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SITCSection 5
U.S. imports of propellent powders (SITC 59311) totaled $24.7M in April 2026, traded with 12 countries.
Importers of Propellent Powders paid $381K in duties in April 2026 — an effective duty rate of 11% on $3.5M in dutiable value, based on actual customs collections rather than the published tariff schedule. Propellent Powders imports of $24.7M in April 2026 ran 86% above the year-to-date monthly average of $13.3M.
Last updated: April 2026 dataClassified as energetic materials, propellent powders — including single-base (nitrocellulose), double-base (nitrocellulose/nitroglycerin), and triple-base formulations — are subject to strict import licensing and end-use controls administered by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and, for certain military-specification grades, the State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls under ITAR. Commercial importers must hold the appropriate federal explosives license or permit, and shipments require DOT hazardous-materials classification and packaging compliance throughout the supply chain. The distinction between propellent powders and other prepared explosives is commercially significant because it determines which regulatory pathway governs the import.
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Importers of propellent powders must hold a valid federal explosives license or permit issued by ATF under the Safe Explosives Act. Certain military-grade or dual-use propellants may additionally require an import license from the State Department under ITAR or from the Commerce Department under the EAR, depending on the specific formulation and end-use.
Propellent powders are energetic compositions designed to generate propulsive gas at a controlled burn rate — used in firearms ammunition, rocket motors, and airbag inflators — rather than to detonate. The defining characteristic is deflagration (rapid burning) rather than detonation. Compositions designed to detonate classify under the prepared explosives heading rather than here.
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| Country | Imports | Exports | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| CANADA | $20.5M | $649K | -$19.8M |
| CZECH REPUBLIC | $467K | $3.5M | +$3.0M |
| ISRAEL | -- | $3.1M | +$3.1M |
| BRAZIL | -- | $3.0M | +$3.0M |
| AUSTRALIA | $2.2M | -- | -$2.2M |
Monthly import values over time