HTS code for mobile phones (2026)
Most mobile phones imported into the United States fall under 8517.13.00.00 (smartphones) or 8517.14.00.50 / 8517.14.00.80 (other cellular telephones). The general (column 1) rate for all three of these lines is Free. The column 2 rate is 35%.
The one attribute that most often moves a device away from 8517.13.00.00 to a different line is whether the device qualifies as a smartphone rather than another type of cellular telephone. Phones that do not meet the smartphone description go to one of the 8517.14 lines depending on their design and intended service.
Candidate HTS lines for mobile phones
| Code | Line | General rate | Special rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8517.13.00.00 | Smartphones (No.) Telephone sets, including smartphones and other telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks : Use when: Use for smartphones, meaning touchscreen-based cellular or wireless network telephones with computing capabilities, which the HTSUS describes as smartphones. | Free | |
| 8517.14.00.50 | Other radio telephones designed for the Public Cellular Radiotelecommunication Service (No.) Telephone sets, including smartphones and other telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks : › Other telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks Use when: Use for other cellular handsets designed for the Public Cellular Radiotelecommunication Service that are not smartphones and not designed for installation in motor vehicles. | Free | |
| 8517.14.00.80 | Other (No.) Telephone sets, including smartphones and other telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks : › Other telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks Use when: Use for other wireless telephones for cellular or other wireless networks that are not smartphones, not designed for the Public Cellular Radiotelecommunication Service under 8517.14.00.50, and not vehicle-installed units. | Free | |
| 8517.14.00.20 | Radio telephones designed for installation in motor vehicles for the Public Cellular Radiotelecommunication Service (No.) Telephone sets, including smartphones and other telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks : › Other telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks Use when: Use for radio telephones designed for installation in motor vehicles for the Public Cellular Radiotelecommunication Service, such as fixed in-vehicle cellular units. | Free | |
| 8507.60.00.90 | Other (No., kg) Lithium-ion batteries › Other: Use when: Use for lithium-ion batteries imported separately as standalone units that are not EV traction packs and not battery energy storage systems fully encased within a housing, such as spare or replacement mobile phone batteries. | 3.4% | Free (A,AU,B,BH,C,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG) |
Chapter 99 duties and claims that attach to these lines today
Section 301 China Escalation
- 9903.91.06 Section 301 China Escalation, +25%, applies to 8507.60.00.90 9903.91.06 Explained: Section 301 China Four-Year Review, 25% Duty
Section 301 Brazil
- 9903.05.03 Section 301 Brazil Exemptions, claim or exemption heading, no additional duty, applies to 8517.13.00.00
- 9903.05.05 Section 301 Brazil Exemptions, claim or exemption heading, no additional duty, applies to 8517.14.00.50, 8517.14.00.80, 8517.14.00.20, 8507.60.00.90
Civil Aircraft
- 9903.96.01 Civil Aircraft Exemption, claim or exemption heading, no additional duty, applies to 8517.13.00.00, 8517.14.00.50, 8517.14.00.80, 8517.14.00.20, 8507.60.00.90
- 9903.96.02 Civil Aircraft Exemption, claim or exemption heading, no additional duty, applies to 8517.13.00.00, 8517.14.00.50, 8517.14.00.80, 8517.14.00.20, 8507.60.00.90
Other Chapter 99 provisions
- 9903.05.86 Section 301 Forced Labor, claim or exemption heading, no additional duty, applies to 8517.13.00.00 9903.05.86 Section 301 Forced Labor Exemption Explained
- 9903.05.88 Section 301 Forced Labor, claim or exemption heading, no additional duty, applies to 8517.14.00.50, 8517.14.00.80, 8517.14.00.20, 8507.60.00.90 9903.05.88: Civil Aircraft Section 301 Forced Labor Exemption
- 9922.52.02 Other, claim or exemption heading, no additional duty, applies to 8517.13.00.00, 8517.14.00.50, 8517.14.00.80, 8517.14.00.20, 8507.60.00.90
- 9922.52.04 Other, claim or exemption heading, no additional duty, applies to 8517.13.00.00, 8517.14.00.50, 8517.14.00.80, 8517.14.00.20, 8507.60.00.90
- 9922.52.06 Other, claim or exemption heading, no additional duty, applies to 8517.13.00.00, 8517.14.00.50, 8517.14.00.80, 8517.14.00.20, 8507.60.00.90
- 9922.52.08 Other, claim or exemption heading, no additional duty, applies to 8517.13.00.00, 8517.14.00.50, 8517.14.00.80, 8517.14.00.20, 8507.60.00.90
- 9922.52.10 Other, claim or exemption heading, no additional duty, applies to 8517.13.00.00, 8517.14.00.50, 8517.14.00.80, 8517.14.00.20, 8507.60.00.90
- 9922.52.12 Other, claim or exemption heading, no additional duty, applies to 8517.13.00.00, 8517.14.00.50, 8517.14.00.80, 8517.14.00.20, 8507.60.00.90
Each applicable Chapter 99 heading is reported as its own line beside the classification. Its duty is separate from the general rate above; most programs charge it on top, and a heading's own text says how it is assessed.
What decides the line
The first question is whether the article is a telephone set for a cellular network or other wireless network at all. If yes, the classifier moves inside heading 8517 and looks at the 8517.13 versus 8517.14 split. 8517.13.00.00 covers smartphones explicitly; a device sold and marketed as a smartphone goes here.
If the phone is not a smartphone, the classifier turns to 8517.14, which covers other telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks. Within 8517.14, the next question is whether the phone is a radio telephone designed for installation in motor vehicles for the Public Cellular Radiotelecommunication Service, those go to 8517.14.00.20. Handheld units for the Public Cellular Radiotelecommunication Service that are not vehicle-installed go to 8517.14.00.50. All remaining cellular handsets not captured by either of those statistical lines go to the residual 8517.14.00.80.
Batteries imported separately from the phone are not telephone sets and fall outside 8517 entirely. A lithium-ion mobile phone battery would classify under 8507.60.00.90 at a 3.4% general rate, subject to Chapter 99 provisions that can add duty depending on country of origin.
Parts of phones that do not have their own specific provision in 8517 are covered under the parts provisions of heading 8517; confirm the correct parts line in the current HTSUS or with a licensed broker.
Common mistakes
- Classifying a basic cellular bar phone or feature phone under 8517.13.00.00 (smartphones) is wrong, only devices that meet the smartphone description belong there; a non-smartphone cellular handset for the Public Cellular Radiotelecommunication Service belongs under 8517.14.00.50 or 8517.14.00.80.
- Filing a mobile phone battery as part of the phone's 8517.13.00.00 entry when the battery is imported separately is wrong, a separately imported lithium-ion battery is a distinct article classified under 8507.60.00.90 at a 3.4% general rate with its own applicable Chapter 99 provisions.
- Assuming the column 1 general rate of Free means no Chapter 99 additional duties apply is wrong, Chapter 99 provisions such as 9903.05.03 (Section 301 Brazil Exemptions) and 9922.52.02 through 9922.52.12 (Other) are attached to 8517.13.00.00 and must be checked and reported separately on the entry.
- Reporting a vehicle-installed cellular radio telephone under 8517.14.00.50 or 8517.14.00.80 is wrong, radio telephones designed for installation in motor vehicles for the Public Cellular Radiotelecommunication Service belong under 8517.14.00.20.
- Omitting the Chapter 99 provision line on the entry because the general rate is Free is wrong, each applicable Chapter 99 heading must be reported as its own separate line on the entry alongside the classification line.
Frequently asked questions
What is the HTS code for a smartphone?
The correct code for smartphones is 8517.13.00.00. This line covers telephone sets, including smartphones and other telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks, specifically in the smartphone subheading. The general (column 1) rate is Free and the column 2 rate is 35%.
What is the HTS code for a cellular phone that is not a smartphone?
A non-smartphone handset for the Public Cellular Radiotelecommunication Service generally falls under 8517.14.00.50 (other radio telephones designed for the Public Cellular Radiotelecommunication Service) or 8517.14.00.80 (other), depending on the specific design. A vehicle-installed cellular unit goes to 8517.14.00.20. All of these lines carry a general (column 1) rate of Free and a column 2 rate of 35%.
Is there any import duty on mobile phones from China?
The general (column 1) rate for 8517.13.00.00 (smartphones) and the 8517.14 lines is Free. However, you must check the Chapter 99 provisions attached to the line on your entry. For 8517.13.00.00, provisions such as 9903.05.03 (Section 301 Brazil Exemptions) and 9922.52.02 through 9922.52.12 (Other) are attached today and carry no additional duty as listed, but you should confirm the current applicable Chapter 99 provisions in the current HTSUS or with a licensed broker for country-specific duty treatment.
What do the Chapter 99 headings like 9903.05.03 and 9922.52.02 mean on the mobile phone entry?
Chapter 99 headings are additional tariff provisions reported alongside the base classification. For 8517.13.00.00, attached provisions include 9903.05.03 (Section 301 Brazil Exemptions), 9903.05.86 (Section 301 Forced Labor), 9903.96.01 and 9903.96.02 (Civil Aircraft Exemption), and 9922.52.02 through 9922.52.12 (Other). Each carries no additional duty as listed in the facts block today. Each applicable Chapter 99 heading must be reported as its own line on the entry; its duty is separate from and on top of the general rate.
What is the HTS code for a replacement mobile phone battery imported separately?
A lithium-ion battery imported separately, such as a spare or replacement mobile phone battery, is not a telephone set and does not classify under 8517. It falls under 8507.60.00.90 (lithium-ion batteries, other). The general (column 1) rate is 3.4%, with a special rate of Free for qualifying countries including A, AU, B, BH, C, CL, CO, D, E, IL, JO, KR, MA, OM, P, PA, PE, S, and SG. The column 2 rate is 40%. Chapter 99 provision 9903.91.06 (Section 301 China Escalation) adding +25% is attached to this line and must be checked for applicability.
Does the Free general rate on mobile phones apply to column 2 countries?
No. The general (column 1) rate of Free applies to most trading partners. The column 2 rate for 8517.13.00.00 and the 8517.14 lines is 35%. Column 2 rates apply to goods from countries that do not receive column 1 treatment. Confirm the current column 2 country list in the current HTSUS or with a licensed broker.