Lighting equipment
Classified under heading 8512 / subheading 8512.20 — chapter 85 of the US Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
General rate applies to goods from countries with normal trade relations. Special rates require a program code (USMCA, GSP, AGOA…). Column 2 applies where normal trade relations do not.
Duty calculator
Estimate the duty owed on an import under HTS 8512.20.20.
Excludes merchandise processing fees, Section 301 duties, antidumping/countervailing duties and freight. Estimates only — not customs advice.
Where this rate sits
Heading 8512 contains 3 tariff lines. The general rate on this line is duty-free, against an average of 2.5% across the heading (range 2.5%–2.5%).
| Metric | This line | Heading 8512 |
|---|---|---|
| General rate | Free | avg 2.5% |
| Duty-free lines | yes | 1 of 3 |
| Specific-rate lines | no | 0 |
Classification path
- 8512Electrical lighting or signaling equipment (excluding articles of heading 8539), windshield wipers, defrosters and demisters, of a kind used for cycles or motor vehicles; parts thereof
- 8512.20Other lighting or visual signaling equipment
- 8512.20.20Lighting equipment
All 3 tariff lines under heading 8512
Heading overview →| HTS code | Description | General | Col. 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8512.20.20 | Lighting equipmentthis page | Free | 25% |
| 8512.20.40 | Visual signaling equipment | 2.5% | 35% |
| 8512.30.00 | Sound signaling equipment | 2.5% | 35% |
Using HTS 8512.20.20 correctly
A ten-digit HTS number has three parts: the four-digit heading, the six-digit international subheading shared by every WTO member, and the two-digit US statistical suffix. 8512.20.20 is a US national line — the same product may carry a different suffix in the EU TARIC or in another country's tariff.
Classification is determined by the General Rules of Interpretation, not by what the product is called on the invoice. If your goods could fall in two headings, GRI 1 sends you to the heading with the most specific description; GRI 3 breaks ties by essential character. A GRI 3(b) mistake is the single most common reason an entry gets reclassified and billed for unpaid duty plus interest.