To import porcelain slabs to the USA from India, ask for a test report to the American standard for gauged porcelain tiles and panels, plan the logistics around upright racks and heavy lifting, and brief your fabricator on cutting. Slabs are sold into countertops, cladding and flooring, and each use asks for different proof.
Entry follows the same US customs process as tiles, but the handling and the end use are where slab orders go wrong.
What standard applies to slabs?
The ANSI A137 family covers ceramic tile, and a separate part, ANSI A137.3, covers gauged porcelain tiles and gauged porcelain tile panels or slabs. Ask your customer which edition they use, and ask the factory to test to it. The ANSI A137.1 tile standard explains the base tile tests, and the slab part adds requirements for thin, large panels.
There is no mandatory national mark for slabs, so the test report is your evidence. Check the tests for countertop slabs if the product will be used on kitchen surfaces.
How do A-frames and handling work in the US?
Slabs travel upright in bundles or crates and are usually delivered to fabricators and distributors on A-frames, which are racks that hold the slabs on edge. Unloading needs a forklift with suitable attachments, lifting clamps or vacuum lifters, and a delivery vehicle that can carry the crate.
Breakage mostly happens at loading, bracing and unloading. Read how large slabs are packed and the unloading guidance, and check that your US carrier and your customer have the equipment.
What should you tell the fabricator?
Cutting, drilling and edging porcelain slabs produces fine dust that can contain respirable crystalline silica. In the US, silica exposure is regulated by OSHA, so fabricators need wet cutting or extraction and respiratory protection. Confirm the requirements with your fabricator or a safety adviser, and pass the information on to your customers.
Fabrication also needs diamond tooling suited to porcelain and support for the slab during cutting. Cutting, drilling and edging slabs on site explains the limits.
What does entry involve?
Slab entry needs an importer of record, a bond, an importer security filing for ocean freight and a correct HTS code. Slabs are classified by their water absorption and form, so the tariff line may not be the same as for standard tiles. Ask your broker for the classification, and for the countervailing duty position on ceramic tile from India, which our duties article sets out as of October 2026. Do not assume slabs are treated differently from tiles without checking.
Marking and documents follow tile practice, as listed in the tile export documents.
Slabs are high value and fragile, so check the insurance cover for the full route to your customer's door, not only to the port. Insurance for tile shipments explains the cover to ask for. Also agree with the carrier how the slabs will be delivered, since a standard truck without a liftgate may not be able to unload crates.
Next step
We find plants that genuinely press your slab format, check test reports against the US standard and supervise packing and loading. To plan a US slab order, book a free sourcing review.