What is the U.S. tariff rate on switchgear, connectors, and controls?

USITC calculated duties imply an effective rate of 8.59% in Jun 2026 (calculated duties ÷ covered customs value, USITC DataWeb). The parseable Column 1 General line-rate range is 0%–3.5%; 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 switchgear, connectors, and controls?

The parseable Column 1 General line-rate range is 0%–3.5% across the family's 34 eight-digit HTS lines in the 2026 Harmonized Tariff Schedule (headings 8535, 8536, 8537, 8538). “Free” means the official General field is literally Free for a line; it does not determine final entry liability.

Which countries supply the most switchgear, connectors, and controls to the U.S.?

Top retained sources in 2025: Mexico ($15.7B at 3.67%), China ($3.5B at 50.91%), Canada ($2.7B at 3.08%). Mexico holds 37.2% of total family import customs value. Retained sources cover 76.3%; their HHI is 1590, a lower bound whose floor falls in the moderately concentrated range without classifying the omitted tail.

How much switchgear, connectors, and controls does the U.S. import?

$42.1B of customs value in 2025, with $4.7B in USITC Calculated Duties — an effective calculated-duty rate of 11.21%.

Is the U.S. a net importer of switchgear, connectors, and controls?

Yes — a net importer in 2025: $42.1B imported vs $7.7B exported (exports are 18% of imports).

Tariff monitor · Electrical & Wiring

Switchgear, Connectors, and Controls: Statutory & Effective Tariff Rates

USITC Column 1 General rates for 34 switchgear, connectors, and controls HTS lines (parseable range 0%–3.5%). Effective rate Jun 2026: 8.59%; monthly history since 2

The short answer

The observed effective calculated-duty rate on U.S. imports of switchgear, connectors, and controls was 8.59% in Jun 2026, down from 11.76% a year earlier — USITC Calculated Duties divided by covered customs value. The Column 1 General line-rate range is 0%–3.5% across 34 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. Mexico is the largest source, holding 37.2% of 2025 imports.

Statutory rates from the schedule

Switches, relays, connectors, and the boards and panels that combine them — how power and signal are switched, protected, and routed. This family covers HTS headings 8535, 8536, 8537, 8538: 34 eight-digit rate lines with a parseable Column 1 General range of 0%–3.5% in the 2026 schedule. “Free” means the official General field is literally Free for that line; it does not determine final entry liability.

Observed calculated-duty data

Latest month on record (2026-06): 8.59% effective on $4.4B of imports, versus 11.76% in the same month a year earlier. The monthly archive holds 78 observations from 2020-01 through 2026-06.
In 2025, U.S. imports for consumption in this family totaled $42.1B in customs value, with $4.7B in USITC reported calculated duty on $42.1B of covered customs value: an effective calculated-duty rate of 11.21%. 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 3.41%, so the observed rate rose 7.8 points.
Top source countries in 2025: Mexico ($15.7B at 3.67%), China ($3.5B at 50.91%), Canada ($2.7B at 3.08%), Germany ($2.6B at 10.88%), Japan ($1.7B at 10.41%).
Reported freight and insurance equaled 2.29% of covered customs value in 2025 ($734.3M total); charge coverage was 76.3% 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.
For scale, 2025 imports in this family equal 20.8% of the U.S. electrical equipment and appliances industry's $202B gross output (2025, BEA).

Representative rate lines

8535.10.00: Fuses · MFN 2.7%
8535.21.00.00: For a voltage of less than 72.5 kV · MFN 2.7%
8535.29.00: Other · MFN 2%
8535.30.00: Isolating switches and make-and-break switches · MFN 2.7%
8535.40.00.00: Lightning arresters, voltage limiters and surge suppressors · MFN 2.7%
8535.90.40.00: Motor starters and motor overload protectors · MFN 2.7%
8535.90.80: Other · MFN 2.7%
8536.10.00: Fuses · MFN 2.7%

Frequently asked questions

What is the U.S. tariff rate on switchgear, connectors, and controls? USITC calculated duties imply an effective rate of 8.59% in Jun 2026 (calculated duties ÷ covered customs value, USITC DataWeb). The parseable Column 1 General line-rate range is 0%–3.5%; 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 switchgear, connectors, and controls? The parseable Column 1 General line-rate range is 0%–3.5% across the family's 34 eight-digit HTS lines in the 2026 Harmonized Tariff Schedule (headings 8535, 8536, 8537, 8538). “Free” means the official General field is literally Free for a line; it does not determine final entry liability.
Which countries supply the most switchgear, connectors, and controls to the U.S.? Top retained sources in 2025: Mexico ($15.7B at 3.67%), China ($3.5B at 50.91%), Canada ($2.7B at 3.08%). Mexico holds 37.2% of total family import customs value. Retained sources cover 76.3%; their HHI is 1590, a lower bound whose floor falls in the moderately concentrated range without classifying the omitted tail.
How much switchgear, connectors, and controls does the U.S. import? $42.1B of customs value in 2025, with $4.7B in USITC Calculated Duties — an effective calculated-duty rate of 11.21%.
Is the U.S. a net importer of switchgear, connectors, and controls? Yes — a net importer in 2025: $42.1B imported vs $7.7B exported (exports are 18% of imports).

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.