Tariff monitor · Tooling & Hand Tools

Hand tools: statutory & effective tariff rates

Statutory HTS duty rates for 36 hand tools tariff lines (MFN Free–12% (+4 see schedule)), from USITC. Effective rate May 2026: 22%; monthly history since 2014.

Statutory rates from the schedule

  • Files, pliers, snips, wrenches, and other hand tools on every bench and in every toolbox. This family covers HTS headings 8203, 8204, 8205: 36 eight-digit rate lines with MFN (column 1, general) rates of Free–12% (+4 see schedule) in the 2026 schedule.
  • 4 lines carry compound or specific duties that cannot be stated as a single percentage; this page flags them "see schedule" rather than approximating.
  • Chapter 99 flags on individual lines mark Section 301/232 overlay provisions (e.g. 9903.88.03) that apply on top of the MFN column.

What importers actually paid

  • Latest month on record (2026-05): 22% effective on $222.8M of imports, versus 25.99% in the same month a year earlier. The monthly archive holds 149 observations from 2014-01 through 2026-05.
  • In 2025, U.S. imports for consumption in this family totaled $2.7B in customs value and paid $668.5M in calculated duties: an effective tariff rate of 24.8%. 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 13.48%, so the duty burden rose 11.3 points.
  • Top source countries in 2025: Taiwan ($808.4M at 16.7%), China ($731.8M at 49.69%), Vietnam ($297.3M at 17.37%), India ($144.9M at 22.3%), Germany ($137.2M at 13.52%).

Representative rate lines

  • 8203.10.30.00: Not over 11 cm in length — MFN Free
  • 8203.10.60.00: Over 11 cm but not over 17 cm in length — MFN Free
  • 8203.10.90.00: Over 17 cm in length — MFN Free
  • 8203.20.20.00: Tweezers — MFN 4%
  • 8203.20.40.00: Slip joint pliers — MFN 12%
  • 8203.20.60: Other (except parts) — MFN see schedule
  • 8203.20.80.00: Parts — MFN 4.5%
  • 8203.30.00.00: Metal cutting shears and similar tools, and parts thereof — MFN Free

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.