Recent CBP NY Rulings
The following are short summaries of recent CBP NY rulings issued by the agency's National Commodity Specialist Division in New York:
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Timely, relevant coverage of court proceedings and agency rulings involving tariffs, classification, valuation, origin and antidumping and countervailing duties. Each day, Trade Law Daily subscribers receive a daily headline email, in-depth PDF edition and access to all relevant documents via our trade law source document library and website.
N348485: The tariff classification of women’s footwear from China
| HTS: 6404.19.9060, 9903.01.24, 9903.01.25, 9903.88.15, 9% + + 20%, 10% + 7.5%, "Footwear with outer soles of rubber, plastics, leather or composition leather and uppers of textile materials: Footwear with outer soles of rubber or plastics: Other: Other: Valued over $12/pair: For women." |
| Item: A women’s, below-the-ankle, closed toe, closed heel shoe. A wide functional lace is passed through three pairs of eyelets over a separately attached tongue. The external surface area of the upper is comprised of 80% cotton and 20% linen textile. The shoe is lined with cotton and there is textile on top of the foamed insole. The midsole is wrapped with jute. The external surface of the outer sole touching the ground is rubber/plastics. |
| Reason: N/A |
| Ruling Date: May 16, 2025 |
N348517: The tariff classification of blood testing meter systems from Malaysia
| HTS: 9027.50.4015, 9903.01.25, 9817.00.96, free, “Instruments and apparatus for physical or chemical analysis (for example, polarimeters, refractometers, spectrometers, gas or smoke analysis apparatus); instruments and apparatus for measuring or checking viscosity, porosity, expansion, surface tension or the like; instruments and apparatus for measuring or checking quantities of heat, sound or light (including exposure meters); microtomes; parts and accessories thereof: Other instruments and apparatus using optical radiations (ultraviolet, visible, infrared): Other: Electrical: Chemical analysis instruments and apparatus.” |
| Item: Blood testing meter systems intended to quantitatively measure the percentage of glycated hemoglobin in fresh capillary blood samples from the fingertip. The meters operate by performing a chemical and optical analysis of the blood. |
| Reason: GRI 3(b) states that goods put up in sets for retail sale, which cannot be classified by reference to GRI 3(a), are to be classified as if they consisted of the component which gives them their essential character. The essential character is imparted by the A1C meter. Since the analyzers utilize an optical component, subheading 9027.89 would not apply. The blood testing meter systems perform a chemical analysis on a diabetic’s blood sample to determine if their levels are too high or too low, which is a direct link to the physical impairment, so the blood testing meter systems satisfy the description set forth in Chapter 98, Subchapter XVII, U.S. Note 4(a). |
| Ruling Date: May 16, 2025 |
N348548: The tariff classification of a knot tying-in kit from China
| HTS: 4901.99.0093, 9903.01.22, 9903.01.31, 9903.01.32, 9903.88.15, free + 7.5%, “Printed books, brochures, leaflets and similar printed matter, whether or not in single sheets: Other: Other: Other: Other: Other: Containing 49 or more pages each (excluding covers).” |
| Item: A knot tying kit, which includes four ropes packaged together with a paperback book titled, "The Handy Box of Knots: Useful knots for every situation indoors & out," by knot expert Randy Penn. The braided rope is of a high quality and is durable. The book contains 288 pages with step-by-step instructions for more than 100 essential knots, as well as dozens of games and exercises for honing newfound skills. |
| Reason: Sets are classified according to the component, or components taken together, which can be regarded as conferring on the set as a whole its essential character. In this case, The “Handy Box of Knots” book confers the essential character. |
| Ruling Date: May 16, 2025 |
N348678: The tariff classification of sprayers from China
| HTS: 8424.41.9000, 9903.01.24, 9903.01.25, 9903.88.03, 2.4% + 20% + 10% + 25%, “Mechanical appliances (whether or not hand operated) for projecting, dispersing or spraying liquids or powders; fire extinguishers, whether or not charged; spray guns and similar appliances; steam or sand blasting machines and similar jet projecting machines; parts thereof: Agricultural or horticultural sprayers: Portable sprayers: Other.” |
| Item: Handheld sprayers of sizes from one to four gallons consisting of a polyethylene tank combined with a hand-operated pump, a hose, and a trigger activated spraying wand. The sprayers are designed to spray water, water-based fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and sealers. |
| Reason: N/A |
| Ruling Date: May 16, 2025 |
N348706: The tariff classification and country of origin of a chisel
| HTS: 8205.30.6000, 9903.01.25, 5% + 10%, "Handtools (including glass cutters) not elsewhere specified or included; blow torches and similar self-contained torches; vises, clamps and the like, other than accessories for and parts of machine tools or water-jet cutting machines; anvils; portable forges; hand- or pedal-operated grinding wheels with frameworks; base metal parts thereof: planes, chisels, gouges and similar cutting tools for working wood, and parts thereof: other (including parts)." |
| Origin: Thailand |
| Item: A steel chisel. The cutting part of the tool does not contain by weight over 0.2% of chromium, molybdenum, or tungsten or over 0.1% of vanadium. In Thailand, raw steel rods are cut to length, drop-forged and die-stamped into a single piece of steel. The steel is then deburred and formed into the basic shape of the finished chisel. The article is then sent to China, where it is heat-treated, polished, and the blade is sharpened. A Chinese origin comfort grip is applied over the steel handle. Sometimes, but not always, a Chinese origin die-cast hammer strike is placed on the end of the handle. The finished chisel is then retail packaged for shipment to the United States. |
| Reason: A substantial transformation occurs in Thailand, where steel coil is drop-forged and die-cut into a chisel blank. This article provides the principal characteristics of the finished chisel, is dedicated for use as such, and cannot be used for any other purpose. The character of the chisel blank remains unchanged after the manufacturing processes and addition of the comfort grip in China. Therefore, the country of origin of the chisel is Thailand. |
| Ruling Date: May 16, 2025 |
N348712: The tariff classification of separating plates from South Korea
| HTS: 8481.90.9040, 9903.01.25, free + 10%, "Taps, cocks, valves and similar appliances, for pipes, boiler shells, tanks, vats or the like, including pressure-reducing valves and thermostatically controlled valves; parts thereof: Parts: Other: Of valves of subheading 8481.20: Other." |
| Item: Separating plates constructed of carbon steel. They feature specifically machined orifices that facilitate the flow of oil, perform a sealing function and maintain the position of check valve balls. The plates, which contribute to the valve’s function of controlling flow rate, are shaped to be installed in between the bodies of a valve used in automatic transmissions of a motor vehicle. |
| Reason: N/A |
| Ruling Date: May 16, 2025 |
N348713: The tariff classification of separating plates from South Korea
| HTS: 8481.90.9040, 9903.01.25, free + 10%, "Taps, cocks, valves and similar appliances, for pipes, boiler shells, tanks, vats or the like, including pressure-reducing valves and thermostatically controlled valves; parts thereof: Parts: Other: Of valves of subheading 8481.20: Other." |
| Item: Separating plates constructed of carbon steel. They feature specifically machined orifices that facilitate the flow of oil, perform a sealing function and maintain the position of check valve balls. The plates, which contribute to the valve’s function of controlling flow rate, are shaped to be installed in between the bodies of a valve used in automatic transmissions of a motor vehicle. |
| Reason: N/A |
| Ruling Date: May 16, 2025 |
N348943: The tariff classification and country of origin of long nose pliers, linesman pliers, and diagonal pliers
| HTS: 8203.20.6030, 9903.01,25, 12¢/dozen. + 5.5% + 10%, “files, rasps, pliers (including cutting pliers), pincers, tweezers, metal cutting shears, pipe cutters, bolt cutters, perforating punches and similar handtools, and base metal parts thereof: Pliers (including cutting pliers), pincers, tweezers and similar tools, and parts thereof: Other: Other (except parts). Pliers." |
| Origin: Thailand |
| Item: Long nose pliers, linesman pliers, and diagonal pliers. The handles and jaws are drop-forged from raw steel rods in Thailand, forming the rough shape of each. Further in Thailand, each handle is die-cut, deburred, and sandblasted. The two halves of the pliers (i.e., the pieces incorporating the handles and jaws) are then sent to China, where two holes are drilled into each piece so that they can be joined together. Teeth are then cut into the jaws, and the pieces undergo heat-treatment and polishing. The two halves are assembled with rivets, soft grips are slipped over the handles, and the finished pliers are packaged for retail sale. |
| Reason: The raw steel is substantially transformed in Thailand into identifiable blanks of the finished tools. This includes drop-forging and die-cutting steel into the handles and jaws of the pliers. These articles provide the principal characteristics of the finished tools, are dedicated for use as such, and cannot be used for any other purpose. The character of these articles remains unchanged after the manufacturing processes and assemblies that occur in China. Therefore, the country of origin of the long nose pliers, linesman pliers, and diagonal pliers is Thailand. |
| Ruling Date: May 16, 2025 |
N349022: The tariff classification of an offset printing press from Germany
| HTS: 8443.13.0000, 9903.01.25, free + 10%, "Printing machinery used for printing by means of plates, cylinders…: other offset printing machinery." |
| Item: An offset printing machine. The machine is a sheet-fed offset printing press that utilizes plates to create images, and cylinders to transfer these images onto individual sheets. The machine can produce flat printed sheets in different thicknesses. These finished sheets can be converted into book or magazine pages, advertising posters and brochures, and other promotional materials. The printed sheets can also be incorporated onto boxes for the pharmaceutical, food and beverage packaging industry. |
| Reason: N/A |
| Ruling Date: May 16, 2025 |
N349064: The tariff classification of an automated livestock feeder from China
| HTS: 8436.80.0090, 9903.01.24, 9903.01.25, 9903.88.01, free + 20%+ 10% + 25%, “Other agricultural, horticultural, forestry, poultry-keeping or bee-keeping machinery, including germination plant fitted with mechanical or thermal equipment; poultry incubators and brooders; parts thereof: Other machinery. Other: Other: Other.” |
| Item: An automated livestock feeder meant to be used in barns, stables, pastures, pens or livestock trailers that are located on farms and ranches. It is designed to dispense pelletized feed to livestock, such as horses, goats, sheep, pigs, etc. The feeder can be wall mounted, fence mounted or used with a metal stand (the stand will be imported and sold separately). The feeder is made primarily of plastic, with a small electric motor. In addition to the motor, its other major components include a holding bin for the pellets, a portion dispenser, a control panel and display, a circulating hose, and two output pipes. The motor operates a drum that is located inside the portion dispenser. As the drum rotates, it dispenses a specific portion of pellet feed through the two output pipes. The feeder can be programmed from the control panel or using a smart app on a tablet or smartphone. |
| Reason: N/A |
| Ruling Date: May 16, 2025 |