What is the typical U.S. duty rate for Chapter 90 imports?

General (Column 1) duty rates for ad-valorem lines range from 0.8% to 16% (median 2.9%); roughly 75% 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 90 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 90 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 90 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 90 to see flagged orders, deposit rates, and the underlying scope determinations.

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Section XVIII: Optical, Photographic, Cinematographic, Measuring, Checking, Precision, Medical or Surgical Instruments and Apparatus; Clocks and Watches; Musical Instruments; Parts and Accessories Thereof

Chapter 90: Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof

Q: What does HTS Chapter 90 cover?

Chapter 90 of the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTSUS) covers Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof. It sits within Section XVIII: Optical, Photographic, Cinematographic, Measuring, Checking, Precision, Medical or Surgical Instruments and Apparatus; Clocks and Watches; Musical Instruments; Parts and Accessories Thereof. Tandom's catalog lists all 421 10-digit statistical lines and 28 4-digit headings in this chapter.

Chapter 90 of the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule covers Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof and sits within Section XVIII: Optical, Photographic, Cinematographic, Measuring, Checking, Precision, Medical or Surgical Instruments and Apparatus; Clocks and Watches; Musical Instruments; Parts and Accessories Thereof.

About Chapter 90

Chapter 90 contains 421 10-digit statistical lines grouped under 28 4-digit headings. Brokers, importers, and customs counsel use these codes to declare optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories 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 90 range from 0.8% to 16%, with a median of 2.9%. About 73% of the chapter's lines (308 of 421) 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.

Code	Description	General	Column 2	Special	Units
9001.10.00	Optical fibers, optical fiber bundles and cables	6.7%	65%	Free (A*,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)	—
9001.10.00.30	··For transmission of voice, data or video communications	6.7%	65%	Free (A*,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)	m
9001.10.00.50	···Plastic optical fibers	6.7%	65%	Free (A*,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)	m
9001.10.00.70	···Other	6.7%	65%	Free (A*,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)	m
9001.10.00.75	··Plastic optical fiber bundles and cables	6.7%	65%	Free (A*,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)	Fiber m
9001.10.00.85	··Other	6.7%	65%	Free (A*,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)	Fiber m
9001.20.00.00	Sheets and plates of polarizing material	Free	50%	—	kg
9001.30.00.00	Contact lenses	2%	40%	Free (A*,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)	No.
9001.40.00.00	Spectacle lenses of glass	2%	40%	Free (A*,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)	prs.
9001.50.00.00	Spectacle lenses of other materials	2%	40%	Free (A,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)	prs.
9001.90	Other:	—	—	—	—
9001.90.40.00	·Lenses	Free	45%	—	No.
9001.90.50.00	·Prisms	Free	65%	—	No.
9001.90.60.00	·Mirrors	Free	45%	—	No.
9001.90.80.00	··Halftone screens designed for use in engraving or photographic processes	Free	25%	—	No.
9001.90.90.00	··Other	Free	85%	—	No.

Code	Description	General	Column 2	Special	Units
9003.11.00.00	·Of plastics	2.5%	50%	Free (A*,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)	doz.
9003.19.00.00	·Of other materials	Free

Code	Description	General	Column 2	Special	Units
9004.10.00.00	Sunglasses	2%	40%	Free (A,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,JP,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)	doz.
9004.90.00	Other	2.5%	40%

Code	Description	General	Column 2	Special	Units
9005.10.00	Binoculars	Free	60%	—	—
9005.10.00.20	·Prism binoculars for use with infrared light	Free

Code	Description	General	Column 2	Special	Units
9006.30.00.00	Cameras specially designed for underwater use, for aerial survey, or for medical or surgical examination of internal organs; comparison cameras for forensic or criminological purposes	Free	20%	—	No.
9006.40	Instant print cameras:

Chapter 90: Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof

`9002`Lenses, prisms, mirrors and other optical elements, of any material, mounted, being parts of or fittings for instruments or apparatus, other than such elements of glass not optically worked; parts and accessories thereof:

`9003`Frames and mountings for spectacles, goggles or the like, and parts thereof:

`9004`Spectacles, goggles and the like, corrective, protective or other:

`9005`Binoculars, monoculars, other optical telescopes, and mountings therefor; other astronomical instruments and mountings therefor, but not including instruments for radio-astronomy; parts and accessories thereof:

`9006`Photographic (other than cinematographic) cameras; photographic flashlight apparatus and flashbulbs other than discharge lamps of heading 8539; parts and accessories thereof:

`9007`Cinematographic cameras and projectors, whether or not incorporating sound recording or reproducing apparatus; parts and accessories thereof:

`9008`Image projectors, other than cinematographic; photographic (other than cinematographic) enlargers and reducers; parts and accessories thereof:

`9010`Apparatus and equipment for photographic (including cinematographic) laboratories, not specified or included elsewhere in this chapter; negatoscopes; projection screens; parts and accessories thereof:

`9011`Compound optical microscopes, including those for photomicrography, cinemicrography or microprojection; parts and accessories thereof:

`9012`Microscopes other than optical microscopes; diffraction apparatus; parts and accessories thereof:

`9013`Lasers, other than laser diodes; other optical appliances and instruments, not specified or included elsewhere in this chapter:

`9014`Direction finding compasses; other navigational instruments and appliances; parts and accessories thereof:

`9015`Surveying (including photogrammetrical surveying), hydrographic, oceanographic, hydrological, meteorological or geophysical instruments and appliances, excluding compasses; rangefinders; parts and accessories thereof:

`9016`

`9018`Instruments and appliances used in medical, surgical, dental or veterinary sciences, including scintigraphic apparatus, other electro-medical apparatus and sight-testing instruments; parts and accessories thereof:

`9019`Mechano-therapy appliances; massage apparatus; psychological aptitude-testing apparatus; ozone therapy, oxygen therapy, aerosol therapy, artificial respiration or other therapeutic respiration apparatus; parts and accessories thereof:

`9020`

`9023`Instruments, apparatus and models, designed for demonstrational purposes (for example, in education or exhibitions), unsuitable for other uses, and parts and accessories thereof

`9024`Machines and appliances for testing the hardness, strength, compressibility, elasticity or other mechanical properties of materials (for example, metals, wood, textiles, paper, plastics), and parts and accessories thereof:

`9025`Hydrometers and similar floating instruments, thermometers, pyrometers, barometers, hygrometers and psychrometers, recording or not, and any combination of these instruments; parts and accessories thereof:

`9026`Instruments and apparatus for measuring or checking the flow, level, pressure or other variables of liquids or gases (for example, flow meters, level gauges, manometers, heat meters), excluding instruments and apparatus of heading 9014, 9015, 9028 or 9032; parts and accessories thereof:

`9028`Gas, liquid or electricity supply or production meters, including calibrating meters thereof; parts and accessories thereof:

`9029`Revolution counters, production counters, taximeters, odometers, pedometers and the like; speedometers and tachometers, other than those of heading 9014 or 9015; stroboscopes; parts and accessories thereof:

`9031`Measuring or checking instruments, appliances and machines, not specified or included elsewhere in this chapter; profile projectors; parts and accessories thereof:

`9032`Automatic regulating or controlling instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof:

`9033`

Frequently asked questions

What does HTS Chapter 90 cover?

What is the typical U.S. duty rate for Chapter 90 imports?

Are Section 301 or Section 232 tariffs applied to Chapter 90 products?

Are there antidumping or countervailing duty (AD/CVD) orders covering Chapter 90 products?

Code	Description	General	Column 2	Special	Units
9002.11	·For cameras, projectors or photographic enlargers or reducers:	—	—	—	—
9002.11.40.00	··Projection

Code	Description	General	Column 2	Special	Units
9008.50	Projectors, enlargers and reducers:	—	—	—	—
9008.50.10.00	·Slide projectors	7%

Code	Description	General	Column 2	Special	Units
9010.10.00.00	Apparatus and equipment for automatically developing photographic (including cinematographic) film or paper in rolls or for automatically exposing developed film to rolls of photographic paper	2.4%	35%	Free (A,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)	kg
9010.50

Code	Description	General	Column 2	Special	Units
9011.10	Stereoscopic microscopes:	—	—	—	—
9011.10.40.00	·Provided with a means for photographing the image	Free

Code	Description	General	Column 2	Special	Units
9012.10.00.00	Microscopes other than optical microscopes; diffraction apparatus	Free	40%	—	No.
9012.90.00.00	Parts and accessories	Free

Code	Description	General	Column 2	Special	Units
9013.10	Telescopic sights for fitting to arms; periscopes; telescopes designed to form parts of machines, appliances, instruments or apparatus of this chapter or section XVI:	—	—	—	—
9013.10.10.00	··Not designed for use with infrared light

Code	Description	General	Column 2	Special	Units
9014.10	Direction finding compasses:	—	—	—	—
9014.10.10.00	·Optical instruments	Free	45%

Code	Description	General	Column 2	Special	Units
9015.10	Rangefinders:	—	—	—	—
9015.10.40.00	·Electrical	Free

Code	Description	General	Column 2	Special	Units
9016.00	Balances of a sensitivity of 5 cg or better, with or without weights; parts and accessories thereof:	—	—	—	—
9016.00.20.00	Electrical balances and parts and accessories thereof	3.9%

Code	Description	General	Column 2	Special	Units
9017.10	Drafting tables and machines, whether or not automatic:	—	—	—	—
9017.10.40.00	Plotters

Code	Description	General	Column 2	Special	Units
9018.11	·Electrocardiographs, and parts and accessories thereof:	—	—	—	—
9018.11.30.00	··Electrocardiographs

Code	Description	General	Column 2	Special	Units
9019.10	Mechano-therapy appliances; massage apparatus; psychological aptitude-testing apparatus; parts and accessories thereof:	—	—	—	—
9019.10.20	Mechano-therapy appliances and massage apparatus; parts and accessories thereof

Code	Description	General	Column 2	Special	Units
9020.00	Other breathing appliances and gas masks, excluding protective masks having neither mechanical parts nor replaceable filters; parts and accessories thereof:	—	—	—	—
9020.00.40.00	Underwater breathing devices designed as a complete unit to be carried on the person and not requiring attendants

Code	Description	General	Column 2	Special	Units
9021.10.00	Orthopedic or fracture appliances, and parts and accessories thereof	Free	55%	—	—
9021.10.00.50	Bone plates, screws and nails, and other internal fixation devices or appliances

Code	Description	General	Column 2	Special	Units
9022.12.00.00	·Computed tomography apparatus	Free	35%	—	No.
9022.13.00.00

Code	Description	General	Column 2	Special	Units
9024.10.00.00	Machines and appliances for testing metals	Free	40%	—	No.
9024.80.00.00	Other machines and appliances	Free

Code	Description	General	Column 2	Special	Units
9025.11	·Liquid-filled, for direct reading:	—	—	—	—
9025.11.20.00	··Clinical	Free

Code	Description	General	Column 2	Special	Units
9026.10	For measuring or checking the flow or level of liquids:	—	—	—	—
9026.10.20	·Electrical

Code	Description	General	Column 2	Special	Units
9027.10	Gas or smoke analysis apparatus:	—	—	—	—
9027.10.20.00	Electrical

Code	Description	General	Column 2	Special	Units
9028.10.00.00	Gas meters	16¢ each + 2.5%	$4.50 each + 65%	Free (A,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)	No.
9028.20.00.00	Liquid meters	16¢ each + 2.5%

9002Lenses, prisms, mirrors and other optical elements, of any material, mounted, being parts of or fittings for instruments or apparatus, other than such elements of glass not optically worked; parts and accessories thereof:

9003Frames and mountings for spectacles, goggles or the like, and parts thereof:

9004Spectacles, goggles and the like, corrective, protective or other:

9005Binoculars, monoculars, other optical telescopes, and mountings therefor; other astronomical instruments and mountings therefor, but not including instruments for radio-astronomy; parts and accessories thereof:

9006Photographic (other than cinematographic) cameras; photographic flashlight apparatus and flashbulbs other than discharge lamps of heading 8539; parts and accessories thereof:

9007Cinematographic cameras and projectors, whether or not incorporating sound recording or reproducing apparatus; parts and accessories thereof:

9008Image projectors, other than cinematographic; photographic (other than cinematographic) enlargers and reducers; parts and accessories thereof:

9010Apparatus and equipment for photographic (including cinematographic) laboratories, not specified or included elsewhere in this chapter; negatoscopes; projection screens; parts and accessories thereof:

9011Compound optical microscopes, including those for photomicrography, cinemicrography or microprojection; parts and accessories thereof:

9012Microscopes other than optical microscopes; diffraction apparatus; parts and accessories thereof:

9013Lasers, other than laser diodes; other optical appliances and instruments, not specified or included elsewhere in this chapter:

9014Direction finding compasses; other navigational instruments and appliances; parts and accessories thereof:

9015Surveying (including photogrammetrical surveying), hydrographic, oceanographic, hydrological, meteorological or geophysical instruments and appliances, excluding compasses; rangefinders; parts and accessories thereof:

9016

9018Instruments and appliances used in medical, surgical, dental or veterinary sciences, including scintigraphic apparatus, other electro-medical apparatus and sight-testing instruments; parts and accessories thereof:

9019Mechano-therapy appliances; massage apparatus; psychological aptitude-testing apparatus; ozone therapy, oxygen therapy, aerosol therapy, artificial respiration or other therapeutic respiration apparatus; parts and accessories thereof:

9020

9023Instruments, apparatus and models, designed for demonstrational purposes (for example, in education or exhibitions), unsuitable for other uses, and parts and accessories thereof

9024Machines and appliances for testing the hardness, strength, compressibility, elasticity or other mechanical properties of materials (for example, metals, wood, textiles, paper, plastics), and parts and accessories thereof:

9025Hydrometers and similar floating instruments, thermometers, pyrometers, barometers, hygrometers and psychrometers, recording or not, and any combination of these instruments; parts and accessories thereof:

9026Instruments and apparatus for measuring or checking the flow, level, pressure or other variables of liquids or gases (for example, flow meters, level gauges, manometers, heat meters), excluding instruments and apparatus of heading 9014, 9015, 9028 or 9032; parts and accessories thereof:

9028Gas, liquid or electricity supply or production meters, including calibrating meters thereof; parts and accessories thereof:

9029Revolution counters, production counters, taximeters, odometers, pedometers and the like; speedometers and tachometers, other than those of heading 9014 or 9015; stroboscopes; parts and accessories thereof:

9031Measuring or checking instruments, appliances and machines, not specified or included elsewhere in this chapter; profile projectors; parts and accessories thereof:

9032Automatic regulating or controlling instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof:

9033

Frequently asked questions

What does HTS Chapter 90 cover?

What is the typical U.S. duty rate for Chapter 90 imports?

Are Section 301 or Section 232 tariffs applied to Chapter 90 products?

Are there antidumping or countervailing duty (AD/CVD) orders covering Chapter 90 products?

`9002`Lenses, prisms, mirrors and other optical elements, of any material, mounted, being parts of or fittings for instruments or apparatus, other than such elements of glass not optically worked; parts and accessories thereof:

`9003`Frames and mountings for spectacles, goggles or the like, and parts thereof:

`9004`Spectacles, goggles and the like, corrective, protective or other:

`9005`Binoculars, monoculars, other optical telescopes, and mountings therefor; other astronomical instruments and mountings therefor, but not including instruments for radio-astronomy; parts and accessories thereof:

`9006`Photographic (other than cinematographic) cameras; photographic flashlight apparatus and flashbulbs other than discharge lamps of heading 8539; parts and accessories thereof:

`9007`Cinematographic cameras and projectors, whether or not incorporating sound recording or reproducing apparatus; parts and accessories thereof:

`9008`Image projectors, other than cinematographic; photographic (other than cinematographic) enlargers and reducers; parts and accessories thereof:

`9010`Apparatus and equipment for photographic (including cinematographic) laboratories, not specified or included elsewhere in this chapter; negatoscopes; projection screens; parts and accessories thereof:

`9011`Compound optical microscopes, including those for photomicrography, cinemicrography or microprojection; parts and accessories thereof:

`9012`Microscopes other than optical microscopes; diffraction apparatus; parts and accessories thereof:

`9013`Lasers, other than laser diodes; other optical appliances and instruments, not specified or included elsewhere in this chapter:

`9014`Direction finding compasses; other navigational instruments and appliances; parts and accessories thereof:

`9015`Surveying (including photogrammetrical surveying), hydrographic, oceanographic, hydrological, meteorological or geophysical instruments and appliances, excluding compasses; rangefinders; parts and accessories thereof:

`9016`

`9018`Instruments and appliances used in medical, surgical, dental or veterinary sciences, including scintigraphic apparatus, other electro-medical apparatus and sight-testing instruments; parts and accessories thereof:

`9019`Mechano-therapy appliances; massage apparatus; psychological aptitude-testing apparatus; ozone therapy, oxygen therapy, aerosol therapy, artificial respiration or other therapeutic respiration apparatus; parts and accessories thereof:

`9020`

`9023`Instruments, apparatus and models, designed for demonstrational purposes (for example, in education or exhibitions), unsuitable for other uses, and parts and accessories thereof

`9024`Machines and appliances for testing the hardness, strength, compressibility, elasticity or other mechanical properties of materials (for example, metals, wood, textiles, paper, plastics), and parts and accessories thereof:

`9025`Hydrometers and similar floating instruments, thermometers, pyrometers, barometers, hygrometers and psychrometers, recording or not, and any combination of these instruments; parts and accessories thereof:

`9026`Instruments and apparatus for measuring or checking the flow, level, pressure or other variables of liquids or gases (for example, flow meters, level gauges, manometers, heat meters), excluding instruments and apparatus of heading 9014, 9015, 9028 or 9032; parts and accessories thereof:

`9028`Gas, liquid or electricity supply or production meters, including calibrating meters thereof; parts and accessories thereof:

`9029`Revolution counters, production counters, taximeters, odometers, pedometers and the like; speedometers and tachometers, other than those of heading 9014 or 9015; stroboscopes; parts and accessories thereof:

`9031`Measuring or checking instruments, appliances and machines, not specified or included elsewhere in this chapter; profile projectors; parts and accessories thereof:

`9032`Automatic regulating or controlling instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof:

`9033`

Code	Description	General	Column 2	Special	Units
9029.10	Revolution counters, production counters, taximeters, odometers, pedometers and the like:	—	—	—	—
9029.10.40.00	·Taximeters

Code	Description	General	Column 2	Special	Units
9030.10.00.00	Instruments and apparatus for measuring or detecting ionizing radiations	Free	40%	—	No.
9030.20	Oscilloscopes and oscillographs:

Code	Description	General	Column 2	Special	Units
9031.10.00.00	Machines for balancing mechanical parts	Free	40%	—	No.
9031.20.00.00	Test benches	1.7%

Code	Description	General	Column 2	Special	Units
9032.10.00	Thermostats	1.7%	40%	Free (A,AU,B,BH,C,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,JP,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)	—
9032.10.00.30	··Designed for wall mounting	1.7%

Code	Description	General	Column 2	Special	Units
9033.00	Parts and accessories (not specified or included elsewhere in this chapter) for machines, appliances, instruments or apparatus of chapter 90:	—	—	—	—
9033.00.20.00	Light-emitting diode (LED) backlights modules, the foregoing which are lighting sources that consist of one or more LEDs and one or more connectors and are mounted on a printed circuit or other similar substrate, and other passive components, whether or not combined with optical components or protective diodes, and used as backlights illumination for liquid crystal displays (LCDs)