9903.89.01: Section 301 Nicaragua Heading, U.S. Note 29

Key Points

• 9903.89.01 is the Chapter 99 heading for articles the product of Nicaragua, as provided for in U.S. note 29 to subchapter III, under the Section 301 Nicaragua action.
• The general column reads "The duty provided in the applicable subheading + 0%", so this line adds 0% on top of the regular duty.
• Scope is all products from Nicaragua (country code NI), effective June 21, 2024, with no announced end date as of November 2026.
• The rate schedule for the Nicaragua action lives in U.S. note 29, not in this heading's general column, so read the note and the USTR notice before you conclude anything about your duty bill.

On this page

1. What 9903.89.01 is
2. Scope, countries, and dates
3. The rate on this line
4. Entry reporting and stacking
5. What importers should do
6. Key references

9903.89.01 is the Chapter 99 heading for articles the product of Nicaragua, as provided for in U.S. note 29, and it belongs to the Section 301 Nicaragua action. Anyone importing Nicaraguan-origin goods needs to know it. As of November 2026, the heading's general-column text is "The duty provided in the applicable subheading + 0%", effective June 21, 2024 onward.

The links in this article go to the primary documents: the proclamations, Federal Register notices, and official tariff schedule pages themselves. Read the source.

What 9903.89.01 is

The official heading text is: "Articles the product of Nicaragua, as provided for in U.S. note 29 to this subchapter." It sits in Chapter 99 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States. Chapter 99 headings do not describe a physical product. They carry temporary or special duty treatment that applies alongside the ordinary classification of the goods in chapters 1 through 97.

This heading is the Section 301 Nicaragua action heading. The operative detail, including any rate schedule, is in U.S. note 29 to subchapter III. The heading points to the note, and the note governs.

Scope, countries, and dates

Products

The scope rule on this code is "all products." The facts for this heading do not carve out product lists, exclusions, or chapter limits. If you think a specific product is excluded or treated differently, confirm that in the current HTSUS text of note 29, not from memory.

Country

The country scope is Nicaragua only (country code NI). The heading speaks of articles "the product of" Nicaragua, so country of origin, not country of shipment, is the test. A Nicaraguan-origin good shipped through a third country is still a Nicaraguan-origin good for this purpose. Origin determinations for mixed-input goods are outside what this heading's text answers, so work those through with your broker.

Effective window

The scope runs from June 21, 2024 onward. No end date has been announced as of November 2026. Treat the heading as in force until the HTSUS or an official notice says otherwise, and recheck periodically.

The rate on this line

The general-column rate for 9903.89.01 is "The duty provided in the applicable subheading + 0%." In plain English, the duty that already applies to the product under its regular chapter 1 through 97 subheading still applies, and this heading adds 0% to it. That reading applies to the heading's general column, effective June 21, 2024 onward.

Do not stop there. The editorial point that matters is that the rate schedule for the Nicaragua action lives in U.S. note 29. This article does not restate any other percentage, phase-in, or product-specific rate, because the heading text we are working from does not give one. To see the full schedule and any related headings, read note 29 in the HTSUS on hts.usitc.gov and the notice issued by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, available through ustr.gov. The Federal Register at federalregister.gov is where USTR notices are published.

Entry reporting and stacking

How it appears on an entry

A Chapter 99 heading is not a substitute for your regular classification. Your entry still carries the normal chapter 1 through 97 tariff line for the goods, with its own rate. The Chapter 99 line rides alongside it. For Nicaraguan-origin goods covered by this action, the 9903.89.01 line is reported with the regular line, and the regular duty continues to apply because the heading adds 0% to "the duty provided in the applicable subheading."

Stacking with other duties

The facts for this code say nothing about interaction with other tariff programs, such as other Section 301 actions, Section 232 duties, or other additional duties. Do not assume it is exempt from or additive to anything. Confirm in the current HTSUS and with your broker how any other Chapter 99 headings that apply to your goods are reported together. For the broader picture of Chapter 99 codes this year, see our 2026 tariff code overview.

Entry number and importer basics

If you are reviewing how this line fits into your filings, our explainers on the 11-character CBP entry number and the importer of record cover the surrounding mechanics.

What importers should do

• Identify every SKU of Nicaraguan origin and confirm origin documentation, since the heading turns on the goods being the product of Nicaragua.
• Read U.S. note 29 in the current HTSUS and the USTR notice, and record the rate schedule that applies to your goods, because this heading's general column alone does not show it.
• Check that your broker reports 9903.89.01 alongside the regular chapter 1 through 97 line on entries of Nicaraguan-origin goods, and that entries from June 21, 2024 onward are reviewed.
• Monitor the HTSUS and CBP communications for changes, since no end date has been announced as of November 2026.

Key references

• Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (hts.usitc.gov): official text of heading 9903.89.01 and U.S. note 29 to subchapter III.
• Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (ustr.gov): the agency that publishes the notice for the Section 301 Nicaragua action.
• Federal Register (federalregister.gov): search here for the USTR notice and any later modifications.
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection (cbp.gov): CSMS messages and entry guidance for Chapter 99 reporting.