Heading 8201

Handtools of the following kinds and base metal parts thereof: spades, shovels, mattocks, picks, hoes, forks and rakes; axes, bill hooks and similar hewing tools; secateurs and pruners of any kind; scythes, sickles, hay knives, hedge shears, timber wedges and other tools of a kind used in agriculture, horticulture or forestry

11 declarable lines

Heading 8201 covers handtools of base metal used for digging, chopping, cutting and pruning in agriculture, horticulture, forestry and general garden work, plus base metal parts of those tools. It is split first by tool type: spades and shovels, mattocks and picks and hoes and rakes, axes and hewing tools, one-handed pruners, two-handed shears, and a residual group for other agricultural, horticultural or forestry handtools. Most lines are free of duty, but axes, secateurs and grass shears carry general (MFN) rates.

Products in this heading

Garden spade and round-point shovel
Pickaxe and mattock head
Steel garden rake and hoe
Machete and axe with base metal head
One-handed bypass pruning shears
Two-handed hedge shears and lopping shears
Manure fork or pitchfork with metal tines
Grass shears and timber wedges

How to choose the right subheading

Identify the tool type first: digging tool, striking or chopping tool, one-handed pruner, two-handed shear, or another agricultural or forestry handtool.
For pruners, decide whether the tool is worked with one hand (8201.50) or needs two hands (8201.60), since the duty rate differs.
For chopping tools, separate machetes from axes and adzes, because machetes are free while axes carry a rate.
For the residual group, check whether the item is a fork, a grass shear, or another tool, as each has its own line.
Decide whether the shipment is a complete tool or a base metal part entered separately, since parts are classified with the tool they fit.

Often confused with

Kitchen or table forks
Tableware forks are classified as kitchen or table articles, not as agricultural handtools.
Heading 8215
Pruning knives with a cutting blade
Knives with cutting blades, including pruning knives, go to heading 8211.
Heading 8211
Pliers, pincers and tweezers
Gripping and cutting handtools of this kind are named in heading 8203.
Heading 8203
Handsaws and saw blades
Saws and saw blades have their own heading in chapter 82.
Heading 8202
Hammers, crowbars and clamps
Handtools not named elsewhere in chapter 82 fall in heading 8205.
Heading 8205

Frequently asked questions

What is the HTS code for a garden shovel?

Spades and shovels and their parts are classified in 8201.10.00.00. The general (MFN) rate for that line is Free.

What is the duty on machetes?

Machetes and their parts are classified in 8201.40.30.00. The general (MFN) rate is Free.

How do I classify one-handed pruning shears versus hedge shears?

One-handed pruners and similar shears, including poultry shears, go in 8201.50.00.00 at a general (MFN) rate of 1 cent each plus 2.8%. Two-handed hedge shears and two-handed pruning shears go in 8201.60.00.00 at a general (MFN) rate of 1 cent each plus 2.8%.

Guide written from the official schedule text. Rates quoted are general (MFN) rates; check the line page for trade agreement rates and the classification of your exact product.