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:
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:
What this covers
This heading covers various types of pens and pencils, including ballpoint, felt-tipped, fountain, stylograph, duplicating styli, mechanical pencils, and their holders, as well as parts such as caps and clips, except those parts listed under heading 9609.
How the 15.0% is built.
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1Apply base HTS rateColumn 1 General (MFN) or Special (FTA)
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2Add Section 301 (if origin qualifies)Chapter 99 subheading layered on
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3Add IEEPA / 232 surchargesCountry-scoped emergency measures
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4Add MPF & HMF feesApplied to entered value
You may also consider
Rate by country of origin
Same HTS, very different landed cost. Here's how 9608 looks from the top trading partners — on a $10,000 shipment.
Citations for 9608
FAQ for this HTS code.
What is this HTS code?
This is a US Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) code that classifies "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:". It determines base duty rates for imports; additional duties may apply by country of origin.
Does origin affect duty?
Yes. General and Special rates apply by trade agreement and origin. Additional duties (Section 301, 232, IEEPA) are origin-specific. Use the tariff calculator or resolve API with an origin to see full duty.
How do I compute total duty?
Use our tariff calculator (with HTS and optional origin) or the API endpoint GET /api/v1/tariffs/resolve with hts and origin. The API returns base tariffs and additional measures separately; sum as needed for your use case.