Tariff monitor · Electrical & Wiring

Electric motors and generators: statutory & effective tariff rates

Statutory HTS duty rates for 55 electric motors and generators tariff lines (MFN Free–6.7%), from USITC. Effective rate May 2026: 11.93%; monthly history since 2023.

Statutory rates from the schedule

  • AC and DC motors, generators, and their parts, fractional to industrial frame sizes. This family covers HTS headings 8501, 8503: 55 eight-digit rate lines with MFN (column 1, general) rates of Free–6.7% in the 2026 schedule.
  • Chapter 99 flags on individual lines mark Section 301/232 overlay provisions (e.g. 9903.88.02) that apply on top of the MFN column.

What importers actually paid

  • Latest month on record (2026-05): 11.93% effective on $1.6B of imports, versus 13.01% in the same month a year earlier. The monthly archive holds 41 observations from 2023-01 through 2026-05.
  • In 2025, U.S. imports for consumption in this family totaled $17.3B in customs value and paid $2.4B in calculated duties: an effective tariff rate of 13.73%. The effective rate captures Section 301/232 overlays, exclusions, and special-program use that the statutory column cannot.
  • A year earlier the effective rate was 4.17%, so the duty burden rose 9.6 points.
  • Top source countries in 2025: Mexico ($5.0B at 3.71%), Japan ($2.2B at 16.08%), China ($1.8B at 47.06%), Germany ($1.6B at 11.38%), Vietnam ($741.1M at 12.41%).

Representative rate lines

  • 8501.10.20.00: Synchronous, valued not over $4 each — MFN 6.7%
  • 8501.10.40: Other — MFN 4.4%
  • 8501.10.60: Of 18.65 W or more but not exceeding 37.5 W — MFN 2.8%
  • 8501.20.20.00: Exceeding 37.5 W but not exceeding 74.6 W — MFN 3.3%
  • 8501.20.40.00: Exceeding 74.6 W but not exceeding 735 W — MFN 4%
  • 8501.20.50.00: Exceeding 735 W but under 746 W — MFN 3.3%
  • 8501.20.60.00: Other — MFN 2.4%
  • 8501.31.20.00: Exceeding 37.5 W but not exceeding 74.6 W — MFN 2.8%

About this data

  • Reference statistics derived from USITC published data. Not a customs ruling; verify rates with a licensed customs broker before relying on them.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.