# United States tariff line 8538.90.81.40: Metal contacts > In the United States tariff, line 8538.90.81.40 covers metal contacts. The general (MFN) duty rate is 3.5%. It falls under HS subheading 8538.90 in heading 85.38 (chapter 85). Source: https://border.bot/countries/united-states/hs-codes/8538908140 Last updated: 9 October 2026 [Countries](https://border.bot/countries) / [United States](https://border.bot/countries/united-states) / [Chapter 85](https://border.bot/countries/united-states/hs-codes/85) / [8538.90](https://border.bot/countries/united-states/hs-codes/853890) / [8538.90.81.40](https://border.bot/countries/united-states/hs-codes/8538908140) ## Key facts - Tariff line: 8538.90.81.40 - Covers: Metal contacts - Duty (MFN): 3.5% - Preferential rates: From free (18 programmes or origins) - Additional duties: None recorded - Restrictions: None recorded - Tariff: [United States](https://border.bot/countries/united-states) - HS subheading: [8538.90](https://border.bot/hs-codes/853890) ## What this line covers In the United States tariff, line 8538.90.81.40 covers metal contacts. Its legal text is “Metal contacts”, read under “Other”, “Other”, “Other” and “Other”. ## How it is structured It falls under HS subheading 8538.90 in heading 85.38 (chapter 85). The first six digits are the Harmonized System code; the 4 digits after them are added by the United States tariff. - Chapter 85: Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers, television image and sound recorders and reproducers, and parts and accessories of such articles - Heading 85.38: Parts suitable for use solely or principally with the apparatus of heading 8535, 8536 or 8537 - Subheading 8538.90: Other - Within the subheading: Other - Within the subheading: Other - Within the subheading: Other - Line 8538.90.81.40: Metal contacts ## Duty The general (MFN) duty rate is 3.5%. The rate is published on 8538.90.81. Duty-free entry applies to goods that qualify under 17 programmes, and to goods from a group of origins (origin group A*). - Free: a group of origins (origin group A*) (A*) - Free: United States-Australia Free Trade Agreement (AU) - Free: United States-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (BH) - Free: United States-Chile Free Trade Agreement (CL) - Free: United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act (CO) - Free: African Growth and Opportunity Act (D) - Free: Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (E) - Free: United States-Israel Free Trade Area (IL) - Free: United States-Jordan Free Trade Area Implementation Act (JO) - Free: Trade Agreement Between the United States and Japan (JP) - Free: United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (KR) - Free: United States-Morocco Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (MA) - Free: United States-Oman Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (OM) - Free: Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (P) - Free: United States-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act (PA) - Free: United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act (PE) - Free: United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (S) - Free: United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (SG) ## In other countries No other national tariff on border.bot has live lines under 8538.90 yet. - [The Harmonized System text for 8538.90](https://border.bot/hs-codes/853890) ## Other lines under 8538.90 - [8538.90.10.00](https://border.bot/countries/united-states/hs-codes/8538901000) Of an article of heading 8537 for one of the articles described in additional U.S. note 11 to chapter 85 - [8538.90.30.00](https://border.bot/countries/united-states/hs-codes/8538903000) Other - [8538.90.40.00](https://border.bot/countries/united-states/hs-codes/8538904000) Other, for the articles of subheading 8535.90.40, 8536.30.40 or 8536.50.40, of ceramic or metallic materials, electrically or mechanically reactive to changes in temperature - [8538.90.60.00](https://border.bot/countries/united-states/hs-codes/8538906000) Molded parts - [8538.90.81.20](https://border.bot/countries/united-states/hs-codes/8538908120) Of automatic circuit breakers - [8538.90.81.60](https://border.bot/countries/united-states/hs-codes/8538908160) Other parts of switchgear, switchboards, panel boards and distribution boards - [8538.90.81.80](https://border.bot/countries/united-states/hs-codes/8538908180) Other - Previous line: [8538.90.81.20](https://border.bot/countries/united-states/hs-codes/8538908120) Of automatic circuit breakers - Next line: [8538.90.81.60](https://border.bot/countries/united-states/hs-codes/8538908160) Other parts of switchgear, switchboards, panel boards and distribution boards ## Frequently asked questions ### What does tariff line 8538.90.81.40 cover in the United States tariff? In the United States tariff, line 8538.90.81.40 covers metal contacts. ### What is the general (MFN) duty on 8538.90.81.40 in the United States? The general (MFN) duty rate is 3.5%. The rate is published on 8538.90.81. ### Which preferential rates apply to 8538.90.81.40? Duty-free entry applies to goods that qualify under 17 programmes: the United States-Australia Free Trade Agreement, the United States-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, the United States-Chile Free Trade Agreement, the United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act, African Growth and Opportunity Act, Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act, the United States-Israel Free Trade Area, the United States-Jordan Free Trade Area Implementation Act, Trade Agreement Between the United States and Japan, the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, the United States-Morocco Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, the United States-Oman Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement, the United States-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act, the United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement and the United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, and to goods from a group of origins (origin group A*). ## Sources and updates The tariff lines for the United States come from border.bot release 1 (edition 2026HTSRev21), read from the publisher’s files, and have been live since 9 October 2026. The duty rates for the United States come from border.bot release 1 (edition 2026HTSRev21), read from the publisher’s files, and have been live since 9 October 2026. The trade programmes for the United States come from border.bot release 1 (edition 2026HTSRev21), read from the publisher’s files, and have been live since 9 October 2026. This page was last updated on 9 October 2026. Guidance from published tariff data, not a binding ruling. For a decision customs must follow, apply to the destination’s customs authority for a binding tariff ruling. Official source files: - https://hts.usitc.gov/reststop/exportList?from=0000000000&to=9999999999&format=CSV&styles=false Machine-readable: https://border.bot/countries/united-states/hs-codes/8538908140.json