Analysis
HTS 6402.99.31 covers other: other under heading 6402 (other footwear with outer soles and uppers of rubber or plastics). US Customs collects import statistics for it under 8 ten-digit suffixes, reported in pairs.
Neighbouring lines carry rates from 3% to 48%, so the exact line matters. The widest gap is with 6402.99.69 (valued not over $3/pair: other), at 48%: a product that belongs there but is entered here, or the reverse, changes the duty by 42 percentage points.
Goods that qualify under the Australia FTA, the Bahrain FTA, the Chile FTA, the Colombia TPA, AGOA, and 12 others can enter duty-free instead of paying 6%. It is also eligible under GSP, the developing-country programme, which Congress has to renew; check whether GSP is in force on the entry date.
The general duty rate is 6% of the customs value, which is in the middle of the rates in chapter 64 (31st percentile of 131 lines with an ad valorem rate). On a shipment valued at $10,000 that is $600 in duty before any Chapter 99 additions or preference claims.
The column 2 rate, for countries without normal trade relations, is 35%, 5.8 times the general rate.
The ten-digit suffixes separate house slippers, tennis shoes, basketball shoes, gym…, work footwear, work footwear and for infants, as described in…. The duty is the same across them; the suffix matters for statistics, licensing and some quotas, and an entry needs all ten digits.
Statistical suffixes
| Code | Description | Units | NAICS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6402.99.31.10 | House slippers | prs. | 316210 |
| 6402.99.31.15 | Tennis shoes, basketball shoes, gym shoes, training shoes and the like | prs. | 316210 |
| 6402.99.31.35 | Work footwear | prs. | 316210 |
| 6402.99.31.45 | Other | prs. | 316210 |
| 6402.99.31.55 | Work footwear | prs. | 316210 |
| 6402.99.31.65 | Other | prs. | 316210 |
| 6402.99.31.73 | For infants, as described in statistical note 2 to this chapter | prs. | 316210 |
| 6402.99.31.77 | Other | prs. | 316210 |
Neighbouring lines
| Line | Description | General rate |
|---|---|---|
| 6402.99.04 | Having uppers of which over 90 percent of the external surface area (including any accessories or reinforcements such as those mentioned in note 4(a) to this chapter) is rubber or plastics (except footwear having foxing or a foxing-like band applied or molded at the sole and overlapping the upper and except footwear designed to be worn over, or in lieu of, other footwear as a protection against water, oil, grease or chemicals or cold or inclement weather) | 6% |
| 6402.99.08 | Footwear designed to be worn over, or in lieu of, other footwear as a protection against water, oil, grease or chemicals or cold or inclement weather | 37.5% |
| 6402.99.12 | Valued not over $3/pair | 24% |
| 6402.99.16 | Valued over $3 but not over $6.50/pair | 90¢/pr. + 37.5% |
| 6402.99.19 | Valued over $6.50 but not over $12/pair | 90¢/pr. + 20% |
| 6402.99.21 | Valued over $12/pair | 20% |
| 6402.99.23 | Made on a base or platform of wood | 8% |
| 6402.99.25 | Made on a base or platform of cork | 12.5% |
| 6402.99.27 | Sandals and similar footwear of plastics, produced in one piece by molding | 3% |
| 6402.99.32 | Protective active footwear | 20% |
| 6402.99.33 | Footwear designed to be worn over, or in lieu of, other footwear as a protection against water, oil, grease or chemicals or cold or inclement weather | 37.5% |
| 6402.99.41 | Having outer soles with textile materials having the greatest surface area in contact with the ground, but not taken into account under the terms of additional U.S. note 5 to this chapter | 12.5% |
| 6402.99.49 | Footwear with open toes or open heels; footwear of the slip-on type, that is held to the foot without the use of laces or buckles or other fasteners, the foregoing except footwear of subheading 6402.99.33 and except footwear having a foxing or a foxing-like band wholly or almost wholly of rubber or plastics applied or molded at the sole and overlapping the upper: other | 37.5% |
| 6402.99.61 | Having outer soles with textile materials having the greatest surface area in contact with the ground, but not taken into account under the terms of additional U.S. note 5 to this chapter | 12.5% |
| 6402.99.69 | Valued not over $3/pair: other | 48% |
| 6402.99.71 | Having outer soles with textile materials having the greatest surface area in contact with the ground, but not taken into account under the terms of additional U.S. note 5 to this chapter | 12.5% |
| 6402.99.79 | Valued over $3 but not over $6.50/pair: other | 90¢/pr. + 37.5% |
| 6402.99.80 | Valued over $6.50 but not over $12/pair | 90¢/pr. + 20% |
| 6402.99.90 | Valued over $12/pair | 20% |