Analysis
HTS 8465.94.00 covers bending or assembling machines under heading 8465 (machine tools (including machines for nailing, stapling, glueing or otherwise assembling)…). US Customs collects import statistics for it under 8 ten-digit suffixes, reported in number of items.
The general duty rate is 2.9% of the customs value, which is above most the rates in chapter 84 (74th percentile of 823 lines with an ad valorem rate). On a shipment valued at $10,000 that is $290 in duty before any Chapter 99 additions or preference claims.
Rates on the nearby lines range from 2.4% to 3%. The costliest confusion would be with 8465.99.02 (other: other) at 2.4%, a difference of 0.5 points on the customs value.
The column 2 rate, for countries without normal trade relations, is 35%, 12.1 times the general rate.
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 2.9%. 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 ten-digit suffixes separate used or rebuilt, doweling machines, edgebanding machines, laminating machines and cold. 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
Neighbouring lines
| Line | Description | General rate |
|---|---|---|
| 8465.10.00 | Machines which can carry out different types of machining operations without tool change between such operations | 2.4% |
| 8465.20.10 | For sawing, planing, milling, molding, grinding, sanding, polishing, drilling or mortising | 3% |
| 8465.20.50 | For bending or assembling | 2.9% |
| 8465.20.80 | Machining centers: other | 2.4% |
| 8465.91.00 | Other: sawing machines | 3% |
| 8465.92.00 | Planing, milling or molding (by cutting) machines | 3% |
| 8465.93.00 | Grinding, sanding or polishing machines | 3% |
| 8465.95.00 | Drilling or mortising machines | 3% |
| 8465.96.00 | Splitting, slicing or paring machines | 2.4% |
| 8465.99.02 | Other: other | 2.4% |