Verified against HTSUS Rev. 14 · updated monthly · changelog
As of July 24, 2026, a charger or adapter of Chinese origin under HTS 8504.40.85 pays an effective 37.5% in duties; the same article of Vietnamese origin pays 12.5%; from Mexico under USMCA it pays 0.0%. The table below shows every layer and the authority that created it. The layers add — each is ad valorem on the entered value, not compounded on the layer before it. The connectivity side — USB-C and cable assemblies, coaxial, and fiber — runs on the same stack over a different base rate, and is covered below.
The full stack, layer by layer
This is the reference for HTS 8504.40.85 — switching power adapters and chargers, the most common power SKU. Rates are current as of the verification date at the top of this page.
| Duty layer · authority | China | Vietnam | Mexico |
|---|---|---|---|
MFN base rate — HTSUS 8504.40.85 | 0% | 0% | 0% (USMCA) |
Section 301, List 3 — 9903.88.03 | 25% | — | — |
Section 301 forced-labor — eff. 2026-07-24 | 12.5% | 12.5% | — (exempt) |
| Effective rate | 37.5% | 12.5% | 0.0% |
The China − Vietnam delta is 25.0 points — the List 3 Section 301 layer, which applies to Chinese origin only; both origins carry the 12.5% forced-labor duty. Mexico assumes USMCA qualification with a valid certificate of origin; USMCA-originating goods are exempt from both Section 301 duties. Transshipped goods misdeclared as Vietnamese are assessed the full Chinese-origin rate with every layer reinstated, plus penalties.
Connectivity — cable assemblies by HTS code
Cable assemblies carry the same overlay — the 25% Section 301 on Chinese origin plus the 12.5% Section 301 forced-labor duty on both origins — over a base rate that changes with the cable type. The base rate is the only variable; the effective rates by origin:
| HTS code · description | MFN base | China | Vietnam |
|---|---|---|---|
USB-C, HDMI, AV & power-cord assemblies — 8544.42.90 | 2.6% | 40.1% | 15.1% |
Coaxial cable — 8544.20.00 | 5.3% | 42.8% | 17.8% |
Optical fiber cables — 8544.70.00 | Free | 37.5% | 12.5% |
USB-C, USB, HDMI, Ethernet patch, AV, and power-cord assemblies fitted with connectors classify under 8544.42.90 at a 2.6% base; coaxial under 8544.20.00 at 5.3%; optical fiber under 8544.70.00 enters Free. The List 3 Section 301 (Chapter 99 heading 9903.88.03) then adds 25% on Chinese origin, and the Section 301 forced-labor duty adds 12.5% on both origins ex-USMCA. Mexico-origin assemblies that qualify under USMCA enter at 0.0%. The cable analysis, with the same origin logic, is on USB-C and cable assembly tariffs.
Other power codes we enter
The adjacent power code carries the same Free base rate and the same three layers, so its effective rates match 8504.40.85.
| HTS code · description | China | Vietnam | Mexico |
|---|---|---|---|
Static converters, other — 8504.40.95 | 37.5% | 12.5% | 0.0% |
MFN base rate: 8504.40.95 (“Other” static converters) is Free — the same base as 8504.40.85 — then 25% Section 301 on Chinese origin and the 12.5% Section 301 forced-labor duty on both origins ex-USMCA.
How to read this if you buy from China today
On a $100,000 entry of 8504.40.85, origin China costs $37,500 in duty; origin Vietnam costs $12,500. The delta is $25,000 — roughly the gross margin on the goods themselves. This is why origin, not unit price, is the number to negotiate first. Estimate your own per-unit figure with the landed-cost calculator.
The delta only survives scrutiny if the origin does. A quote that beats this table by relabeling will cost the full Chinese-origin rate plus penalties when CBP samples the entry. Ask any supplier — including us — for the documents listed on the Sourcing page, and see how to verify a Vietnam country of origin before you re-source.
Sources
- MFN base rates (8504.40; 8544.42.90 2.6%, 8544.20 5.3%, 8544.70 Free)HTSUS Rev. 14 (2026)
- Section 301 — 25% on Chinese origin (Lists 1 & 3)9903.88.01/.03 · 84 FR 20459
- Section 301 forced-labor duty — 12.5%, eff. 2026-07-24 (replaced §122)USTR Section 301 (forced-labor action)
- USMCA duty-free origin (Mexico)USMCA, HTSUS Gen. Note 11
Frequently asked
What is the total tariff on a power adapter imported from China?
As of July 24, 2026, a switching power adapter of Chinese origin under HTS 8504.40.85 pays an effective 37.5%: a 0% MFN base rate, 25% Section 301 (List 3), and a 12.5% Section 301 forced-labor duty. The same adapter of Vietnamese origin pays 12.5% — only the forced-labor duty, because the 25% List 3 Section 301 applies to goods of Chinese origin.
Do the tariff layers add or compound?
They add. Each layer is ad valorem on the same entered (customs) value, not compounded on the prior layer. On HTS 8504.40.85 from China: 0% + 25% + 12.5% = 37.5% effective.
Does Vietnam origin remove the Section 301 tariff?
It removes the 25% List 3 Section 301 duty, which applies only to goods of Chinese origin — a genuinely Vietnamese-origin adapter pays 12.5% instead of 37.5%. Both origins carry the 12.5% Section 301 forced-labor duty. Final assembly of Chinese subassemblies is not substantial transformation and remains Chinese origin.
Changelog
We verify monthly whether or not anything changed, and say so. Corrections: write to us — fixes are published here with the date.
The tariff answer is only half of it.
The 25-point delta is only worth as much as the origin behind it. Kestner sources power and connectivity hardware from qualified lines in both Vietnam and China, and documents the country of origin per unit — so the number you plan against is the number that clears customs.
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