Tariff monitor · Electrical & Wiring

Lamps and LED Lighting: Statutory & Effective Tariff Rates

Statutory HTS duty rates for 18 lamps and led lighting tariff lines (MFN Free–5.8%), from USITC. Effective rate May 2026: 12.45%; monthly history since 2023.

The short answer

  • The effective U.S. tariff on lamps and LED lighting was 12.45% in May 2026, down from 26.64% a year earlier — calculated duties actually paid divided by customs value, from USITC data. The statutory MFN rate is Free–5.8% across 18 HTS lines in the 2026 schedule. 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 MFN (column 1, general) rates of Free–5.8% in the 2026 schedule.
  • 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): 12.45% effective on $175.7M of imports, versus 26.64% 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 $2.2B in customs value and paid $392.2M in calculated duties: an effective tariff rate of 18.24%. 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 3.55%, so the duty burden 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%).
  • 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? Importers paid an effective rate of 12.45% in May 2026 (calculated duties ÷ customs value, USITC DataWeb). The statutory MFN rate is Free–5.8%; Section 301/232 overlays and special programs explain the difference.
  • What is the statutory MFN duty rate for lamps and LED lighting? Free–5.8% across the family's 18 eight-digit HTS lines in the 2026 Harmonized Tariff Schedule (headings 8539).
  • Which countries supply the most lamps and LED lighting to the U.S.? Top sources in 2025: China ($1.2B at 24.6%), Germany ($164.4M at 9.1%), Thailand ($114.7M at 16.77%). Sourcing is highly concentrated: China holds 55.1% of imports.
  • How much lamps and LED lighting does the U.S. import? $2.2B of customs value in 2025, paying $392.2M in calculated duties — an effective tariff 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).

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.