98 Special classification provisions

HeadingDescriptionGeneral
9801Products of the United States when returned after having been exported, or any other products when returned within 3 years after having been exported, without having been advanced in value or improved in condition by any process of manufacture or other means while abroadFree
9802Photographic films and dry plates manufactured in the United States (except motion-picture films to be used for commercial purposes) and exposed abroad, whether developed or notFree
9803Substantial containers and holders, if products of the United States (including shooks and staves of United States production when returned as boxes or barrels containing merchandise), or if of foreign production and previously imported and duty (if any) thereon paid, or if of a class specified by the Secretary of the Treasury as instruments of international traffic, repair components for containers of foreign production which are instruments of international traffic, and accessories and equipment for such containers, whether the accessories and equipment are imported with a container to be reexported separately or with another container, or imported separately to be reexported with a containerFree
9804Articles (including not over 50 cigars, or 300 cigarettes, or 2 kilograms of smoking tobacco or a proportionate amount of each, and not over 1 liter of alcoholic beverages), reasonable and appropriate, and intended exclusively, for the bona fide personal use of, and (except for articles consumed in use) to be taken out of the United States by, any person arriving in the United States who is leaving a vessel, vehicle or aircraft, engaged in international traffic, on which he is employed, with the intention of resuming such employmentFree
9805The personal and household effects (with such limitation on the importation of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products as the Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe) of any person in the service of the United States who returns to the United States upon the termination of assignment to extended duty (as defined in regulations issued in connection with this provision) at a post or station outside the customs territory of the United States, or of returning members of his family who have resided with him at such post or station, or of any person evacuated to the United States under Government orders or instructionsFree
9806Upon the request of the Department of State, personal effects and equipment of groups or delegations of foreign residents arriving in the United States on goodwill visits of short duration to participate in patriotic celebrations, festivals and other demonstrations of public interest and which will be exported or destroyed at the conclusion of the visitFree
9807Articles of metal (including medals, trophies and prizes), for bestowal on persons in the United States, as honorary distinctions, by foreign countries or citizens of foreign countriesFree
9809Public documents, whether or not in the form of microfilm, microfiches, or similar film media (including exposed and developed motion picture and other films, recorded video tapes and sound recordings) issued essentially at the instance and expense of a foreign government, of a political subdivision of a foreign country or of an international organization the membership of which includes two or more foreign countriesFree
9810Wild animals (including birds and fish) imported for use, or for sale for use, in any scientific public collection for exhibition for scientific or educational purposesFree
9811Alcoholic beverage samples (each sample containing not more than 300 milliliters if a malt beverage, not more than 150 milliliters if a wine and not more than 100 milliliters if any other alcoholic beverage) to be used in the United States only for soliciting orders by persons importing alcoholic beverages in commercial quantitiesFree
9812Articles imported for exhibition by any institution or society established for the encouragement of agriculture, arts, education or science, or for such exhibition by any State or for a municipal corporationFree, under bond, as prescribed in U.S. note 2 to this subchapter
9813Articles to be repaired, altered or processed (including processes which result in articles manufactured or produced in the United States)Free, under bond, as prescribed in U.S. note 1 to this subchapter
9814Tea, tea waste and tea siftings and sweepings, all the foregoing to be used solely for manufacturing theine, caffeine or other chemical products whereby the identity and character of the original material is entirely destroyed or changedFree, under bond, as prescribed in U.S. note 1 to this subchapter
9815Products of American fisheries (including fish, shellfish and other marine animals, spermaceti and marine animal oils), which have not been landed in a foreign country, or which, if so landed, have been landed solely for transshipment without change in conditionFree
9817Developed photographic film, including motion-picture film on which pictures or sound and pictures have been recorded; photographic slides; transparencies; sound recordings; recorded video tape; models (except toy models); charts; maps; globes; and posters; all of the foregoing which are determined to be visual or auditory materials in accordance with U.S. note 1(a) of this subchapterFree
9819Textile articles classifiable under chapters 50 through 60, inclusive, or chapter 63 of the tariff schedule, the foregoing articles that are products of a lesser developed beneficiary sub-Saharan African country (as defined in U.S. note 2(d) to this subchapter) and are wholly formed in one or more such countries from fibers, yarns, fabrics, fabric components or components knit-to-shape that are the product of one or more such countries
9820Articles of heading 4202 described in U.S. note 6(l) to this subchapter and imported directly from Haiti or the Dominican Republic
9822Goods eligible for temporary admission into the customs territory of the United States under the terms of U.S. note 1(b) to this subchapter

Source: USITC HTS (2026 Basic Edition, frozen to the exam). Rates shown at heading level; duty rates are set on 8/10-digit subheadings. Not legal or classification advice.

HTS Chapter 98 — Special classification provisions