Video recording or reproducing apparatus — HTS 8521
Video recording or reproducing apparatus, whether or not incorporating a video tuner
Chapter 85 › Heading 8521
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 8521 is a four-digit product category for video recording or reproducing apparatus, including equipment that also contains a video tuner. It generally covers devices whose function is to record video, play video, or do both. The heading can include different recording technologies and equipment designs; the presence of a tuner does not by itself move a product out of this heading.
To reach a specific eight-digit HTSUS code, first identify the applicable six-digit subheading and then apply the U.S. statistical subdivisions. Classification commonly depends on the apparatus’s recording or playback technology, such as the type of medium or system used, and on whether the product falls into an “other” provision. Review the complete product, its principal function, technical specifications, and any relevant legal notes rather than classifying it by marketing name alone.
What to check
- Identify whether the product records video, reproduces video, or performs both functions, and document how it works.
- Confirm the recording or playback technology and the type of medium involved, if any; do not assume that a device’s storage format determines the code without checking the tariff wording.
- Check whether the equipment incorporates a video tuner and whether that feature affects the applicable subheading or only describes the product within heading 8521.
- Read the full six- and eight-digit HTSUS descriptions, including subheading notes and statistical subdivisions, and compare them with the product’s specifications.
- Request a customs broker’s or other classification professional’s review when the device combines recording, streaming, computing, display, or other functions and no provision clearly describes its principal function.
HTS heading 8521 summary
Video recording or reproducing apparatus is a 4-digit product category containing 1 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 |
|---|---|
| 8521.10 | Magnetic tape-type |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8521.90.00.00 👉 | Other | 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 8521?
Video recording or reproducing apparatus, whether or not incorporating a video tuner. 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.