China origin → US import
Wireless router HTS code and US import duty from China
Quick answer
- US HTS in this worked example
- 8517.62.0020 A complete Wi-Fi unit whose manual shows it performs routing or NAT itself. An access point that only provides wireless access is checked against 8517.62.0090.
- Origin
- China
- Current duty rate (China origin)
- 7.5% · Conditional estimate (incomplete). See the 8517.62.00 breakdown and gaps →
- The answer depends on
- Does the device perform routing or switching itself, or only provide wireless access?
- Does it include cellular, modem or other independent functions? Prepare its specification sheet and port descriptions.
- Is the import a complete device, a separate part or a retail kit with a power supply and accessories?
This classification follows from the example’s facts and is for review, not a CBP ruling. Confirm your product against its own specifications.
Check duty for my product →Compare router HTS 8517.62.0020 with access-point treatment in CBP H304471. Work through device functions, evidence and a supported classification before checking US import duty from China.
Worked example: from facts to a classification conclusion
1. What the actual ruling decided
The reviewed access points were EAP245, CPE210 and CPE610. Additional information established that they did not select data paths or have the relevant routing/MAC tables or intelligent switching capability; they relied on an external router or switch.
CBP modified the earlier ruling, moving these three models from 8517.62.0020 to 8517.62.0090. The distinction was the device’s own routing/switching capability, not Wi-Fi branding. This does not assign every access point the same suffix.
2. Compare stated specifications with current branches
Teaching example only, not your product inputs. A complete home Wi-Fi device with one WAN and four LAN ports. Its manual confirms that the device performs routing and NAT, without a cellular or modem module. This analysis covers the main unit; an imported combination with a power supply or other items needs a packaging-specific review.
USITC current schedule · Version reviewed: 2026 HTS Revision 18. Classify from the product facts before assessing duty; a lower rate does not establish a classification.
| Candidate / situation | Current condition | Why it fits or is excluded |
|---|---|---|
| 8517.62.0020 | Switching and routing apparatus | The example’s documented routing supports this branch; the number of ports is supporting description only. |
| 8517.62.0090 | Other apparatus | H304471 assigned this branch to the three access points without routing or intelligent switching. Their facts do not describe the example router. |
| 8517.62.0010 or another applicable branch | Modem or different functional configuration | Current .0010 addresses modems described by the schedule. The example has no modem; an actual multifunction product needs a full-function review. |
Example conclusion and its scope
The example main unit’s documented routing supports 8517.62.0020 for review. The three access points have a specific historical ruling at 8517.62.0090. Review all capabilities of a multimode device; a marketing label or selected mode cannot substitute for its actual functions.
3. Use this specific request when evidence is missing
Please identify the model/firmware manual pages showing whether the device maintains routing tables, chooses forwarding paths, performs NAT or switching, or sends traffic to an external router. Include the port diagram, supported modes and packing list. If the sheet only says “AP / Router”, the precise missing evidence is functional documentation; leave the ten-digit suffix unconfirmed.
4. Keep a reviewable decision record
Example review record: complete Wi-Fi main unit; manual establishes its own routing and NAT; no modem module. Current .0020 matches those facts. H304471’s non-routing access points are factually different, so .0090 cannot be copied. Conclusion for review: 8517.62.0020 (main unit); imported combinations and policy conditions remain separate checks.
5. Use your own product, then calculate and copy
- The button below carries only a product name and China origin into the workbench. Add your documented specifications; neither an example code nor an example value is selected automatically.
- Match the full candidate description before manually confirming it, then answer policy conditions and enter your real customs value if needed. Historical ruling rates are not today’s total duty.
- Read confirmed components, conditional estimates and unresolved items before copying. Retain specification references and open questions with the result; a workbench gap must not become a claimed complete total.
Read site heading and subheadings (see their data version) 8517.62.00 →
Confirm classification, then read the duty breakdown
| Duty component | How to use it |
|---|---|
| MFN base duty | Read the rate after confirming the full US HTS line. A blank rate at a parent level does not mean duty-free. |
| Additional duties | Check Chapter 99 against China origin, the applicable date and product facts. Do not assume every measure applies. |
| Confirmed subtotal | Includes only items whose applicable conditions are established. An incomplete subtotal is not final total duty. |
| Conditional estimate and gaps | Assumptions and unresolved conditions remain separate. AD/CVD, fees and exclusion scope may need further review. |
Check duty for my product
Continue with the product name and China origin. Add the actual specifications, confirm a candidate and enter your own value if you need a duty amount.
Continue in the workbench →Can I use a Chinese router HS code for a US import entry?
Do not copy the Chinese eight- or ten-digit code. Use the shared HS6 to narrow the search, then confirm the US HTS provision against the actual device functions.
Check the original sources
- USITC Harmonized Tariff Schedule — Current tariff provisions and chapter notes.
- CBP CROSS H304471 — CBP distinguished the named wireless access points from switching and routing equipment. This historical ruling illustrates classification facts. Its old duty rates are not today’s rates, and its treatment does not automatically apply to another product.
- Federal Register — Check relevant policy text and effective dates.