Duty rates verified against the HTSUS · HTS finder · the duty stack · landed-cost calculator
Optical fiber cables classify under HTS 8544.70.00 — as of , the effective U.S. duty is 37.5% from China, 12.5% from Vietnam, and 0.0% from USMCA-qualifying Mexico.
Optical fiber cables made up of individually sheathed fibers — LC/SC patch leads, MPO/MTP trunks, and bulk fiber — classify under HTS 8544.70.00, which enters Free at the MFN base rate. That means the entire effective duty is the Section 301 overlay: the origin decides everything.
| Origin | MFN base | §301 China | §301 forced-labor | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | Free | 25% | 12.5% | 37.5% |
| Vietnam | Free | — | 12.5% | 12.5% |
| Mexico USMCA | — | — | — | 0.0% |
The layers add on the same entered value — MFN base, plus the 25% Section 301 (Chinese origin only), plus the 12.5% Section 301 forced-labor duty (China and Vietnam; USMCA-compliant Mexico exempt). Free base + full overlay makes fiber the clearest illustration of the origin math: 37.5% from China against 12.5% from Vietnam, with nothing but the China-only List 3 layer separating them.
Estimate a per-unit landed figure with the landed-cost calculator, run a whole BOM through the BOM tariff analyzer, or check another product in the HTS code & duty finder.
Frequently asked
What is the HTS code and tariff for fiber optic cable?
Optical fiber cables classify under HTS 8544.70.00, Free at the MFN base rate. The effective U.S. duty is entirely the Section 301 overlay: 37.5% from China, 12.5% from Vietnam, 0% from USMCA-qualifying Mexico.
Sources
- USITC HTSUSHTSUS 8544.70.00 (Free)
- USTR Section 301 / CBP9903.88.03 · 84 FR 20459
- White House Presidential Action / USTR §301 forced-laborPresidential Action 2026-07-23 · USTR Docket 2026-0265/0266 · HTSUS 9903.05.xx · eff. 2026-07-24
A classification guide, not customs or legal advice. The code shown is where this product type commonly enters; the correct code for your part depends on its construction and end use. Confirm with a licensed customs broker before you file, and verify current rates against the duty stack.
Know the code, then hold the origin.
The code sets the rate; the origin decides whether you pay the China layer. Kestner builds power and connectivity hardware in its own plants in both China and Vietnam and documents the country of origin per unit — so the code you plan against and the origin you elect are the ones that clear customs.