HTS chapter · section XV
Chapter 81
Base metals and articles of base metal
Chapter 81 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule sits in section XV (base metals and articles of base metal). It has 12 headings and 74 eight-digit tariff lines.
The spread of 15 percentage points between the cheapest and dearest lines makes misclassification expensive here.
24 of its 71 lines with a percentage rate are duty-free at the general rate (34%) and 47 are dutiable, from duty-free up to 15%. The median line pays 3.7%.
3 of the lines carry specific or compound rates (per kilogram, per dozen and so on) rather than a percentage, so their burden depends on the unit value of the goods.
The most finely divided heading is 8112 (beryllium, chromium, hafnium, rhenium, thallium, cadmium, germanium, vanadium…), with 27 lines; fine division usually means the rates or the trade statistics differ enough to be worth separating.
2 of its 12 headings are entirely duty-free at the general rate: 8106 (bismuth and articles thereof, including…) and 8110 (antimony and articles thereof, including…).
Headings
| Heading | Description | Lines | Free | Median rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8101 | Tungsten (wolfram) and articles thereof, including waste and scrap | 6 | 0 | 5.45% |
| 8102 | Molybdenum and articles thereof, including waste and scrap | 7 | 1 | 4.4% |
| 8103 | Tantalum and articles thereof, including waste and scrap | 4 | 1 | 3.45% |
| 8104 | Magnesium and articles thereof, including waste and scrap | 5 | 1 | 5.45% |
| 8105 | Cobalt mattes and other intermediate products of cobalt metallurgy; cobalt and articles thereof, including waste and scrap | 5 | 3 | duty-free |
| 8106 | Bismuth and articles thereof, including waste and scrap | 2 | 2 | duty-free |
| 8108 | Titanium and articles thereof, including waste and scrap | 4 | 1 | 10.25% |
| 8109 | Zirconium and articles thereof, including waste and scrap | 6 | 2 | 3.7% |
| 8110 | Antimony and articles thereof, including waste and scrap | 3 | 3 | duty-free |
| 8111 | Manganese and articles thereof, including waste and scrap | 4 | 1 | 8.85% |
| 8112 | Beryllium, chromium, hafnium, rhenium, thallium, cadmium, germanium, vanadium, gallium, indium and niobium (columbium), and articles of these metals, including… | 27 | 9 | 3% |
| 8113 | Cermets and articles thereof, including waste and scrap | 1 | 0 | 3.7% |