With the deadline for submitting tariff exclusion requests for $200 billion worth of Chinese imports fast approaching, trade lawyers say they have been busy helping U.S. companies navigate the opaque request process. 

Exemption requests for products covered under Section 301 List 3 tariffs on China, which casts a net over a wide range of goods, from food and furniture to tools and electronics, are due Sept. 30. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has provided some guidance by stating, for instance, that requests should address whether the import in question can be sourced from outside China.