Tariff monitor · Machinery & Equipment

Molds and die sets: statutory & effective tariff rates

Statutory HTS duty rates for 12 molds and die sets tariff lines (MFN Free–3.8%), from USITC. Effective rate May 2026: 14.6%; monthly history since 2014.

Statutory rates from the schedule

  • Injection molds, die-casting dies, compression molds, and die sets — the tooling behind every molded and stamped part. This family covers HTS heading 8480: 12 eight-digit rate lines with MFN (column 1, general) rates of Free–3.8% 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): 14.6% effective on $153.0M of imports, versus 13.84% 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 $2.3B in customs value and paid $321.0M in calculated duties: an effective tariff rate of 14.1%. 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 4.97%, so the duty burden rose 9.1 points.
  • Top source countries in 2025: Canada ($847.9M at 0.91%), China ($348.1M at 54.17%), Germany ($189.6M at 11.84%), Japan ($133.0M at 10.04%), South Korea ($128.9M at 9.72%).

Representative rate lines

  • 8480.10.00.00: Molding boxes for metal foundry — MFN 3.8%
  • 8480.20.00.00: Mold bases — MFN 3.4%
  • 8480.30.00.00: Molding patterns — MFN 2.8%
  • 8480.41.00.00: Injection or compression types — MFN 3.1%
  • 8480.49.00: Other types — MFN 3.1%
  • 8480.50.00: Molds for glass — MFN Free
  • 8480.60.00: Molds for mineral materials — MFN Free
  • 8480.71.10.00: For shoe machinery — 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.