Section XV: Base Metals and Articles of Base Metal
Chapter 78: Lead and articles thereof
Chapter 78 of the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule covers Lead and articles thereof and sits within Section XV: Base Metals and Articles of Base Metal.
About Chapter 78
Chapter 78 contains 13 10-digit statistical lines grouped under 3 4-digit headings. Brokers, importers, and customs counsel use these codes to declare lead and articles thereof on entry summaries (CBP Form 7501) and to look up the applicable Column 1, Special, and Column 2 duty rates.
General (Column 1) duty rates for ad-valorem lines in Chapter 78 range from 1.2% to 3%, with a median of 2.5%. About 8% of the chapter's lines (1 of 13) enter duty-free under the general rate. Special-program rates (USMCA, KORUS, GSP, AGOA, and others) and Chapter 99 overlays modify these base rates for qualifying shipments.
Every code page links into the Tandom Tariff Calculator with the HTS code prefilled, so you can compute the full landed duty for a specific shipment by entering value, country of origin, and (where relevant) material content or date of entry. Tandom's data refreshes daily from USITC HTSUS, CBP CSMS, the Federal Register, and the Department of Commerce — the same authoritative sources the trade community files against.
5 chapter/section notes
Exclusions from Section XV
This section does not cover: (a) Prepared paints, inks, or other products with a basis of metallic flakes or powder (headings 3207 to 3210, 3212, 3213, or 3215); (b) Ferro-cerium and other pyrophoric alloys (heading 3606); (c) Headgear and parts thereof of heading 6506 or 6507; (d) Umbrella frames or other articles of heading 6603; (e) Goods of chapter 71 (for example, precious-metal alloys, base metal clad with precious metal, imitation jewelry); (f) Articles of section XVI (machinery, mechanical appliances, and electrical equipment); (g) Assembled railway or tramway track (heading 8608); (h) Articles of section XVII (vehicles, aircraft, vessels); (ij) Instruments or apparatus of section XVIII (clocks, optical, musical, arms); (k) Lead shot prepared for ammunition (heading 9306); (l) Articles of section XX (furniture, toys, games, sports); or (m) Hand sieves, buttons, pens, pencil holders, pen nibs, monopods, bipods, tripods, and similar articles of section XX.
Parts of General Use
Throughout this schedule, the expression 'parts of general use' means: (a) Articles of heading 7307, 7312, 7315, 7317, or 7318, and similar articles of other base metal; (b) Springs and leaves for springs, of base metal, other than clock or watch springs (heading 9114); and (c) Articles of headings 8301, 8302, 8308, 8310.
Classification of Composite Articles
Throughout this schedule, the expression 'base metals' means: iron and steel, copper, nickel, aluminum, lead, zinc, tin, tungsten (wolfram), molybdenum, tantalum, magnesium, cobalt, bismuth, cadmium, titanium, zirconium, antimony, manganese, beryllium, chromium, germanium, vanadium, gallium, hafnium, indium, niobium (columbium), rhenium, and thallium.
Alloy Classification Rules
Classification of alloys: (a) Alloys of base metals with each other are to be classified as alloys of the metal which predominates by weight over each of the other metals; (b) Alloys of base metals of this section with elements not falling within this section are to be classified as alloys of base metals of this section if the total weight of such metals equals or exceeds the total weight of the other elements present; (c) Sintered mixtures of metal powders, heterogeneous intimate mixtures obtained by melting (other than cermets), and intermetallic compounds are classified as alloys.
Iron vs. Nonalloy Steel vs. Stainless
(a) 'Iron and nonalloy steel' covers iron and steel containing by weight 2% or less of carbon and, except for certain specific steels, less than designated percentages of chromium, manganese, nickel, and other alloy elements. (b) 'Stainless steel' covers alloy steels containing by weight 1.2% or less of carbon and 10.5% or more of chromium, with or without other elements. (c) 'Other alloy steel' covers steels not meeting the definition of stainless steel containing specific minimum percentages of alloy elements.
7801Unwrought lead:
7801Unwrought lead:| Code | Description | General | Column 2 | Special | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7801.10.00.00 | Refined lead | 2.5% on the value of the lead content | 10% | Free (A*,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG) | kg |
| 7801.91.00.00 | ·Containing by weight antimony as the principal other element | 2.5% on the value of the lead content | 10% | Free (A,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG) | kg, Pb kg |
| 7801.99 | ·Other: | — | — | — | — |
| 7801.99.30.00 | ··Lead bullion | 2.5% on the value of the lead content | 10.5% | Free (A,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG) | kg, Pb kg |
| 7801.99.90 | ··Other | 2.5% on the value of the lead content | 10% | Free (A,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG) | — |
| 7801.99.90.30 | ···Alloys of lead | — | — | — | kg, Pb kg |
| 7801.99.90.50 | ···Other | — | — | — | kg, Pb kg |
7802
7802| Code | Description | General | Column 2 | Special | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7802.00.00 | Lead waste and scrap | Free | 11.5% | — | — |
| 7802.00.00.30 | Obtained from lead-acid storage batteries | — | — | — | kg, Pb kg |
| 7802.00.00.60 | Other | — | — | — | kg, Pb kg |
7804Lead plates, sheets, strip and foil; lead powders and flakes:
7804Lead plates, sheets, strip and foil; lead powders and flakes:| Code | Description | General | Column 2 | Special | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7804.11.00.00 | ·Sheets, strip and foil of a thickness (excluding any backing) not exceeding 0.2 mm | 2.2% | 45% | Free (A,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG) | kg |
| 7804.19.00.00 | ·Other | 3% | 45% | Free (A,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG) | kg |
| 7804.20.00.00 | Powders and flakes | Free | 45% | — | kg |
7806Other articles of lead:
7806Other articles of lead:| Code | Description | General | Column 2 | Special | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7806.00.03.00 | Lead bars, rods, profiles and wire | 1.2% | 45% | Free (A,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG) | kg |
| 7806.00.05.00 | Lead tubes, pipes and tube or pipe fittings (for example, couplings, elbows, sleeves) | 2% | 45% | Free (A,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG) | kg |
| 7806.00.80.00 | Other | 3% | 45% | Free (A,AU,B,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG) | kg |
Frequently asked questions
What does HTS Chapter 78 cover?
Chapter 78 of the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTSUS) covers Lead and articles thereof. It sits within Section XV: Base Metals and Articles of Base Metal. Tandom's catalog lists all 13 10-digit statistical lines and 3 4-digit headings in this chapter.
What is the typical U.S. duty rate for Chapter 78 imports?
General (Column 1) duty rates for ad-valorem lines range from 1.2% to 3% (median 2.5%); roughly 11% of lines enter duty-free. Use the calculator linked from each code page to compute the full landed rate, including Section 301/232 overlays, IEEPA tariffs, and AD/CVD deposits where applicable.
Are Section 301 or Section 232 tariffs applied to Chapter 78 products?
Section 301 (China) and Section 232 (steel, aluminum, copper) tariffs are layered on top of the base HTSUS rate via Chapter 99 provisions. Whether they apply to a specific 10-digit line in Chapter 78 depends on the product's country of origin, material content, and the active proclamation. Open any code in this chapter to see the live overlay stack and effective rate.
Are there antidumping or countervailing duty (AD/CVD) orders covering Chapter 78 products?
AD/CVD orders are issued at the case level by the Department of Commerce against specific products from specific countries. Tandom's AD/CVD catalog cross-references every active order to the HTS codes it covers — open any code in Chapter 78 to see flagged orders, deposit rates, and the underlying scope determinations.