9017.20.80

Analysis

HTS 9017.20.80 covers other drawing, marking-out or mathematical calculating instruments: other under heading 9017 (drawing, marking-out or mathematical calculating instruments (for example, drafting…). US Customs collects import statistics for it under 2 ten-digit suffixes, reported in number of items.

Neighbouring lines carry rates from duty-free to 3.9%, so the exact line matters. The widest gap is with 9017.20.70 (other drawing, marking-out or mathematical calculating instruments…), at duty-free: a product that belongs there but is entered here, or the reverse, changes the duty by 4.6 percentage points.

The general duty rate is 4.6% of the customs value, which is among the highest the rates in chapter 90 (93rd percentile of 296 lines with an ad valorem rate). On a shipment valued at $10,000 that is $460 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 4.6%. 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.

The column 2 rate, for countries without normal trade relations, is 45%, 9.8 times the general rate.

For statistics it divides in two: 9017.20.80.40 for hand operated input devices which transmit position data to… and 9017.20.80.80 for other. Both pay the same duty; the suffix records which kind was imported.