HTS heading 9701 · Chapter 97, Works of art, collectors’ pieces and antiques
US imports of Painting, drawings and pastels, executed entirely by hand
Painting, drawings and pastels, executed entirely by hand, other than drawings of heading 4906 and other than hand-painted or hand-decorated manufacture articles; collages, mosaics and similar decorative plaques
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 9701 at a glance
Between March and July 2026, US importers entered $2.87 billion of painting, drawings and pastels, executed entirely by hand under HTS heading 9701, from 54 of the 55 origin countries covered here and across 6 ten-digit tariff lines — roughly $574 million a month of customs value under a single four-digit heading.
Heading 9701 sits in chapter 97, works of art, collectors’ pieces and antiques, so anything classified here shares a duty structure with the rest of that chapter.
Top origin countries by share of HTS 9701
Origin countries: value, share and duty paid
| Origin | Import value | Share | Dutiable share | Effective duty | Duty per $100 | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | $1.36 billion | 47.3% | 0.6% | 10.03% | $0.06 | Duty on 9701.91.00 |
| United Kingdom | $322 million | 11.2% | 3.6% | 9.99% | $0.36 | Duty on 9701.91.00 |
| Italy | $280 million | 9.8% | 1.2% | 9.94% | $0.12 | Duty on 9701.91.00 Italy lane |
| Germany | $203 million | 7.1% | 1.6% | 10.01% | $0.16 | Duty on 9701.91.00 |
| Spain | $192 million | 6.7% | 1.5% | 10.12% | $0.15 | Duty on 9701.91.00 |
| India | $76.6 million | 2.7% | 1.9% | 10.32% | $0.20 | Duty on 9701.91.00 India lane |
| Switzerland | $68.3 million | 2.4% | 1.9% | 10% | $0.19 | Duty on 9701.91.00 |
| Japan | $53.7 million | 1.9% | 3.1% | 10.05% | $0.32 | Duty on 9701.91.00 |
| Netherlands | $38.5 million | 1.3% | 3.4% | 10.12% | $0.34 | Duty on 9701.21.00 |
| Brazil | $37.4 million | 1.3% | 0.6% | 10.78% | $0.06 | Duty on 9701.91.00 Brazil lane |
| Austria | $35.9 million | 1.3% | 1.3% | 10.05% | $0.13 | Duty on 9701.91.00 |
| Belgium | $33.6 million | 1.2% | 2.5% | 10.01% | $0.25 | Duty on 9701.91.00 Belgium lane |
| Mexico | $33.2 million | 1.2% | 0.9% | 10.11% | $0.10 | |
| South Korea | $25.6 million | 0.9% | 0.9% | 10% | $0.09 | Duty on 9701.91.00 |
| Canada | $25.5 million | 0.9% | 2.9% | 10.22% | $0.30 |
Who exports painting, drawings and pastels, executed entirely by hand to the United States
France is the largest origin with $1.36 billion, or 47.3% of the heading, with United Kingdom at 11.2% and Italy at 9.8%. The top three take 68.3% 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.
European origins account for 74.6% of the heading, led by France, Italy and Germany. Supply from Europe here tends to be specification-driven rather than price-driven, and the shipments are smaller and more frequent than the volumes further down the table.
What importers actually paid in duty
Most of this heading enters duty-free. Only 1.9% of the entered value was dutiable, and across all origins CBP collected $5.8 million — about $0.20 of duty per $100 of goods. The headline rate on the dutiable portion was 10.6%, but it applies to a small slice, so the number that matters to a landed-cost model is the $0.20.
Duty treatment is fairly uniform across origins here: the countries with real volume all land within a narrow band of $0.06–$0.36 per $100 of goods. Where that happens, switching origin does little for the duty bill, and savings have to come from classification, valuation or freight.
10-digit tariff lines under HTS 9701
| HTS code | Description | Import value | Share | Duty per $100 | Largest origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9701.91.00.00 | — | $1.89 billion | 65.9% | $0.21 | France |
| 9701.21.00.00 | — | $900 million | 31.4% | $0.09 | France |
| 9701.99.00.00 | — | $71.0 million | 2.5% | $1.25 | France |
| 9701.29.00.00 | — | $3.2 million | 0.1% | $2.07 | France |
| 9701.92.00.00 | — | $2.6 million | 0.1% | $3.86 | Germany |
| 9701.22.00.00 | — | $509,000 | 0% | $2.15 | Italy |
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 9701
6 ten-digit lines carried trade under this heading in the period. The largest, 9701.91.00.00, took 65.9% of the heading at $1.89 billion. 9701.21.00.00, 9701.99.00.00 and 9701.29.00.00 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 $0.20 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: France (9701.91.00), United Kingdom (9701.91.00) and Italy (9701.91.00). 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 9701 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 Italy to USA lane for transit times and ports and the heading index to compare against the rest of chapter 97.
Price a shipment under HTS 9701
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 painting, drawings and pastels, executed entirely by hand to the United States?
France is the largest origin under HTS heading 9701, with $1.36 billion entered between March and July 2026, or 47.3% of the heading. United Kingdom follows at 11.2% and Italy at 9.8%. 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 painting, drawings and pastels, executed entirely by hand under HTS 9701?
Across all origins, 1.9% of the entered value was dutiable and CBP calculated $5.8 million of duty over the five months — an effective 10.6% on dutiable value, or about $0.20 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 9701?
Heading 9701 covers painting, drawings and pastels, executed entirely by hand, other than drawings of heading 4906 and other than hand-painted or hand-decorated manufacture articles; collages, mosaics and similar decorative plaques. 6 ten-digit lines recorded imports in this period; the largest by value were 9701.91.00.00, 9701.21.00.00, 9701.99.00.00 and 9701.29.00.00. Duty rates differ between those lines, so the 10-digit classification matters more than the heading.
Which origin pays the lowest duty on painting, drawings and pastels, executed entirely by hand?
Among origins with at least 2% of the heading, France paid the least duty relative to entered value — about $0.06 per $100 of goods, with 99.4% 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.