HS Code 9816.00 : Accompanying a person, arriving in the United States (exclusive of duty-free articles and articles acquired in American Samoa, Guam or the Virgin Islands of the United States)
MODULE 2: EXTRACTABLE ANSWER (AEO / SPEAKABLE)
EN (Official WCO)
FR (Pending)
ES (Pending)
The 6-digit Harmonized System (HS) code for accompanying a person, arriving in the united states (exclusive of duty-free articles and articles acquired in american samoa, guam or the virgin islands of the united states) is 9816.00. Under the 2026 United States (USITC HTS), the representative MFN general duty rate is 3 percent of the fair retail value [USITC HTS 2026].
MODULE 3: SIGNATURE A: HS DECODE VISUAL HIERARCHY
Chapter 98
Articles for personal or household use, or as bona fide gifts, not imported for the account of another person, valued in the aggregate at not over $1,000 fair retail value in the country of acquisition, if the person claiming the benefit of subheading 9816.00.20 or 9816.00.40, or both, has not received the benefits thereof within the 30 days immediately preceding his arrival
Heading 9816
Articles for personal or household use, or as bona fide gifts, not imported for the account of another person, valued in the aggregate at not over $1,000 fair retail value in the country of acquisition, if the person claiming the benefit of subheading 9816.00.20 or 9816.00.40, or both, has not received the benefits thereof within the 30 days immediately preceding his arrival
Subheading .00
.00
Accompanying a person, arriving in the United States (exclusive of duty-free articles and articles acquired in American Samoa, Guam or the Virgin Islands of the United States)
MODULE 4: SIGNATURE B: TARIFF MATRIX
Import Duty Rates by Destination
United States (USITC HTS 2026)
9816.00.20
MODULE 5: US IMPORT DUTY & FEE BREAKDOWN (LANDED COST STACK)
Federal Import VAT / GST
0.00%
US Has NO Federal VAT
Notice: Duty rates and trade remedies change frequently (Section 301, Section 232, anti-dumping orders, de minimis thresholds). Duty calculations are estimates for informational purposes only. Always verify exact rates with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) or a licensed customs broker prior to import.
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MODULE 6: Mandatory Customs Entry Document Matrix
Rule-Derived Customs Entry Package Checklist
UNIVERSAL DOCUMENT
Commercial Invoice
Itemized description, currency, Incoterms, seller/buyer details, and country of origin.
UNIVERSAL DOCUMENT
Packing List & Bill of Lading
Gross/net weight, container/seal numbers, piece count, and transport B/L or Air Waybill.
PREFERENTIAL RULE
Certificate of Origin (If Claiming FTA)
Required only when claiming zero-duty preference under USMCA, KORUS, or GSP.
MODULE 7: Regulatory Compliance & Partner Government Agency (PGA) Flags
Standard Entry
This commodity does not carry mandatory PGA pre-clearance flags under the ACE message set.
MODULE 8: Trade Remedies (Section 301, Section 232, AD/CVD)
China Section 301 Tariff Status
0% Additional Duty (Exempt)
Section 232 Steel/Aluminum Status
Exempt (Non-Metal Commodity)
EU CBAM Carbon Alert
Not in Scope
MODULE 9: Free Trade Agreements (FTA) & Rules of Origin (RoO)
| Agreement Code | Trade Agreement / Program | Preferential Rate | Rules of Origin (RoO) Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| P | United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) | Free | Must meet USMCA Regional Value Content (RVC) or tariff shift rules. |
| KR | U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS) | Free | Direct shipment from South Korea with KORUS Certificate of Origin. |
| AU | U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement | Free | Wholly obtained or tariff shift rule under US-Australia FTA. |
| A / D | GSP / African Growth & Opportunity Act (AGOA) | Free | 35% local value-add requirement for beneficiary country origin. |
MODULE 10: Logistics, Freight & Transport Specifications
Standard 20ft Container
~28 CBM / 28,000 kg Payload
Standard 40ft High-Cube
~68 CBM / 28,600 kg Payload
Stowage Factor & Handling
Standard commercial packaging for Accompanying a person, arriving in the United States (exclusive of duty-free articles and articles acquired in American Samoa, Guam or the Virgin Islands of the United States)
MODULE 11: Official CBP CROSS Binding Classification Rulings
No ruling cached for HS 9816.00.
Query the live U.S. Customs and Border Protection e-Rulings database:
Search Live CBP CROSS Database for 9816.00 →US National HTS Tariff Lines (9816.00)
| HTS Code | Description | General Rate | Special (FTA) Rate | Column 2 Rate | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9816.00.20 | Accompanying a person, arriving in the United States (exclusive of duty-free articles and articles acquired in American Samoa, Guam or the Virgin Islands of the United States) | 3 percent of the fair retail value | Free (BH,CL,CO,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S, SG) | 4 percent of the fair retail value | — |
| 9816.00.40 | Imported by or for the account of a person (whether or not accompanying him) arriving directly or indirectly from American Samoa, Guam or the Virgin Islands of the United States, acquired in such insular possessions as an incident of such person's physical presence | 1.5 percent of the fair retail value | Free (BH,CL, CO,IL,JO,KR,MA,S,SG) | 2 percent of the fair retail value | — |
MODULE 12: Candidate Subheadings & Related Codes
| Related HS Code | Heading Category | Action |
|---|
MODULE 13: Industry Classification & Crosswalk Mesh (NAICS & Schedule B)
U.S. Census NAICS Code
See U.S. Census Concordance
U.S. Census Schedule B (Exports)
9816.00.20
Official Primary Sources & Authority References
USITC HTS Chapter 98 Tariff Schedule (2026) ↗
Official U.S. 10-digit tariff lines and general duty rates for Accompanying a person, arriving in the United States (exclusive of duty-free articles and articles acquired in American Samoa, Guam or the Virgin Islands of the United States).
CBP CROSS Ruling Database (9816.00) ↗
Binding customs classification precedents for Heading 9816.
MODULE 14: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Operational Guide
What is the 6-digit WCO tariff classification and United States (USITC HTS) general duty for Accompanying a person, arriving in the United States (exclusive of duty-free articles and articles acquired in American Samoa, Guam or the Virgin Islands of the United States)?
Under WCO Harmonized System 2022 and United States (USITC HTS), Accompanying a person, arriving in the United States (exclusive of duty-free articles and articles acquired in American Samoa, Guam or the Virgin Islands of the United States) is classified under HS 9816.00 (Heading 9816, Chapter 98). The representative US MFN general duty rate is 3 percent of the fair retail value.
How is HS 9816.00 distinguished within Heading 9816 (Articles for personal or household use, or as bona fide gifts, not imported for the account of another person, valued in the aggregate at not over $1,000 fair retail value in the country of acquisition, if the person claiming the benefit of subheading 9816.00.20 or 9816.00.40, or both, has not received the benefits thereof within the 30 days immediately preceding his arrival)?
Heading 9816 covers Articles for personal or household use, or as bona fide gifts, not imported for the account of another person, valued in the aggregate at not over $1,000 fair retail value in the country of acquisition, if the person claiming the benefit of subheading 9816.00.20 or 9816.00.40, or both, has not received the benefits thereof within the 30 days immediately preceding his arrival. Subheading 9816.00 specifically isolates Accompanying a person, arriving in the United States (exclusive of duty-free articles and articles acquired in American Samoa, Guam or the Virgin Islands of the United States). Importers must verify whether physical characteristics, processing state, or composition require alternative subheadings under Heading 9816.
What are the primary candidate subheadings related to HS 9816.00?
Related subheadings under Heading 9816 include . Classification depends on processing stage, decaffeination, purity, or material form.
What mandatory commercial entry documents are required to import Accompanying a person, arriving in the United States (exclusive of duty-free articles and articles acquired in American Samoa, Guam or the Virgin Islands of the United States)?
Commercial Invoice (detailing Incoterms, currency, and origin), Packing List, Bill of Lading (or Air Waybill), CBP Form 7501 Entry Summary, and a continuous customs bond are required for formal entries.
Can goods under HS 9816.00 enter duty-free under USMCA or Free Trade Agreements?
Yes. Eligible goods originating in Mexico, Canada, South Korea, or Australia enter duty-free under preference SPI codes (P, KR, AU) provided they satisfy Regional Value Content (RVC) or tariff-shift rules with a valid Certificate of Origin.
What is the US formal entry threshold for shipments of Accompanying a person, arriving in the United States (exclusive of duty-free articles and articles acquired in American Samoa, Guam or the Virgin Islands of the United States)?
Commercial shipments of Accompanying a person, arriving in the United States (exclusive of duty-free articles and articles acquired in American Samoa, Guam or the Virgin Islands of the United States) with a customs value exceeding $2,500 USD require formal customs entry (CBP Form 7501) and a continuous entry bond. Informal entry applies to lower values.
How can an importer obtain a binding CBP classification ruling for HS 9816.00?
Importers may submit an e-Ruling request under 19 CFR Part 177 to CBP National Commodity Specialist Division (NCSD) to obtain a legally binding tariff classification ruling prior to importation.
Does the United States assess federal VAT or GST on imports of HS 9816.00?
No. The United States does NOT charge a federal Value-Added Tax (VAT) or Goods and Services Tax (GST) on imports. Importers pay customs duty + MPF + HMF (if ocean freight).
How are Merchandise Processing Fee (MPF) and Harbor Maintenance Fee (HMF) calculated?
MPF is assessed at 0.3464% of entered value (min $32.71, max $634.62 per entry). HMF is assessed at 0.125% on ocean freight shipments entering US ports.
What is the Section 321 de minimis duty-free threshold for HS 9816.00?
Under Section 321 (19 U.S.C. 1321), eligible shipments valued at $800 USD or less imported by one person on one day enter duty-free and tax-free.
What U.S. Customs bond requirements apply to commercial entries under HS 9816.00?
Formal entries with customs value exceeding $2,500 USD require a continuous customs entry bond (CBP Form 301) to guarantee payment of duties, taxes, and fees.
What Importer Security Filing (ISF 10+2) rules apply to ocean imports of HS 9816.00?
Ocean container shipments bound for US ports require electronic ISF 10+2 submission via ACE at least 24 hours before loading at foreign ports.
How do USMCA preference rules apply to commercial imports under HS 9816.00?
Qualifying originating goods from Canada or Mexico meeting USMCA tariff-shift or Regional Value Content (RVC) rules enter duty-free under SPI code 'P'.