Light-vessels — HTS 8905
Light-vessels, fire-floats, dredgers, floating cranes, and other vessels the navigability of which is subsidiary to their main function; floating docks; floating or submersible drilling or production platforms
Chapter 89 › Heading 8905
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 8905 covers specialized floating structures and vessels whose main purpose is something other than ordinary navigation. It includes light-vessels, fire-floats, dredgers, floating cranes, floating docks, and floating or submersible drilling or production platforms. The heading also includes other vessels where navigation is secondary to the vessel’s working function.
To narrow the heading to a specific 8-digit HTS code, first identify the article’s principal design and function, then follow the relevant subheadings and statistical breakouts. The distinctions may be based on the vessel or structure’s type, intended use, construction or material, and other characteristics stated in the tariff schedule. Read the full legal description, including section and chapter notes, rather than choosing a code from a product name alone.
What to check
- Identify the principal function: dredging, lifting, drilling, production, docking, firefighting, lighting, or another specialized activity.
- Determine whether the item is a vessel, floating structure, platform, dock, or other article, and document whether navigation is merely incidental to its main function.
- Check the tariff schedule’s subheading descriptions and any stated distinctions based on type, material, design, or intended use.
- Review the product specifications, engineering drawings, photographs, and commercial documents for details that support the classification.
- Confirm the result with a customs broker or request a binding classification decision when the design or principal function is unusual or disputed.
HTS heading 8905 summary
Light-vessels is a 4-digit product category containing 2 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 |
|---|---|
| 8905.90 | Other |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8905.10.00.00 👉 | Dredgers | Free | — | Free |
| 8905.20.00.00 👉 | Floating or submersible drilling or production platforms | Free | — | Free |
"Special" shows the free-trade-agreement rate; open a code to see exactly which countries qualify.
Common questions
What products fall under HTS heading 8905?
Light-vessels, fire-floats, dredgers, floating cranes, and other vessels the navigability of which is subsidiary to their main function; floating docks; floating or submersible drilling or production platforms. 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.