8481.80.30

Analysis

HTS 8481.80.30 covers hand operated: of iron or steel under heading 8481 (taps, cocks, valves and similar appliances, for pipes, boiler shells, tanks, vats or the…). US Customs collects import statistics for it under 12 ten-digit suffixes, reported in number of items and kilograms.

The general duty rate is 5.6% of the customs value, which is among the highest the rates in chapter 84 (98th percentile of 823 lines with an ad valorem rate). On a shipment valued at $10,000 that is $560 in duty before any Chapter 99 additions or preference claims.

Rates on the nearby lines range from 2% to 4%. The costliest confusion would be with 8481.80.90 (other appliances: other) at 2%, a difference of 3.6 points on the customs value.

Goods that qualify under GSP, the Australia FTA, the Automotive Products Trade Act, the Bahrain FTA, the Chile FTA, and 13 others can enter duty-free instead of paying 5.6%. 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. Reduced but not zero rates apply under some agreements: 2.8% for JP.

The column 2 rate, for countries without normal trade relations, is 45%, 8.0 times the general rate.

The ten-digit suffixes separate gate type, globe type, plug type, ball type, butterfly type and gate type and 4 more. The duty is the same across them; the suffix matters for statistics, licensing and some quotas, and an entry needs all ten digits.