Machinery for preparing — HTS 8453
Machinery for preparing, tanning or working hides, skins or leather or for making or repairing footwear or other articles of hides, skins or leather, other than sewing machines; parts thereof
Chapter 84 › Heading 8453
2026 HTS Rev 19 Synced Rules verified Operational
Written to help non-specialists understand this page. Rates, dates, and legal facts come from the official records above and on the linked source.
HTS heading 8453 is a broad product category for machinery used to prepare, tan, or otherwise work hides, skins, and leather. It also covers machinery used to make or repair footwear and other leather articles. The heading includes parts of qualifying machinery, but it excludes sewing machines, which are classified elsewhere.
To reach the correct 8-digit HTSUS code, first identify the machine’s primary function and the material or article it works on. Then review the subheadings and tariff provisions under heading 8453, which may distinguish types of machinery, processing steps, finished products, or parts. The machine’s technical design—not its marketing name alone—usually controls classification, and a customs broker or binding ruling may be appropriate for complex equipment.
What to check
- Identify the machine’s principal operation, such as tanning, cutting, splitting, finishing, footwear making, or footwear repair.
- Confirm whether the item is a complete machine, a dedicated part, or a general-purpose component; parts must be designed or principally used with qualifying machinery.
- Read all subheading descriptions, section notes, chapter notes, and exclusions before selecting the 8-digit code.
- Check the product manual, engineering drawings, photographs, invoice description, and intended use so the classification matches the actual equipment.
- Have a customs broker review unusual multifunction machines, interchangeable equipment, or items that might instead be classified as sewing machinery or under another heading.
HTS heading 8453 summary
Machinery for preparing is a 4-digit product category containing 3 published product-code lines in this snapshot. A heading does not carry one universal duty rate; classification must be narrowed to the line matching the product facts.
How to find your code in this category
A heading is a product category. To get the exact duty, narrow from this 4-digit heading to a sub-category (usually by material), then open the 8-digit code that matches your product.
Open any code in the tables below to see its exact duty rate, a duty calculator (enter your shipment value → estimated duty and landed cost), the rate-change history chart, and the country-by-country breakdown (including Section 301/232 add-on duties).
Why you have to click in: a single category can contain products with very different duties. The rate depends on the specific product — its material and construction — and on the country of origin, and those only get pinned down at the 8-digit code level. That is why this page points you to codes instead of showing one rate for the whole category.
Sub-categories
| Code | Description |
|---|---|
| 8453.90 | Parts |
Product codes & duty rates
👇 Each row is a specific product code — click a blue code to open its full page with exact duty rates by country, the rate-history chart, and a duty calculator. 👉
| Code | Description | General (MFN) | Special | Column 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8453.10.00.00 👉 | Machinery for preparing, tanning or working hides, skins or leather | Free | — | 35% |
| 8453.20.00.00 👉 | Machinery for making or repairing footwear | Free | — | Free |
| 8453.80.00.00 👉 | Other machinery | Free | — | 35% |
"Special" shows the free-trade-agreement rate; open a code to see exactly which countries qualify.
Common questions
What products fall under HTS heading 8453?
Machinery for preparing, tanning or working hides, skins or leather or for making or repairing footwear or other articles of hides, skins or leather, other than sewing machines; parts thereof. To classify a specific item you must pick the matching sub-category and 8-digit code above; the right choice usually depends on the material and construction of the product.
How do I choose the right code within this category?
Start from the sub-categories (typically divided by material—for example cotton versus man-made fibers), then open the active 8- or 10-digit code that matches the product. When unsure, a licensed customs broker or a CBP binding ruling can confirm the classification.
Reference information only, not customs, legal, or classification advice. Confirm the current code and rate against the official HTS before you import.