HTS Code for Headphones / Earphones in the United States
Headphones and earphones — whether or not combined with a microphone — sit in heading 8518.
Official HTS heading 8518: 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 a microphone and one or more loudspeakers; audio-frequency electric amplifiers; electric sound amplifier
HTS lines & customs duty under 8518
Representative 10-digit national lines and their published duty. The HTS 'general' (MFN) duty rate applies per 10-digit line; special rates apply for FTA partners, and Section 301/232 measures may add to it. The exact line for your product depends on its specifics — run the analysis to pin it down.
| HTS code | Description | Duty rate |
|---|---|---|
| 8518 10 80 | Other | Free |
| 8518 21 00 | Single loudspeakers, mounted in their enclosures | Free |
| 8518 21 00 00 | Single loudspeakers, mounted in their enclosures | Free |
| 8518 29 80 | Other | Free |
| 8518 29 80 00 | Other | Free |
| 8518 30 10 | Line telephone handsets | Free |
| 8518 30 10 00 | Line telephone handsets | Free |
| 8518 30 20 | Other | Free |
One free, fully-cited analysis — no sign-up. HSbro reasons through the GRI over the tariff and rulings corpus for the United States and returns a defensible HTS code.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the HTS code for headphones in the United States?
- Headphones / Earphones is classified under HS heading 8518. United States uses the HTS schedule (10 digits), so the full national code has 10 digits — the exact line depends on the product's material, function and form, which HSbro resolves through the WCO General Rules of Interpretation.
- How much customs duty applies to headphones in the United States?
- The HTS 'general' (MFN) duty rate applies per 10-digit line; special rates apply for FTA partners, and Section 301/232 measures may add to it. Run the analysis to see the duty on the specific line for your product, cited to the schedule.
- How many digits is a United States HTS code?
- United States classifies to 10 digits (the first 6 are the WCO Harmonized System; the remainder is the national split).
- How do I find the correct HTS code for my headphones?
- Identify the product's essential character (material, function, finished vs. component form), then apply the General Rules of Interpretation in order. HSbro does this over a cited corpus and returns a defensible code with the full reasoning trail.
Same product in other markets
How HSbro determines the code
HSbro doesn't guess. It applies the WCO General Rules of Interpretation in strict order — heading terms and binding section/chapter notes first (GRI 1), then the essential-character and specificity rules as needed — over a retrieved, cited corpus, and drills to United States's 10-digit national line. Every substantive claim traces to a source you can open.
HSbro is decision-support, not legal advice. HS codes and duty rates are indicative — verify against the current national schedule (ITC-HS · CN/TARIC · HTS · GCC) and the operative customs notification before filing. Coverage: India, the EU, the United States and the UAE.