Direct Answer: The quarterly quota for imported quartz surface products closes November 14, 2026 and a fresh allocation opens November 15. Inside the quota the added duty is 25 percent, above it 50 percent.
You picked a slab in September. You came back in November with your fabricator, pointed at what looked like the same material, and the number on the quote was different.
You are not imagining it. A federal safeguard on imported quartz surface products runs on a quarterly quota, and the first quarter of that quota closes November 14, 2026. A fresh allocation opens November 15, 2026.
This matters for kitchen and bath projects from Carmel-by-the-Sea to Palo Alto, because the duty on a given slab depends on the date it cleared customs, not the date you fell in love with it. Below is what changed, why two slabs with the same name can carry different landed costs, and which materials the measure leaves alone entirely.
What Actually Happens on November 15, 2026
The Section 201 safeguard took effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern on August 15, 2026. It applies to imported quartz surface products entering under specific tariff codes.
The structure is a tariff rate quota, which means there is a volume allowance and two duty rates:
- Year 1 (Aug 2026 to Aug 2027): 140 million sq. ft. allowance, 25% inside the quota, 50% above it
- Year 2 (Aug 2027 to Aug 2028): 159 million sq. ft., 23% and 49%
- Year 3 (Aug 2028 to Aug 2029): 164 million sq. ft., 21% and 48%
- Year 4 (Aug 2029 to Aug 2030): 169 million sq. ft., 19% and 47%
Two details drive everything else. First, quota allocations are managed on a quarterly basis, so the annual number gets parceled out in chunks and the first chunk closes November 14. Second, these safeguard duties are cumulative: they apply in addition to normal standard tariffs and any pre-existing anti-dumping or countervailing duties already active on quartz imports, per the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association summary of the determination.
For Monterey Peninsula projects, most imported material arrives by sea container through the Port of Oakland before it ever reaches a Sand City or Palo Alto warehouse. The clearance date on that container is the date that sets the duty.
Why Two Identical Slabs Cost Different Amounts
Picture two slabs of the same material, same finish, same thickness, cut from blocks at the same quarry. One cleared customs in September, comfortably inside the first quarterly allocation. The other arrived late in the quarter, after the allowance filled, at the higher rate.
They look identical on the rack. They did not cost the same to land.
That is the piece most homeowners miss. Price on imported material is not a fixed sticker tied to the name of the stone. It reflects:
- The date the container cleared customs and which quota tier applied that day
- The country of origin, since pre-existing anti-dumping and countervailing duties vary
- Ocean freight, drayage, and inland delivery to the Central Coast
- Whether the slab is sitting in a warehouse now or still on the water
Also worth saying plainly: the added duty applies to the import value, not to the retail square foot number on your quote. It does not translate one for one into what you pay. Any supplier telling you otherwise is guessing.
Natural stone has its own version of this problem, where two slabs sold under one trade name differ in grade, thickness, and origin. We walked through that in why two quartzite slabs with the same name cost very different amounts. If your quote moved earlier this fall, here is what changed after August 15.
What the Safeguard Covers and What It Leaves Alone
The measure is narrow. A lot of what sits in a Carmel showroom is untouched by it.
| Material | Covered by the Section 201 safeguard? | What that means for your quote |
|---|---|---|
| Imported quartz surface products | Yes | 25% inside the quarterly quota, 50% above it, on top of existing duties |
| Granite | No | Outside this measure, though other country tariffs can still apply |
| Marble | No | Outside this measure |
| Quartzite (a natural stone, not quartz) | No | Outside this measure |
| Soapstone | No | Outside this measure |
| Porcelain slabs | No | Outside this measure |
The Four-Year Duty Schedule at a Glance
The safeguard steps down over four years. Here is how the allowance and the two duty rates change.
If Your Carmel Remodel Lands Near the Reset Date
Most of the callers we hear from are not economists. They are a homeowner in Pebble Beach with a demo date, or a designer in Palo Alto whose client is buying materials this month.
The practical move is to separate two questions that feel like one: is it in stock, and what does it cost today. In a quota year those are the same question, because material already sitting in a Sand City or Palo Alto warehouse landed at whatever rate applied on its clearance date.
Things worth asking before you commit:
- Is this slab on the floor now, or on an incoming container?
- Can I get the quote in writing with a validity window, so I know how long the number holds?
- What is the hold policy while my fabricator confirms measurements?
- Does the slab meet my fabricator’s minimum size requirement? Many ask for roughly 130 inches on a kitchen run.
- If the exact material is not available, what is the closest in-stock equivalent?
A supplier can quote you the material. A fabricator templates, cuts, and installs it. Those are different companies with different timelines, and confusing the two is where schedules slip. We broke that down in who handles what between supplier, fabricator, and installer, and in whether a slab can be held while measurements are confirmed.
The Quiet Advantage of Natural Stone and Porcelain Right Now
Granite, marble, quartzite, soapstone, and large-format porcelain slabs sit outside this particular measure. That does not make them immune to trade policy generally, since country-level tariffs on natural stone have shifted more than once this year, as covered in what the Brazilian stone tariff changes mean for a project.
It does mean the November 15 quota reset has no bearing on a Calacatta marble island or a honed limestone vanity in a Carmel bath.
Porcelain is worth a serious look if you are weighing options this quarter. It comes in large formats that reduce seams, handles exterior use along the coast, and comes in multiple thicknesses depending on the application. Thickness is the decision most people get wrong, which we covered in choosing 6mm, 12mm, or 20mm porcelain.
And if you are set on silica free quartz, that is a reasonable choice too. Just ask whether the specific slab is in stock locally, and ask the team to confirm current pricing rather than relying on a quote from six weeks ago.
Frequently Asked Questions About the November 2026 Quartz Quota Reset
Does the November 15 reset mean prices automatically drop?
No. A fresh quarterly allocation opens, which means new arrivals can enter at the 25 percent in-quota rate again rather than the 50 percent over-quota rate. But what you pay depends on when your specific material cleared customs and what it cost to land. Ask the showroom to confirm current pricing on the actual slab you want.
Is quartzite affected by this tariff?
No. Quartzite is a natural stone, not quartz. They are different materials with similar-sounding names, and the safeguard does not cover natural stone.
Should I rush my order through before November 14?
Not necessarily. If the slab you want is already in a Sand City or Palo Alto warehouse, it has already cleared customs and the quota calendar does not change its cost. The rush only matters for material still on the water, and even then the supplier is the one who can tell you where it stands.
I want silica free quartz. Does the safeguard apply to it?
The measure applies to imported quartz surface products entering under specific tariff codes, so it depends on origin and clearance date rather than on any one product line. The team can share product documentation and confirm what applies to a particular slab.
How long is a quote good for right now?
That varies by supplier and by material, which is exactly why you want the validity window stated in writing. Several Monterey Peninsula homeowners have called back weeks later assuming an old number still held. Confirm it before you build the quote into your budget.
Want to see where your material actually stands?
If you are weighing a slab decision around the November reset, the useful next step is seeing the material in person and asking what is on the floor today. The showrooms in Carmel, Palo Alto, and Sand City keep live inventory, and the team at Carmel Stone Imports can confirm current availability and pricing on the specific slabs you are considering. Reach them at (650) 800-7840 or info@carmelimports.com.
