Press brake HS codes, duty and import costs
Two buyers with identical machines can pay very different duty, because classification is a decision someone makes about your machine. Here is how the classification works, what the numbers look like, and how to brief your broker so there are no surprises at the port.
How the classification works
Machine tools live in Chapter 84 of the Harmonised System, and sheet metal working machines mostly cluster under heading 8462. The structure that matters to a press brake or shear buyer:
- 8462.21 / 8462.22 — machines for bending, folding, straightening or flattening metal; non-NC and numerically controlled respectively.
- 8462.31 / 8462.39 — shearing machines, non-NC and other.
- 8462.91 — parts and accessories, which is where tooling and spare parts usually land.
National schedules subdivide these further and apply their own duty rates. The classification is a determination about your specific machine — its function, its control and its construction — and it belongs to your broker, not to the supplier’s invoice.
The numbers that actually land on your invoice
| Cost element | Typical picture (US import) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Base duty (8462 machinery) | Usually free at MFN rates | Confirm the subheading; rates vary by schedule |
| Section 301 additional duty | Commonly 25% for Chinese-origin machine tools | Check current list status; exclusions have come and gone |
| Merchandise processing / harbour fees | Small, per-entry | Scales with entry value and port |
| Broker fee | Flat per entry | Cheap insurance against a reclassification |
| Duty base | Customs value includes freight and insurance | Cheaper freight does not reduce the duty base |
For EU imports, third-country duty on 8462 machinery is typically in the low single digits, and the bigger compliance question is usually CE — see ourcertification page for what our CE file covers.
Briefing your broker properly
- Function: what the machine does — bends, folds, shears — in one sentence.
- Control: the exact control model and whether it is numerically controlled.
- Specs: tonnage, bed or cutting length, weight, dimensions. The spec sheet guide explains which numbers matter.
- Photos: of the actual machine, not a brochure render.
- Origin: country of manufacture for the certificate of origin.
Documents checklist
- Commercial invoice showing the agreed classification, value and Incoterms.
- Packing list with weights and dimensions — needed for freight and for the entry.
- Bill of lading or air waybill.
- Certificate of origin.
- CE declaration of conformity for EU-bound machines.
- For a binding ruling: photos, spec sheet and a written description of function and control.
Where this fits in the total cost
Duty is one line in the landed cost, and theimport cost guide works through all of them — freight options, realistic lead times, rigging and commissioning. The classification is the line buyers most often skip and customs most often revisits; a five-minute conversation with a broker before ordering is cheaper than a reclassification after the container has sailed.
When you request a quote, ask for the export documentation package with it — invoice, packing list, origin certificate and CE file where applicable. A supplier who produces those without being chased has done this before.
Still not sure what your power will support?
Tell us your supply voltage, available breaker size and the thickest material you need to bend. We will tell you straight whether single phase will do it.