Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States · HTS code · HS 9608.10
9608.10.00: Ball point pens
Ballpoint pens
Not declarable on its own: use one of its 1 subdivisions Data: Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States · checked on 24 October 2026
- 9608 Ball point pens; felt tipped and other porous-tipped pens and markers; fountain pens, stylograph pens and other pens; duplicating styli; propelling or sliding pencils (for example, mechanical pencils); pen-holders, pencil-holders and similar holders; parts (including caps and clips) of the foregoing articles, other than those of heading 9609:
- 9608.10.00 Ball point pens
What you pay
Importing into USA
US additional duties of HTS chapter 99 in force on 22 October 2026 are included (Section 301, 232, 338 and 201). IEEPA duties are no longer collected after the Supreme Court ruling of February 2026. Conditional exemptions (US content, end use, metal share) are not computed: check the provision.
Additional duties and import rules
Charges on top of the customs duty, and rules the goods must meet at the border.
Additional duties and charges 1
- Additional dutySection 301 — China — technology transfer, IP and innovation (2018 actions and 2024 four-year review) 7.5%
- Applies to goods from
- China
- In force
- from 1 September 2019
- Legal act
- HTSUS 9903.88.15
Preferential rates by country
| Agreement or scheme | Countries | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| General (MFN) | — | 0.8¢ each + 5.4% |
| US–Australia FTA AU | Australia | Free |
| US–Bahrain FTA BH | Bahrain | Free |
| US–Chile FTA CL | Chile | Free |
| US–Colombia TPA CO | Colombia | Free |
| US–Israel FTA IL | Israel | Free |
| US–Jordan FTA JO | Jordan | Free |
| US–Korea FTA KR | South Korea | Free |
| US–Morocco FTA MA | Morocco | Free |
| US–Oman FTA OM | Oman | Free |
| CAFTA-DR P | Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua | Free |
| US–Panama TPA PA | Panama | Free |
| US–Peru TPA PE | Peru | Free |
| USMCA S | Canada, Mexico | Free |
| US–Singapore FTA SG | Singapore | Free |
| Column 2 | Cuba, North Korea, Russia, Belarus | 6¢ each + 40% |
Special: reduced rates under trade agreements and preference programmes; the letters in brackets name the programmes (for example AU = Australia FTA, KR = Korea FTA).
Same subheading in other tariffs
9608.10 Ballpoint pens: ballpoint pens
UK 2% Third-country duty 3 tariff lines 
EU 3.7% Third-country duty 3 tariff lines 
Türkiye 3.7% Third-country duty 4 tariff lines 
Canada 7% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Mexico 15% General (MFN) 2 tariff lines 
Brazil 16.2% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Argentina 18% General (MFN) 17 tariff lines 
Peru 6% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
New Zealand 5% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Japan Free General (MFN) 2 tariff lines · 1× specific or compound duty 
Taiwan 3.4% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
GCC 5% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Switzerland Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Norway Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
North Macedonia 12% General (MFN) 3 tariff lines 
Nigeria 20% General (MFN) 1 tariff line Binding rulings for similar goods
Decisions of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CROSS) and HMRC (Advance Tariff Rulings) on goods classified here. A ruling binds only its holder, but shows how the authorities classify similar goods. The descriptions are the authorities’ own, in English.
- N364145 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of a ballpoint pen from China
- N350094 U.S. CBP
The classification of a direct mail package with a multifunctional pen from China
- N347310 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of a ceramic-handled cup, a ballpoint pen, and a miniature plastic ball from China
- N343070 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of gel pens from China
- H337372 U.S. CBP
Request for Further Review of Protest No. 3002-22-104032; Tariff classification of various miniature backpacks, miniature novelty items, and miniature utility items from China.
- N331296 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of a calendar, memo pads, and pen from China
- N325909 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of a Harry Potter collectibles kit from China
- N321715 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of journals and other supplies from Vietnam and China
Legal notes
HTS code 9608.10.00 is a line of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States under HS subheading 9608.10 (ballpoint pens: ballpoint pens).
The general duty is a specific or compound duty: 0.8¢ each + 5.4%.
For the same subheading, the UK duty is 2%, the EU duty is 3.7%, the Türkiye duty is 3.7%, the Canada duty is 7%, the Mexico duty is 15%, the Brazil duty is 16.2%, the Argentina duty is 18%, the Peru duty is 6%, the New Zealand duty is 5%, the Japan duty is free, the Taiwan duty is 3.4%, the GCC duty is 5%, the Switzerland duty is free, the Norway duty is free, the North Macedonia duty is 12% and the Nigeria duty is 20%.
The United States imported goods of subheading 9608.10 worth US$501m in 2024; the largest supplier was China.
Questions and answers
What is the USA import duty for HTS code 9608.10.00?
The general duty in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States is 0.8¢ each + 5.4%; the supplementary unit is p/st. Preferential rates for goods from agreement countries, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
Is there a lower rate for 9608.10.00 under US trade agreements?
Yes. The Special column reads “Free (A, AU, BH, CL, CO,D,E, IL, JO, KR, MA, OM,P, PA, PE,S, SG)”: the letters in brackets name the agreements and programmes that grant it.
Where does the United States import these goods from?
For subheading 9608.10 as a whole, the largest supplier in 2024 was China (US$201m), followed by Japan.
Typical products
Everyday names, not part of the legal text.