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 8540

Heading 8540 covers thermionic, cold cathode or photocathode tubes (for example, vacuum or vapor or gas filled tubes, mercury arc rectifying tubes, cathode-ray tubes, television camera tubes); parts thereof. Duty is assessed at the 10-digit statistical line; the figures here are resolved for 8540.11.10.30, the first line under this heading. Its Column 1 rate is 15%; other lines under 8540 carry different Column 1 rates. On top of that, the ad valorem total depends on origin: China carries 52.50% and Italy carries 15.00%.

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

38 statistical lines under this heading · 8 distinct Column 1 rates · highest ad valorem total 52.50% from China · lowest 15.00% from Italy

Origin	Ad valorem layers	Layers	Reported under
China CHN	52.50%	mfn + s301 + s301	9903.88.03 9903.05.31
Vietnam VNM	27.50%	mfn + s301	9903.05.84
Thailand THA	27.50%	mfn + s301	9903.05.77
Brazil BRA	27.50%	mfn + s301	9903.05.27
Mexico MEX	25.00%	mfn + s301	9903.05.55
Canada CAN	25.00%	mfn + s301	9903.05.29
India IND	25.00%	mfn + s301	9903.05.44
United Kingdom GBR	25.00%	mfn + s301	9903.05.81
Germany DEU	15.00%	mfn + s301	9903.05.38
Japan JPN	15.00%	mfn + s301	9903.05.48
South Korea KOR	15.00%	mfn + s301	9903.05.70
Italy ITA	15.00%	mfn + s301	9903.05.38

Table 1Rate by country of origin for 8540.11.10.30, resolved 2026-08-31. The first statistical line under 8540; other lines may carry different Column 1 rates.

Code	Description	Column 1	Special	Units
8540.11.10.30	Not exceeding 39 cm	inherited	—	No.
8540.11.10.40	Exceeding 39 cm but not exceeding 45 cm	inherited	—	No.
8540.11.10.50	Exceeding 45 cm but not exceeding 50 cm	inherited	—	No.
8540.11.10.55	Exceeding 50 cm but not exceeding 63 cm	inherited	—	No.
8540.11.10.85	Exceeding 63 cm	inherited	—	No.
8540.11.24.01	Having a video display diagonal not exceeding 34.29 cm	7.5%	Free (A+,AU,B,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL, JO,KR,MA, OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)	No.
8540.11.28.01	Other	15%	Free (A+,AU,B,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL, JO,KR,MA, OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)	No.
8540.11.30.00	High definition, having a video display diagonal exceeding 35.56 cm	15%	Free (A+,AU,B,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)	No.
8540.11.44.01	Having a video display diagonal not exceeding 34.29 cm	7.5%	Free (A+,AU,B,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL, JO,KR,MA, OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)	No.
8540.11.48.01	Other	15%	Free (A+,AU,B,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL, JO,KR,MA, OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)	No.
8540.11.50.00	Other	15%	Free (A+,AU,B,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)	No.
8540.12.10.00	Non-high definition	3.6%	Free (A,AU,B,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)	No.
8540.12.20.00	High definition	3.6%	Free (A,AU,B,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)	No.
8540.12.50.40	Projection	inherited	—	No.
8540.12.50.80	Other	inherited	—	No.
8540.12.70.00	High definition	3.3%	Free (A+,AU,B,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL, JO,KR,MA, OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)	No.
8540.20.20.40	Color	inherited	—	No.
8540.20.20.80	Other	inherited	—	No.
8540.20.40.00	Other	3.3%	Free (A+,AU,B,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL, JO,KR,MA, OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)	No.
8540.40.10.10	Color	inherited	—	No.
8540.40.10.50	Other	inherited	—	No.
8540.60.00.20	Not exceeding 30 cm	inherited	—	No.
8540.60.00.65	Exceeding 30 cm but not exceeding 36 cm	inherited	—	No.
8540.60.00.80	Exceeding 36 cm	inherited	—	No.
8540.71.20.00	Modified for use as parts of microwave ovens	Free	—	No.
8540.71.40.00	Other	3.7%	Free (A+,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL, JO,KR,MA, OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)	No.
8540.79.10.00	Klystrons	3.3%	Free (A+,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL, JO,KR,MA, OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)	No.
8540.79.20.00	Other	3.7%	Free (A+,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA, OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)	No.
8540.81.00.00	Receiver or amplifier tubes	4.2%	Free (A+,AU,B,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL, JO,KR,MA, OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)	No.
8540.89.00.20	Gas and vapor electron tubes	inherited	—	No.
8540.89.00.40	Diodes, triodes and tetrodes	inherited	—	No.
8540.89.00.60	Light-sensing tubes	inherited	—	No.
8540.89.00.80	Other	inherited	—	No.
8540.91.15.00	Front panel assemblies	5.4%	Free (A+,AU,B,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)	No.
8540.91.20.00	Deflection coils	Free	—	No.
8540.91.50.00	Other	5.4%	Free (A+,AU,B,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL, JO,KR,MA, OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)	kg
8540.99.40.00	Electron guns; radio frequency (RF) interaction structures for microwave tubes of subheadings 8540.71 through 8540.79, inclusive	Free	—	No.
8540.99.80.00	Other	Free	—	No.

Table 2Statistical suffixes under 8540. 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)	15%	15.00%	—	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 8540.11.10.30 from China, resolved 2026-08-31.

Common questions

What is the duty rate for HTS 8540?: Heading 8540 covers thermionic, cold cathode or photocathode tubes (for example, vacuum or vapor or gas filled tubes, mercury arc rectifying tubes, cathode-ray tubes, television camera tubes); parts thereof. Duty is assessed at the 10-digit statistical line; the figures here are resolved for 8540.11.10.30, the first line under this heading. Its Column 1 rate is 15%; other lines under 8540 carry different Column 1 rates. On top of that, the ad valorem total depends on origin: China carries 52.50% and Italy carries 15.00%.
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.