HTS heading 8486 · Chapter 84, Machinery, mechanical appliances and computers
US imports of Machines and apparatus
Machines and apparatus of a kind used solely or principally for the manufacture of semiconductor boules or wafers, semiconductor devices, electronic integrated circuits or flat panel displays; machines and apparatus specified in note 11(C) to this chapter; parts and accessories
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, USA Trade Online / International Trade API, imports for consumption, March–July 2026; effective duty = calculated duty ÷ dutiable value.
US imports under HTS 8486 at a glance
Between March and July 2026, US importers entered $6.51 billion of machines and apparatus under HTS heading 8486, from 40 of the 55 origin countries covered here and across 7 ten-digit tariff lines — roughly $1.30 billion a month of customs value under a single four-digit heading.
Heading 8486 sits in chapter 84, machinery, mechanical appliances and computers, so anything classified here shares a duty structure with the rest of that chapter.
Top origin countries by share of HTS 8486
Origin countries: value, share and duty paid
| Origin | Import value | Share | Dutiable share | Effective duty | Duty per $100 | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | $1.62 billion | 24.9% | 1% | 35.64% | $0.37 | Duty on 8486.20.00 |
| Netherlands | $1.17 billion | 18% | 0.3% | 48.69% | $0.14 | Duty on 8486.20.00 |
| South Korea | $900 million | 13.8% | 0.9% | 35.12% | $0.31 | Duty on 8486.20.00 |
| Malaysia | $735 million | 11.3% | 1.1% | 38.58% | $0.44 | Duty on 8486.20.00 |
| Singapore | $529 million | 8.1% | 1.1% | 33.22% | $0.38 | Duty on 8486.20.00 |
| Taiwan | $338 million | 5.2% | 3.9% | 13.12% | $0.52 | Duty on 8486.20.00 |
| Germany | $317 million | 4.9% | 1.5% | 35.61% | $0.55 | Duty on 8486.90.00 |
| China | $301 million | 4.6% | 69.7% | 25.59% | $17.84 | Duty on 8486.90.00 China lane |
| Mexico | $123 million | 1.9% | 1.1% | 44.48% | $0.48 | |
| United Kingdom | $67.5 million | 1% | 1.9% | 20.63% | $0.40 | Duty on 8486.20.00 |
| Austria | $56.7 million | 0.9% | 1.3% | 35.35% | $0.44 | Duty on 8486.20.00 |
| France | $54.9 million | 0.8% | 0.5% | 26.08% | $0.14 | Duty on 8486.20.00 |
| Vietnam | $53.0 million | 0.8% | 2.8% | 23.42% | $0.65 | Duty on 8486.90.00 Vietnam lane |
| Israel | $48.8 million | 0.8% | 0.8% | 13.47% | $0.10 | Duty on 8486.20.00 |
| Switzerland | $38.7 million | 0.6% | 1.5% | 41.77% | $0.61 | Duty on 8486.20.00 |
Who exports machines and apparatus to the United States
Japan is the largest origin with $1.62 billion, or 24.9% of the heading, with Netherlands at 18% and South Korea at 13.8%. The top three take 56.8% between them — enough concentration to matter when one origin's duty treatment changes, but not so much that a buyer has no alternative to qualify.
Asian origins supply 60.7% of the heading, led by Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Taiwan. That means ocean transit from Asian base ports and, for most of these countries, no free-trade-agreement relief — so the tariff line you classify into carries the full cost.
What importers actually paid in duty
Most of this heading enters duty-free. Only 4.3% of the entered value was dutiable, and across all origins CBP collected $75.8 million — about $1.17 of duty per $100 of goods. The headline rate on the dutiable portion was 27.1%, but it applies to a small slice, so the number that matters to a landed-cost model is the $1.17.
The spread between origins is real. Among origins with at least 2% of the heading, China paid the most duty relative to value — $17.84 per $100 — while Netherlands paid $0.14. On a $250,000 purchase order that gap is about $44,000 in duty alone, which is worth pricing into a sourcing decision rather than discovering on the entry summary.
10-digit tariff lines under HTS 8486
| HTS code | Description | Import value | Share | Duty per $100 | Largest origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8486.20.00.00 | Machines and apparatus for the manufacture of semiconductor devices or of electronic integrated circuits | $3.73 billion | 57.3% | $0.31 | Japan |
| 8486.90.00.00 | Parts and accessories | $1.88 billion | 28.9% | $2.57 | Japan |
| 8486.40.00.30 | For lifting, handling, loading or unloading of boules, wafers, semiconductor devices, electronic integrated circuits and flat panel displays | $598 million | 9.2% | $1.43 | Japan |
| 8486.10.00.00 | Machines and apparatus for the manufacture of boules or wafers | $161 million | 2.5% | $0.38 | Germany |
| 8486.40.00.20 | For assembling semiconductor devices or electronic integrated circuits | $110 million | 1.7% | $6.01 | China |
| 8486.40.00.10 | For the manufacture or repair of masks and reticles | $26.7 million | 0.4% | $0.30 | Sweden |
| 8486.30.00.00 | Machines and apparatus for the manufacture of flat panel displays | $2.4 million | 0% | $4.79 | South Korea |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, USA Trade Online / International Trade API, imports for consumption, March–July 2026; effective duty = calculated duty ÷ dutiable value.
The 10-digit lines under heading 8486
7 ten-digit lines carried trade under this heading in the period. The largest, 8486.20.00.00 (machines and apparatus for the manufacture of semiconductor devices), took 57.3% of the heading at $3.73 billion. 8486.90.00.00, 8486.40.00.30 and 8486.10.00.00 follow. Rates diverge between those lines, so the classification your broker files is worth checking against the goods rather than carried over from the last entry.
What the duty stack looks like
The rate on an entry is not one number. It is a stack: the general (column 1) rate for the 10-digit line, less any trade-agreement preference the goods qualify for, plus whatever additional duties apply to that product and origin, all applied to the customs value declared. The $1.17 per $100 above is what that stack averaged across every entry in this heading — a benchmark, not a quote.
For the origins carrying the most volume, the per-country breakdowns go a level deeper: Japan (8486.20.00), Netherlands (8486.20.00) and South Korea (8486.20.00). To price a specific shipment, put your 10-digit code and country of origin into the tariff simulator.
What this means for your next shipment
Classify first, confirm origin second, quote freight third. A heading like 8486 rewards that order, because the duty differences between lines and between origins are usually larger than the freight differences on the same lane. Airlift USA handles the freight and coordinates classification and entry through our licensed broker network.
For the operational side rather than the tariff side, see the Heavy Machinery & Industrial Equipment guide for how this cargo moves, the China to USA lane for transit times and ports and the heading index to compare against the rest of chapter 84.
Price a shipment under HTS 8486
Airlift USA has moved ocean and air freight into the United States since 1999 and coordinates HTS classification, ISF and entry filing through our licensed broker network.
Methodology
Figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau's international trade statistics for imports for consumption — the customs value of goods entered into US commerce, not shipments in transit or goods held in bonded warehouses. The period is March–July 2026 (5 months of data), and coverage is limited to 55 major origin countries, so totals here are lower than published US-wide totals for the same heading.
Three quantities are additive and everything else is derived from them: entered customs value, dutiable value and calculated duty. Effective duty is calculated duty divided by dutiable value — the rate CBP actually applied to the part of the trade that was dutiable. Dutiable share is dutiable value divided by entered value; below 20% it means the trade entered mostly free, under a trade agreement or a duty-free provision. Duty per $100 spreads calculated duty across all entered value, which is the figure comparable between origins.
Chapter 98 and chapter 99 are excluded: those are special classification and temporary-measure provisions rather than product headings. Heading and tariff-line descriptions are the current HTS text. Values are historical and reflect duty as calculated at the time of entry; they are not a quote and not a prediction of the rate on a future shipment.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, USA Trade Online / International Trade API, imports for consumption, March–July 2026; effective duty = calculated duty ÷ dutiable value. Census data is a work of the US government and is in the public domain.
Frequently asked questions
Which countries export the most machines and apparatus to the United States?
Japan is the largest origin under HTS heading 8486, with $1.62 billion entered between March and July 2026, or 24.9% of the heading. Netherlands follows at 18% and South Korea at 13.8%. Figures cover the 55 major origin countries in this dataset. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, USA Trade Online / International Trade API, imports for consumption, March–July 2026; effective duty = calculated duty ÷ dutiable value.
How much import duty is paid on machines and apparatus under HTS 8486?
Across all origins, 4.3% of the entered value was dutiable and CBP calculated $75.8 million of duty over the five months — an effective 27.1% on dutiable value, or about $1.17 per $100 of goods across the whole heading. Your own rate depends on the exact 10-digit line and country of origin.
Which HTS codes fall under heading 8486?
Heading 8486 covers machines and apparatus of a kind used solely or principally for the manufacture of semiconductor boules or wafers, semiconductor devices, electronic integrated circuits or flat panel displays; machines and apparatus specified in note 11(C) to this chapter; parts and accessories. 7 ten-digit lines recorded imports in this period; the largest by value were 8486.20.00.00, 8486.90.00.00, 8486.40.00.30 and 8486.10.00.00. Duty rates differ between those lines, so the 10-digit classification matters more than the heading.
Which origin pays the lowest duty on machines and apparatus?
Among origins with at least 2% of the heading, Netherlands paid the least duty relative to entered value — about $0.14 per $100 of goods, with 99.7% of its value entering free. Duty is only one part of landed cost, and a claim has to be substantiated at entry to be allowed.
How do I check the duty on my own shipment?
Use the Airlift USA tariff simulator with your 10-digit HTS code and country of origin to see the duty stack that applies today, then confirm the classification before you file. Airlift USA coordinates classification and entry filing through our licensed broker network and can review the code against your product specification.