Analysis
HTS 8456.30.10 covers operated by electro-discharge processes: for working metal under heading 8456 (machine tools for working any material by removal of material, by laser or other light or…). US Customs collects import statistics for it under 3 ten-digit suffixes, reported in number of items.
Neighbouring lines carry rates from duty-free to 3.5%, so the exact line matters. The widest gap is with 8456.12.70 (of a kind used solely or principally for the manufacture of printed…), at duty-free: a product that belongs there but is entered here, or the reverse, changes the duty by 3.5 percentage points.
The general duty rate is 3.5% of the customs value, which is above most the rates in chapter 84 (81st percentile of 823 lines with an ad valorem rate). On a shipment valued at $10,000 that is $350 in duty before any Chapter 99 additions or preference claims.
Goods that qualify under GSP, the Australia FTA, the Bahrain FTA, the Chile FTA, the Colombia TPA, and 12 others can enter duty-free instead of paying 3.5%. 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 column 2 rate, for countries without normal trade relations, is 30%, 8.6 times the general rate.
Statistical suffixes
Neighbouring 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% |
| 8456.12.10 | Operated by other light or photon beam processes: for working metal | 3.5% |
| 8456.12.70 | 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 | Free |
| 8456.12.90 | Other: other | 2.4% |
| 8456.20.10 | Operated by ultrasonic processes: for working metal | 3.5% |
| 8456.20.50 | Operated by ultrasonic processes: other | 2.4% |
| 8456.30.50 | Operated by electro-discharge processes: other | 2.4% |
| 8456.40.10 | Operated by plasma arc process: for working metal | 3.5% |
| 8456.40.90 | Operated by plasma arc process: other | 2.2% |
| 8456.50.00 | Water-jet cutting machines | 2.5% |
| 8456.90.31 | Other: for working metal | 3.5% |
| 8456.90.71 | Other: other | 2.2% |