PlainTariff

HTS Section VIII

Hides, Skins, Leather; Handbags; Gut

Section VIII groups 3 HTS chapters covering 578 tariff classifications, averaging about 4.6% general (MFN) duty, peaking in Chapter 42 at 8.9%.

4.6%
avg chapter duty
3
HTS chapters
578
tariff classifications
8.9%
peak (Ch 42)

According to the U.S. International Trade Commission Harmonized Tariff Schedule 2026 Basic Edition, PlainTariff indexes 13,855 Column 1 general-rate tariff lines across 96 chapters as of August 2026. See our methodology for how rates are parsed and when the USITC vintage updates.

Section at a glance

According to PlainTariff's dutiable-only average MFN rates (USITC HTS 2026 Basic Edition), Section VIII ranks #9 of 20 among sections with a measurable dutiable average (highest average = #1). The 3 chapters here average about 4.6% general (MFN) duty across 578 classifications.

#9 of 20
among sections by dutiable avg
4.6%
avg chapter duty
3
HTS chapters
578
tariff classifications

Section averages orient only; duty is set at the individual tariff-line level (USITC HTS 2026 Basic Edition).

A mixed-rate section that needs a chapter comparison

Section VIII spans 3 chapters with a 4.6% average general (MFN) rate. Compare the chapter bars before treating the section-level figure as representative of a product.

The section summary guides the search; the tariff-line page supplies the rate.

Catalog
578
classifications
Route
3 chapters
before the heading

HTS section dispatch

SEC-VIII · Section VIII

RATE-LIGHT · RANK-MID · BOOK-LIGHT · CH-3 · PEAK-MILD · PHOTO-FINISH

  • RATE-LIGHT

    6.0% avg MFN

  • RANK-MID

    #9 of 20

  • BOOK-LIGHT

    578 lines

  • CH-3

    3 chapters

  • PEAK-MILD

    Peak 20%

  • PHOTO-FINISH

    ≈ Sec III

Nearest avg-rate peer: Section III (+0.4 pts)

Dutiable MFN neighbourhood around Section VIII

Lowest/highest poles plus sections nearest this sheet on dutiable-only average (USITC HTS 2026)

Sec XVI · lowest avg3.6%Sec IX · near5.4%Sec XIV · near5.5%Sec XX · near5.6%Sec VIII · this section6%Sec III · near6.4%Sec XII · highest avg15%

Source: USITC HTS 2026 As of 2026

Sec XVI · lowest avgSec IX · nearSec XIV · nearSec XX · nearSec VIII · this sectionSec III · nearSec XII · highest avg

Section VIII vs all HTS sections by classification count

Where this section's tariff-line inventory sits among all 22 HTS sections (schedule breadth, not a virtue ranking)

578 17th of 22 higher than 5 of 22 sections

Sections banded by USITC HTS classification count

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more sections. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source USITC Harmonized Tariff Schedule 2026 Basic Edition · 2026-05-15

MFN rate bands in Section VIII

Exclusive bands across all 231 tariff lines in this section (USITC HTS 2026). Rate complex covers non-ad-valorem or unparsed general rates, not a restatement of the chapter-average chart below.

Average duty rate by chapter, Section VIII

Mean general (MFN) rate across each chapter's tariff lines

Ch 412.5%Ch 428.9%Ch 432.4%

Source: USITC HTS 2026 As of 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

What does HTS Section VIII cover? ▼
HTS Section VIII covers Hides, Skins, Leather; Handbags; Gut. It contains 3 chapters with a total of 578 individual tariff classifications.
How many chapters are in Section VIII? ▼
Section VIII contains 3 chapters. Each chapter groups related products with their own headings, subheadings, and tariff lines specifying duty rates.
Should I use the section average as a product duty rate? ▼
No. The section average is a comparison aid. The applicable general, special, and Column 2 rates appear on the exact tariff-line page for the product classification.
Where does Section VIII sit among other HTS sections on PlainTariff? ▼
According to PlainTariff's dutiable-only average MFN rates (USITC HTS 2026 Basic Edition), Section VIII ranks #9 of 20 among sections with a measurable dutiable average (highest average = #1). See /methodology#corpus-placement.
How is the Harmonized Tariff Schedule organized? ▼
The HTS is organized into 22 Sections (Roman numerals I–XXII), which contain 99 Chapters. Each Chapter has Headings (4-digit), Subheadings (6-digit), and Tariff Lines (8-10 digit) with specific duty rates. Sections group related product categories together.
Where can I find the duty rate for a specific product? ▼
Click on a chapter in the table above to see all its tariff lines. Each tariff line links to a detail page with the General (MFN), Special (FTA), and Column 2 duty rates. For complex classifications, consult a licensed customs broker.

Nationwide HTS sections with similar tariff profiles

Two peer sets for Section VIII, each excluding this section (the chapter table above stays the within-section path).

Similar dutiable average rate

Nearest other sections by dutiable-only MFN average (4.6% here).

Sec XVIII 4.6% Sec V 4.7% Sec VII 4.8% Sec VI 5.0% Sec XV 4.0% Sec IX 5.4%

Similar HTS line inventory

Nearest other sections by tariff-line count (578 here).

Sec X 633 lines Sec V 511 lines Sec XII 807 lines Sec VII 819 lines Sec XIII 852 lines Sec XX 868 lines

Next steps

Drill from this section down to the exact rate for your product.

The section average is a rough guide; actual duty depends on the precise HTS classification and country of origin.

Related sections

Section XIISection XVISection IIISection XX | All sections | Highest tariffs

Sources: U.S. International Trade Commission Harmonized Tariff Schedule (2026 Basic Edition) and FAO FAOSTAT Trade: Crops and Livestock. See our methodology for how figures are computed.

Every figure on PlainTariff is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.