9015.20

Analysis

Subheading 9015.20 covers theodolites and tachymeters (tacheometers), within heading 9015. 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 2 US tariff lines below it are national.

Every one of its 2 tariff lines is duty-free at the general rate, so classification within the subheading affects statistics and Chapter 99 measures rather than the base duty.

The US splits it as follows: 9015.20.40 for theodolites and tachymeters (tacheometers): electrical (duty-free) and 9015.20.80 for theodolites and tachymeters (tacheometers): other (duty-free).

By Census's concordance, most of its statistical lines are made by Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing (334519). Those are the NAICS industries a US producer of these goods would report under.

Goods only reach 9015.20 once they fall within heading 9015 (surveying (including photogrammetrical surveying), hydrographic, oceanographic…). 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.