Tariff monitor · Electrical & Wiring

Lamps and LED Lighting: Statutory & Effective Tariff Rates

USITC Column 1 General rates for 18 lamps and led lighting HTS lines (parseable range 0%–5.8%). Effective rate Jun 2026: 12.72%; monthly history since 2023.

The short answer

  • The observed effective calculated-duty rate on U.S. imports of lamps and LED lighting was 12.72% in Jun 2026, down from 21.54% a year earlier — USITC Calculated Duties divided by covered customs value. The Column 1 General line-rate range is 0%–5.8% across 18 HTS lines in the 2026 schedule; individual lines are called “Free” only when the official General field is literally Free, which still does not determine a shipment’s final duty. China is the largest source, holding 55.1% of 2025 imports.

Statutory rates from the schedule

  • Filament, discharge, and LED lamps and light sources — plant, machine, and inspection lighting. This family covers HTS heading 8539: 18 eight-digit rate lines with a parseable Column 1 General range of 0%–5.8% in the 2026 schedule. “Free” means the official General field is literally Free for that line; it does not determine final entry liability.
  • Chapter 99 references on individual lines (for example, 9903.90.08) identify provisions to review; applicability and any additional duty depend on the entry facts.

Observed calculated-duty data

  • Latest month on record (2026-06): 12.72% effective on $179.6M of imports, versus 21.54% in the same month a year earlier. The monthly archive holds 42 observations from 2023-01 through 2026-06.
  • In 2025, U.S. imports for consumption in this family totaled $2.2B in customs value, with $392.2M in USITC reported calculated duty on $2.2B of covered customs value: an effective calculated-duty rate of 18.24%. The aggregate reflects the recorded entry mix but does not attribute the result to a specific legal provision.
  • A year earlier the effective calculated-duty rate was 3.55%, so the observed rate rose 14.7 points.
  • Top source countries in 2025: China ($1.2B at 24.6%), Germany ($164.4M at 9.1%), Thailand ($114.7M at 16.77%), Mexico ($110.5M at 3.59%), Japan ($89.7M at 10.42%).
  • Reported freight and insurance equaled 7.62% of covered customs value in 2025 ($143.7M total); charge coverage was 87.7% of customs value, from USITC DataWeb. It is shown alongside the effective calculated-duty rate and is not part of the customs-value duty base.
  • Customs unit value: 1.484 per unit in 2025, aggregate declared customs value divided by reported quantity across eligible single-unit lines (USITC DataWeb); not a transaction price.
  • For scale, 2025 imports in this family equal 1.1% of the U.S. electrical equipment and appliances industry's $202B gross output (2025, BEA).

Representative rate lines

  • 8539.10.00: Sealed beam lamp units · MFN 2%
  • 8539.21.20: Designed for a voltage not exceeding 100 V · MFN Free
  • 8539.21.40: Other · MFN 2.6%
  • 8539.22.40.00: Christmas-tree lamps · MFN 5.8%
  • 8539.22.80: Other · MFN 2.6%
  • 8539.29.10.00: Christmas-tree lamps · MFN 5.8%
  • 8539.29.20.00: Lamps having glass envelopes not over 6.35 mm in maximum diameter and suitable for use in · MFN 5.2%
  • 8539.29.30: Other · MFN Free

Frequently asked questions

  • What is the U.S. tariff rate on lamps and LED lighting? USITC calculated duties imply an effective rate of 12.72% in Jun 2026 (calculated duties ÷ covered customs value, USITC DataWeb). The parseable Column 1 General line-rate range is 0%–5.8%; individual lines are called “Free” only when the official General field is literally Free, and product, origin, preference and tariff mix can contribute to the observed-rate difference.
  • What are the statutory MFN line rates for lamps and LED lighting? The parseable Column 1 General line-rate range is 0%–5.8% across the family's 18 eight-digit HTS lines in the 2026 Harmonized Tariff Schedule (headings 8539). “Free” means the official General field is literally Free for a line; it does not determine final entry liability.
  • Which countries supply the most lamps and LED lighting to the U.S.? Top retained sources in 2025: China ($1.2B at 24.6%), Germany ($164.4M at 9.1%), Thailand ($114.7M at 16.77%). China holds 55.1% of total family import customs value. Retained sources cover 87.7%; their HHI is 3190, a lower bound whose floor falls in the highly concentrated range without classifying the omitted tail.
  • How much lamps and LED lighting does the U.S. import? $2.2B of customs value in 2025, with $392.2M in USITC Calculated Duties — an effective calculated-duty rate of 18.24%.
  • Is the U.S. a net importer of lamps and LED lighting? Yes — a net importer in 2025: $2.2B imported vs $317.0M exported (exports are 15% of imports).
  • What is the customs unit value of lamps and LED lighting? $1.48/unit in 2025, derived as customs value ÷ reported quantity from USITC DataWeb. It is an aggregate across the family's product and origin mix, not a transaction price or supplier quote.

About this data

  • Reference statistics derived from USITC published data. Not a customs ruling. MFN-Free and Special-rate fields describe statutory line coverage only; final entry liability requires origin, date, eligibility, exclusions and other transaction facts. Calculated Duties are statistical estimates, not a cash-collections ledger. Confirm classification, origin, program eligibility, and final entry liability with a licensed customs broker.

Last reviewed 2026-08-31.