Why does the rate differ by country for the same HTS code?

The Column 1 rate is the same for every origin with normal trade relations. Trade-remedy duties under Sections 232, 301 and 338 are imposed by origin, by product, or by both, so two shipments of the same article from different countries can carry very different totals.

Is this the rate I will actually pay?

It is the rate that applies to this classification and origin on the date shown. The duty owed on a specific entry also depends on the 10-digit statistical suffix, declared content where a duty is content-based, preference eligibility, and any AD/CVD order in scope.

HTS 8518

Heading 8518 covers microphones and stands therefor; loudspeakers, whether or not mounted in their enclosures; headphones and earphones, whether or not combined with a microphone, and sets consisting of a microphone and one or more loudspeakers; audio-frequency electric amplifiers; electric sound amplifier sets; parts thereof. Duty is assessed at the 10-digit statistical line; the figures here are resolved for 8518.10.40.00, the first line under this heading. Its Column 1 rate is Free. On top of that, the ad valorem total depends on origin: China carries 37.50% and United Kingdom carries 10.00%.

Chapter 85 · Verified 2026-08-31
HTS 2026HTSRev17

16 statistical lines under this heading · 1 distinct Column 1 rate · highest ad valorem total 37.50% from China · lowest 10.00% from United Kingdom

Origin	Ad valorem layers	Layers	Reported under
China CHN	37.50%	mfn + s301 + s301	9903.88.03 9903.05.31
Vietnam VNM	12.50%	mfn + s301	9903.05.84
Japan JPN	12.50%	s301	9903.05.49
South Korea KOR	12.50%	s301	9903.05.71
Thailand THA	12.50%	mfn + s301	9903.05.77
Brazil BRA	12.50%	mfn + s301	9903.05.27
Mexico MEX	10.00%	mfn + s301	9903.05.55
Canada CAN	10.00%	mfn + s301	9903.05.29
India IND	10.00%	mfn + s301	9903.05.44
Germany DEU	10.00%	s301	9903.05.39
Italy ITA	10.00%	s301	9903.05.39
United Kingdom GBR	10.00%	mfn + s301	9903.05.81

Table 1Rate by country of origin for 8518.10.40.00, resolved 2026-08-31. The first statistical line under 8518; other lines may carry different Column 1 rates.

Code	Description	Column 1	Special	Units
8518.10.40.00	Microphones having a frequency range of 300 Hz to 3.4 kHz with a diameter of not exceeding 10 mm and a height not exceeding 3 mm, for telecommunication use	Free	—	No.
8518.10.80.30	Microphones	inherited	—	No.
8518.10.80.40	Other	inherited	—	No.
8518.21.00.00	Single loudspeakers, mounted in their enclosures	Free	—	No.
8518.22.00.00	Multiple loudspeakers, mounted in the same enclosure	Free	—	No.
8518.29.40.00	Without housing, having a frequency range of 300 Hz to 3.4 kHz with a diameter of not exceeding 50 mm, for telecommunication use	Free	—	No.
8518.29.80.00	Other	Free	—	No.
8518.30.10.00	Line telephone handsets	Free	—	No.
8518.30.20.00	Other	Free	—	No.
8518.40.10.00	For use as repeaters in line telephony	Free	—	No.
8518.40.20.00	Other	Free	—	No.
8518.50.00.00	Electric sound amplifier sets	Free	—	No.
8518.90.20.00	Printed circuit assemblies of line telephone handsets; parts of repeaters	Free	—	No.
8518.90.41.00	Other	Free	—	No.
8518.90.60.00	Printed circuit assemblies of the articles of subheading 8518.10.40 or 8518.29.40	Free	—	No.
8518.90.81.00	Other	Free	—	No.

Table 2Statistical suffixes under 8518. Duty is assessed at the 10-digit level; the Column 1 rate is stated at the subheading and inherited below it.

Programme	Rate as published	Contribution	Reported under	In force from
Column 1 General (MFN)	Free	0.00%	—	not established
Source: USITC, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, 2026 HTS Revision 17, published 2026-08-01. Verified 2026-08-31.
Section 301	The duty provided in the applicable subheading + 25%	25.00%	9903.88.03	2018-09-24
Status unconfirmed. The second statutory four-year review of this action is running. The continuation-request deadlines for the underlying 2018 actions closed on 2026-07-05 and 2026-08-22 and no continuation notice has been published. There is no evidence of termination either, and the duty is almost certainly still collectible; what we cannot do is cite a document saying so. Source: USTR, Notice of Modification of Section 301 Action: China's Acts, Policies and Practices Related to Technology Transfer (List 3) (83 FR 47974), published 2018-09-21. Verified 2026-08-31.
Section 301	The duty provided in the applicable subheading + 12.5%	12.50%	9903.05.31	2026-07-24
Source: USTR, Notice of Actions in Section 301 Investigations of Various Economies (FR Doc. 2026-15181), published 2026-07-28. Verified 2026-08-31.

Table 3Duty stack for 8518.10.40.00 from China, resolved 2026-08-31.

Common questions

What is the duty rate for HTS 8518?: Heading 8518 covers microphones and stands therefor; loudspeakers, whether or not mounted in their enclosures; headphones and earphones, whether or not combined with a microphone, and sets consisting of a microphone and one or more loudspeakers; audio-frequency electric amplifiers; electric sound amplifier sets; parts thereof. Duty is assessed at the 10-digit statistical line; the figures here are resolved for 8518.10.40.00, the first line under this heading. Its Column 1 rate is Free. On top of that, the ad valorem total depends on origin: China carries 37.50% and United Kingdom carries 10.00%.
Why does the rate differ by country for the same HTS code?: The Column 1 rate is the same for every origin with normal trade relations. Trade-remedy duties under Sections 232, 301 and 338 are imposed by origin, by product, or by both, so two shipments of the same article from different countries can carry very different totals.
Is this the rate I will actually pay?: It is the rate that applies to this classification and origin on the date shown. The duty owed on a specific entry also depends on the 10-digit statistical suffix, declared content where a duty is content-based, preference eligibility, and any AD/CVD order in scope.