Importing SPC & LVT Flooring to the USA — A 2026 B2B Guide
Importing SPC or LVT flooring from China requires an exact product construction, current HTS classification, entry-date tariff check, licensed customs broker, ISF coordination, order-specific documentation, and a weight-based container plan. HTS heading 3918.10 is a starting point, not a universal 10-digit answer. The temporary 10% Section 122 surcharge ended on 24 July 2026 unless extended by Congress, so it must not remain inside a permanent “all-in” tariff percentage. Ecoflors supplies product, packing, origin, quotation and available certificate information; the US importer of record and broker confirm classification, entered value, duties, fees and admissibility.
HTS Classification — Start With the Product, Not the Décor Name
US classification begins with the product as imported: material composition, rigid or flexible core, whether it is presented as tile/plank or roll, backing, self-adhesive status and the complete construction. A wood-look print does not turn a PVC floor covering into a Chapter 44 wood product. The current HTS contains more specific statistical suffixes within 3918.10.10, including separate descriptions for rigid solid-polymer-core and rigid expanded-polymer-core vinyl tile. Flexible LVT and other constructions may require a different line.
Use the current USITC HTS search, review relevant CBP classification rulings, and have the importer’s licensed customs broker confirm the entry. Supplier guidance is buyer education, not a binding customs ruling.
| Product type | Classification starting point | What must be confirmed | Supplier information |
|---|---|---|---|
| SPC Click · rigid solid core | 3918.10.1020 may apply | Current suffix and Chapter 99 treatment | Core composition, plank size, layers, backing and click construction |
| Rigid expanded-polymer-core vinyl tile | 3918.10.1030 may apply | Whether the product meets the HTS statistical note | Core structure and density information when requested |
| Dryback or Loose Lay LVT | Start at 3918.10 | Exact tile/other statistical line | Flexible construction, dimensions, backing and installation method |
| Factory-attached IXPE backing | Review with the finished floor covering | Composite-good treatment for the exact construction | Backing material, thickness and lamination method |
| Separately imported underlay | Classify separately | Material, cellular structure, form and current HTS line | Separate material and technical description |
Do not reuse an obsolete generic 10-digit code for every SPC and LVT construction. The commercial invoice should describe the product accurately in plain language, including the material and floor-covering form. Ecoflors can provide construction and packing data, but it cannot pre-clear a CBP classification. The importer and broker should request a binding ruling when a material classification uncertainty remains.
Current Duty Review — Do Not Publish a Permanent “All-In” Rate
Status reviewed 25 August 2026: the White House imposed a temporary 10% Section 122 surcharge from 24 February through 24 July 2026 unless extended by an Act of Congress. No official extension was identified for this revision, so the expired surcharge has been removed from the page’s current tariff calculation. China-origin vinyl flooring may still be subject to the ordinary HTS duty and a Section 301 duty, but the result depends on the exact current classification, entry date, exclusions and other measures.
Check the current USITC HTS, the official USTR Section 301 search, and the Section 122 proclamation and end date. Then use a date-stamped broker and forwarder worksheet for the purchase decision.
Add the order-specific FOB Shanghai value, ocean freight, marine insurance if arranged, MPF, HMF for an applicable ocean entry, bond, brokerage, port charges, drayage and inland delivery. Dense flooring is often payload-limited before it is volume-limited. Ecoflors supplies the exact product and packing inputs; the importer, broker and forwarder confirm the legal and logistics inputs.
First Sale valuation — relevant only to a qualifying multi-tier transaction
First Sale valuation is not an automatic discount and is not created merely by buying factory-direct. It can be considered when a genuine multi-tier transaction includes a manufacturer, middleman and US importer, and when the importer can demonstrate a bona fide arm’s-length sale for export to the United States. CBP may require purchase orders, invoices, contracts, proof of payment, party relationships, risk-of-loss terms and a complete transaction paper trail.
A direct sale from Ecoflors to the US importer normally begins with the price actually paid or payable in that direct transaction, subject to the statutory additions and the importer’s valuation analysis. Buyers considering First Sale should obtain advice from their licensed customs broker or trade counsel and review current CBP valuation guidance.
USTR exclusions are product-specific and time-limited. The extension of a group of exclusions through 10 November 2026 does not mean that every product under 3918.10 is excluded. Search the exact HTS subheading and product description before each entry; do not rely on an old flooring article or a previous shipment.
AD/CVD Screening — Check Current Scope, Not Only the Chapter
AD/CVD orders are separate from ordinary duty and Section 301. The current review did not identify a product-specific AD/CVD order naming standard PVC-based SPC or LVT flooring, but that is not a permanent clearance statement. Scope language, circumvention findings, product composition and new petitions can change. The importer should screen the exact merchandise against current Department of Commerce and USITC information and involve trade counsel when the product sits near an order’s scope.
| Product | Current screening position | Why it matters | Buyer action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multilayered wood flooring | Active order area | Different material and scope from standard PVC/SPC | Do not use a wood-flooring conclusion for vinyl products |
| Hardwood plywood | Active order area | Relevant only if the imported product contains in-scope wood merchandise | Check components and scope when any wood layer is present |
| Standard PVC-based SPC or LVT | No permanent blanket conclusion | Composition and current scope still need review | Screen exact product and current official orders before entry |
| WPC or hybrid constructions | Outside this guide’s standard product assumptions | Different construction can change classification and scope analysis | Obtain a separate material and customs review |
Use a precise description such as the actual PVC floor-covering construction, installation system, plank or tile form and backing. “Wood-look” may describe the décor, but it should not replace the material description. Avoid vague terms such as “laminate flooring” when the product is vinyl. The broker should align the commercial description with the final classification.
US Project Documentation — Match Certificates to the Offered SKU
Ecoflors has FloorScore and GREENGUARD Gold documentation available. Before quotation, private-label use or project submission, confirm the certificate holder, production scope, product family, exact construction, addendum, validity period and approved publication or buyer-use rights. A certificate name can be stated at product-selection stage; the exact file and identifier should be supplied only after the offered SKU is matched.
FloorScore — voluntary flooring VOC certification
FloorScore is a voluntary hard-surface flooring VOC certification based on the California CDPH Standard Method. It can support low-emitting-material requirements in LEED, WELL, CHPS and other programs, but it is not automatically required for every US commercial or multi-family project. The current product listing and certificate addendum should match the quoted construction. See the official SCS FloorScore program.
CARB ATCM Phase 2 and EPA TSCA Title VI — composite-wood scope
CARB ATCM Phase 2 and EPA TSCA Title VI regulate specified composite-wood panels and finished goods containing them. A PVC and limestone SPC construction without regulated hardwood plywood, particleboard or MDF is generally outside that composite-wood product scope. A backing or component containing regulated composite wood requires a separate review. FloorScore and GREENGUARD Gold do not replace this material-scope analysis. See the EPA composite-wood rule overview.
California Proposition 65 — evaluate exposure, not one ingredient list
A Proposition 65 warning decision depends on exposure to any listed chemical and the applicable safe-harbor level or product-specific assessment. A statement that selected phthalates are not intentionally added does not by itself prove that no warning is required for every SKU or use case. Buyers selling into California should review the exact formulation and exposure assessment with a qualified compliance adviser. See OEHHA guidance for businesses.
GREENGUARD Gold — available when the certificate scope matches
GREENGUARD Gold may be requested for schools, healthcare, WELL or other institutional specifications. It is a project or procurement requirement when the tender says so, not a universal CBP document or legal requirement for all school and healthcare flooring. Ecoflors can match available documentation to the selected construction during pre-qualification.
| Project type | Common buyer request | Not automatic | Ecoflors response |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial office | VOC certificate and maintenance data | One certificate covering every construction | Match available document scope to the selected SKU |
| Multi-family | VOC, acoustic and wear specification | Backing thickness proving IIC/STC | Provide assembly-matched evidence when available |
| K-12 or healthcare | Project-specific VOC and cleaning requirements | GREENGUARD Gold being legally mandatory in every tender | Review the actual specification before confirming |
| California resale | Prop 65 and material review | A universal warning exemption statement | Confirm SKU formulation and buyer compliance process |
| General retail or hospitality | Wear, slip, maintenance and VOC documents | All tests applying to the full product range | Supply construction-matched documents when required |
Route Planning — Compare the Same Cost Basis on the Same Date
Port selection should follow the final destination, current sailing options, product-ready date, ocean quotation, port charges, drayage, rail or truck plan and inland weight restrictions. Production is generally 35–40 days, depending on the final specification, production schedule and order arrangement. Ocean and inland transit are separate, carrier-dependent estimates. Ecoflors quotes FOB Shanghai by default; Ningbo, Qingdao, Shenzhen or another port may be coordinated when the order or consolidation plan requires it.
A common starting point for West Coast programs, but congestion, chassis, rail and destination costs must be checked for the actual shipping window.
May reduce inland distance for some Southeast projects. Compare the total route against West Coast and other East Coast alternatives.
Can be a useful Gulf option, but it should be selected only after the ocean and inland quotations are compared on the same date.
Choose the port from a date-stamped total-cost comparison — not from one permanent transit promise.
Recommended US Specifications — Confirm the Project Before Quotation
The following options are specification starting points, not universal substitutes. Wear layer, backing, click license, acoustics, slip, VOC, adhesive and maintenance requirements must match the buyer’s project. View the full SPC flooring range and Dryback LVT range before selecting samples.
| Buyer or project need | Specification starting point | Confirm before quotation | Commercial basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distributor value program | 4mm SPC core · 0.3mm / about 12mil wear · UNILIN click option | Plank size, texture, bevel, backing and license scope | Order-specific FOB Shanghai quote |
| Multi-family or stronger wear request | 5mm SPC core · 0.55mm / about 22mil wear · UNILIN click option | Whether the RFQ requires exactly 20mil or accepts 0.55mm | MOQ 800 sqm per existing SKU/color |
| US large-plank program | 9 × 60 in · 5mm SPC core + 1.5mm IXPE = 6.5mm finished | Acoustic assembly, carton weight and route payload | Load plan based on exact kg/m² |
| Commercial glue-down project | 2.5mm Dryback LVT · 0.55mm / about 22mil wear · full-spread adhesive | Subfloor, adhesive, texture, bevel, slip and maintenance | Order-specific quote and document review |
| Higher-wear Dryback request | 0.7mm / about 28mil wear option | Exact total thickness and matching ASTM/EN evidence | No class claim without report match |
| School or healthcare tender | Select only after tender review | VOC, slip, cleaning, adhesive, infection-control and acoustics | Certificate scope matched to SKU |
US Import Document Checklist — Who Supplies and Who Confirms
Frequently Asked Questions
Send the exact construction, wear layer, plank or tile size, backing, click or glue-down system, quantity per SKU/color, project use, destination port, target date and required certificate names. Ecoflors will prepare an order-specific FOB Shanghai quotation, packing proposal, free sample arrangement and available document list. Samples are free; courier cost is borne by the buyer. Production is generally 35–40 days, subject to the final schedule and order arrangement.