Duty rates verified against the HTSUS · HTS finder · the duty stack · landed-cost calculator
USB-C, HDMI & data cable assemblies classify under HTS 8544.42.90 — as of , the effective U.S. duty is 52.6% from China, 27.6% from Vietnam, and 25.0% from USMCA-qualifying Mexico.
Cable assemblies fitted with connectors — USB-C, USB, HDMI, DisplayPort, Ethernet patch cords, and AV leads — classify under HTS 8544.42.90 ("other electric conductors, fitted with connectors, ≤1,000 V") at a 2.6% base rate. The connectors are what put a cable in this line: bulk, unterminated cable classifies elsewhere.
| Origin | MFN base | §301 China | §232 copper | §301 forced-labor | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 2.6% | 25% | 25% | — | 52.6% |
| Vietnam | 2.6% | — | 25% | — | 27.6% |
| Mexico USMCA | — | — | 25% | — | 25.0% |
The layers add on the same entered value — MFN base, plus the 25% Section 301 (Chinese origin only), plus the 25% Section 232 copper duty under HTSUS 9903.82.09, which applies from every origin — USMCA-originating Mexico included, because HTSUS note 16(b) collects it on top of any free-trade rate. The money nuance used to be the base rate; since April 2026 it is the copper. Telecom-grade connectorized cable can enter Free under 8544.42.20, and modular-telephone-terminated cable under 8544.42.10 — but both of those lines are “articles of copper” on the same Section 232 list, so the move saves the 2.6-point base and nothing else. End-use and CBP practice decide; confirm before relying on it.
Why there is no forced-labor line above: this code is an “article of copper” in HTSUS U.S. note 16(c)(viii), and note 52(f)(1) excludes goods provided for in 9903.82.09 from the 12.5% forced-labor duty — the copper duty replaces it rather than stacking with it. The switch is a physical fact about your part: Section 232 reaches the article only where the applicable metal is at least 15% of its weight (copper and aluminium counted together for this line). A copper-light assembly falls instead to 9903.82.03 — no copper duty, but the forced-labor duty comes back, for an effective 40.1% from China and 15.1% from Vietnam. Weigh the conductor before you plan against either number.
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 for a USB-C or HDMI cable?
Connectorized cable assemblies — USB-C, USB, HDMI, DisplayPort, Ethernet patch, AV — classify under HTS 8544.42.90 at a 2.6% base rate. Effective U.S. duty: 52.6% from China, 27.6% from Vietnam, and 25.0% from USMCA-qualifying Mexico. The Mexico figure is not zero because 8544.42.90 is an article of copper under HTSUS note 16(c)(viii), carrying a 25% Section 232 duty that USMCA does not waive. A copper-light assembly that falls below the 15%-of-weight threshold pays 40.1% from China and 15.1% from Vietnam instead.
Can a data cable enter at a lower rate than 8544.42.90?
Only by the 2.6-point base. Telecom-grade connectorized cable can enter Free under HTS 8544.42.20, and modular-telephone-terminated cable under 8544.42.10 — but all three lines sit on the same Section 232 copper list (HTSUS note 16(c)(viii)), so the 25% copper duty follows the cable across. End-use and CBP practice decide the classification, so confirm with a licensed broker.
Sources
- USITC HTSUSHTSUS 8544.42.90 (2.6%) · Rev. 19
- USITC HTSUS Ch. 999903.82.09 (+25%) · U.S. note 16(c)(viii)
- USTR Section 301 / CBP9903.88.03 · 84 FR 20459
- USTR §301 forced-labor · Federal Register91 FR 47318 (2026-07-28) · HTSUS 9903.05.31 (China) / 9903.05.84 (Vietnam) · 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.