Analysis
Subheading 8456.11 covers operated by laser, within heading 8456. The first six digits are shared by every country that uses the Harmonized System, so this part of the code is the same in the US, UK and EU schedules; the 3 US tariff lines below it are national.
1 of its 3 lines with a percentage rate are duty-free at the general rate (33%) and 2 are dutiable, from duty-free up to 3.5%. The median line pays 2.4%.
The US splits it as follows: 8456.11.10 for operated by laser: for working metal (3.5%), 8456.11.70 for of a kind used solely or principally for the manufacture of printed… (duty-free) and 8456.11.90 for other: other (2.4%).
By Census's concordance, most of its statistical lines are made by Machine Tool Manufacturing (333517). Those are the NAICS industries a US producer of these goods would report under.
Goods only reach 8456.11 once they fall within heading 8456 (machine tools for working any material by removal of material, by laser or other light or…). Under General Rule 6, subheadings are then compared only with others at the same level, so a product is matched against its siblings, not against lines elsewhere in the chapter.
Tariff lines
| Line | Description | General rate |
|---|---|---|
| 8456.11.10 | Operated by laser: for working metal | 3.5% |
| 8456.11.70 | Of a kind used solely or principally for the manufacture of printed circuits, printed circuit assemblies, parts of heading 8517 or parts of automatic data processing units | Free |
| 8456.11.90 | Other: other | 2.4% |