406904200 | ITALIAN CHEESES MADE FROM COW'S MILK, NESOI | $23.8M | 20.74% | $4.9M |
| 0406905600 | CHEESE FROM SHEEPS MILK ORG LOAVES SUITB FR GRATNG | $19.6M | 10.00% | $2.0M |
| 0406909900 | CHEESE AND SUBSTITUES INCLUDING MIXTURES, NESOI | $18.9M | 18.18% | $2.6M |
| 0406909500 | CHEESE MXTRS,NESOI,CNTN COWS MLK,ADDTL U S NOTE 16 | $18.9M | 19.96% | $3.8M |
| 0406909700 | CHEESE SUBSTES MIXTRS,NESOI,CNTN COWS MILK,NESOI | $15.2M | 19.26% | $2.9M |
| 0406904600 | SWISS/EMMENTHALER CHEESE, SEE ADDTL U.S. NOTE 25 | $8.3M | 16.40% | $1.4M |
| 0406901200 | CHEESE, CHEDDAR, NESOI | $5.9M | 23.80% | $1.4M |
| 0406905700 | CHEESE PECORINO IN ORIG LOAVES NT SUITB FOR GRATNG | $5.3M | 10.00% | $534K |
| 0406904100 | ITALIAN CHEESES MADE FROM COW'S MILK,ADD US NTE 21 | $5.2M | 25.00% | $1.3M |
| 0406905900 | CHEESES MADE FROM SHEEP'S MILK, NESOI | $4.2M | 18.14% | $762K |
| 0406900890 | CHEDDAR CHEESE,ADDITONAL U S NOTE 18(CHAP.4) NESOI | $3.8M | 17.96% | $688K |
| 0406901600 | EDAM/GOUDA CHEESE,SEE ADDITIONAL U.S. NOTE 20 | $3.1M | 25.00% | $766K |
| 0406901800 | EDAM/GOUDA CHEESE,NESOI | $2.1M | 32.99% | $704K |
| 0406909000 | CHEESE MXTRS CNT/PROC FRM SWISS ETC, ADDTL NOTE 22 | $378K | 10.21% | $39K |
| 0406902500 | CHEESE, GJETOST, NESOI | $249K | 18.50% | $46K |
| 0406907800 | CHEESE SUBSTES MXTRS CONT/PROCD FRM CHEDDAR, NESOI | $166K | 22.59% | $38K |
| 0406904800 | SWISS/EMMENTHALER CHEESE WITH EYE FORMATION, NESOI | $150K | 12.34% | $19K |
| 0406906800 | CHEESE SUBSTS INC MXTRS CNT ITAL-TYPE CHEESE,NESOI | $96K | 3.61% | $3K |
| 0406904300 | ROMANO/REGGIANO/PARMESAN/PROVOLONE CHEESES, NESOI | $48K | 19.60% | $1K |
| 0406902000 | CHEESE, GJETOST MADE FR GOAT'S MILK WHEY ETC | $11K | 14.20% | $2K |
| 0406908800 | CHEESE SUBSTES MXTRS CNT/PROC FR EDAM/GOUDA, NESOI | $8K | 41.81% | $3K |
| 0406909200 | CHEESE SUBSTES MXTRS CNT/PROC FRM SWISS ETC, NESOI | $8K | 20.07% | $2K |
| 0406907400 | CHEESE/SUBSTS MXTRS CNTN/PROC FRM BLUE-MOLD,NESOI | $4K | 30.45% | $1K |
| 0406900500 | CHEESE, BRYNDZA | $4K | 17.19% | $648 |
| 0406908400 | CHEESE SUBSTES MXTRS CNT/PROC AMER-TYPE ETC, NESOI | $2K | 18.15% | $395 |
| 0406907600 | CHEESE MXTRS CONT/PROCD FRM CHEDDAR, ADDTL NOTE 18 | $0 | -- | -- |
| 0406907200 | CHEESE MXTRS CNTN/PROC FRM BLUE-MOLD,ADDTL NOTE 17 | $0 | -- | -- |
| 0406900810 | CHEDDAR CHEESE,CANADIAN,NO LICENSE,ADDTL US NTE 18 | $0 | -- | -- |
| 0406903200 | GOYA CHEESE(COW'S MLK),NT IN ORIGINL LOAVES, NESOI | $0 | -- | -- |
ITALIAN CHEESES MADE FROM COW'S MILK, NESOI
CHEESE FROM SHEEPS MILK ORG LOAVES SUITB FR GRATNG
CHEESE AND SUBSTITUES INCLUDING MIXTURES, NESOI
CHEESE MXTRS,NESOI,CNTN COWS MLK,ADDTL U S NOTE 16
CHEESE SUBSTES MIXTRS,NESOI,CNTN COWS MILK,NESOI
SWISS/EMMENTHALER CHEESE, SEE ADDTL U.S. NOTE 25
CHEESE, CHEDDAR, NESOI
CHEESE PECORINO IN ORIG LOAVES NT SUITB FOR GRATNG
ITALIAN CHEESES MADE FROM COW'S MILK,ADD US NTE 21
CHEESES MADE FROM SHEEP'S MILK, NESOI
CHEDDAR CHEESE,ADDITONAL U S NOTE 18(CHAP.4) NESOI
EDAM/GOUDA CHEESE,SEE ADDITIONAL U.S. NOTE 20
EDAM/GOUDA CHEESE,NESOI
CHEESE MXTRS CNT/PROC FRM SWISS ETC, ADDTL NOTE 22
CHEESE, GJETOST, NESOI
CHEESE SUBSTES MXTRS CONT/PROCD FRM CHEDDAR, NESOI
SWISS/EMMENTHALER CHEESE WITH EYE FORMATION, NESOI
CHEESE SUBSTS INC MXTRS CNT ITAL-TYPE CHEESE,NESOI
ROMANO/REGGIANO/PARMESAN/PROVOLONE CHEESES, NESOI
CHEESE, GJETOST MADE FR GOAT'S MILK WHEY ETC
CHEESE SUBSTES MXTRS CNT/PROC FR EDAM/GOUDA, NESOI
CHEESE SUBSTES MXTRS CNT/PROC FRM SWISS ETC, NESOI
CHEESE/SUBSTS MXTRS CNTN/PROC FRM BLUE-MOLD,NESOI
CHEESE, BRYNDZA
CHEESE SUBSTES MXTRS CNT/PROC AMER-TYPE ETC, NESOI
CHEESE MXTRS CONT/PROCD FRM CHEDDAR, ADDTL NOTE 18
CHEESE MXTRS CNTN/PROC FRM BLUE-MOLD,ADDTL NOTE 17
CHEDDAR CHEESE,CANADIAN,NO LICENSE,ADDTL US NTE 18
GOYA CHEESE(COW'S MLK),NT IN ORIGINL LOAVES, NESOI
HS10 export codes under this HS6 parent. Source: U.S. Schedule B export classification.
| Code | Description | Export Value |
|---|---|---|
| 0406909550 | CHEESE, INCLUDING MIXTURES, NESOI | $71.8M |
| 0406901000 | CHEESE, CHEDDAR, NESOI | $41.9M |
| 0406906500 | CHEESE, COLBY, NESOI | $312K |
CHEESE, INCLUDING MIXTURES, NESOI
15.3M kg
CHEESE, CHEDDAR, NESOI
10.9M kg
CHEESE, COLBY, NESOI
66.2K kg
WHEY & MODFD WHEY WHET/NT CNCNTRTD CNTG ADD SWEETN
HS 040410
| State | Imports | Exports | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $87.6M | $3.0M | -$84.6M |
| California | $7.5M | $29.6M | +$22.1M |
| New York | $16.6M | $1.6M | -$15.0M |
| Port | Imports | Exports | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEWARK, NJ | $91.9M | -- | -$91.9M |
| LAREDO, TX | -- | $26.2M | +$26.2M |
| OAKLAND, CA | $1.0M | $21.7M | +$20.7M |