Standard International Trade Classification
U.S. imports of Penicillins, Derivatives with Penicillanic Acid Structure & Their Salts (SITC 54131) totaled $4.5M in August 2026, imported from 14 countries.
Importers of Penicillins, Derivatives with Penicillanic Acid Structure & Their Salts paid $7K in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 0.15% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule. Penicillins, Derivatives with Penicillanic Acid Structure & Their Salts imports of $4.5M in August 2026 ran 22% below the year-to-date monthly average of $5.8M.
Last updated: August 2026 dataPenicillins and semi-synthetic derivatives sharing the penicillanic acid core — including amoxicillin, ampicillin, and their pharmaceutical salts — are regulated as active pharmaceutical ingredients subject to FDA's drug import program, requiring manufacture at an FDA-registered foreign facility that has passed inspection. These beta-lactam antibiotics are among the most widely prescribed antibiotic classes globally, and bulk API supply is heavily concentrated in a small number of manufacturing countries, creating ongoing supply-chain resilience concerns for US pharmaceutical manufacturers. Importers must ensure that each shipment is accompanied by a certificate of analysis meeting USP or equivalent pharmacopeial specifications, and that the foreign manufacturer appears on FDA's approved drug establishment list. Classification accuracy is important because penicillin derivatives may also be subject to Section 301 tariff measures depending on origin.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
32 import shipments a month
Foreign establishments that manufacture, process, pack, or hold drug APIs for US import must register with FDA under the Drug Establishment Registration program and list their drug products. FDA conducts inspections of these facilities, and a history of import alerts or warning letters can result in shipments being detained at the port of entry. Importers should verify that their supplier's registration is current and that no active import alert applies before placing orders.
Only compounds that retain the bicyclic penicillanic acid (6-APA) core — whether natural penicillins or semi-synthetic derivatives like amoxicillin and flucloxacillin — belong here. Cephalosporins, carbapenems, and other beta-lactams with different ring structures are classified under separate headings. When importing a novel semi-synthetic derivative, a binding classification ruling or consultation with a customs broker experienced in pharmaceutical chemicals is advisable to confirm the correct heading.
Basic heading 321 of 465 in section 5
Basic heading 54131 · $4.5M of $27.5B
Imports · August 2026
origin
Spain and Mexico together supply 75% of it.
customs district
Census does not publish district detail for this classification system.
destination
Census does not publish state detail for this classification system.
entry
Census does not publish port detail for this classification system.
ImportsExports
Imports
$4.5MYoY · free account
Exports
$821KYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $63.6M of Penicillins, Derivatives with Penicillanic Acid Structure & Their Salts and exported $4.3M.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
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