Machinery for preparing, tanning or working hides, skins or leather or for making or repairing footwear or other articles of hides, skins or leather, other than sewing machines; parts thereof
5 declarable lines
Heading 8453 covers machinery used to prepare, tan, or work hides, skins, and leather, plus machinery for making or repairing footwear and other articles of leather. It also covers parts of that machinery. The heading splits into three machine lines, 8453.10.00.00 for hide, skin, and leather working, 8453.20.00.00 for footwear making or repairing, and 8453.80.00.00 for other machinery, with parts under 8453.90 split by whether they are for footwear machinery or for other machinery.
Products in this heading
- Hide fleshing and splitting machines used in a tannery
- Tanning drums and paddles for treating hides and skins
- Leather buffing, graining, or embossing machines
- Shoe lasting machines that pull and shape uppers over lasts
- Sole attaching presses used in footwear assembly
- Leather cutting machines that cut shoe upper components
- Replacement parts such as feed rollers, guides, and lasting pads for these machines
How to choose the right subheading
- Decide whether the machine works hides, skins, or leather generally, or is specifically for making or repairing footwear.
- Confirm the item is machinery or a part, not a sewing machine, which is excluded from this heading.
- For parts, determine whether the part is for footwear making or repairing machinery, or for other machinery of the heading.
- Check that the item is a machine component and not an interchangeable tool such as a blade or drill.
- Check whether a more specific function elsewhere in chapter 84 describes the machine, such as laser cutting or pumping.
Often confused with
- Heading 8452Industrial sewing machines used to stitch leather uppers
Sewing machines are excluded from 8453 and classified in their own heading.
- Heading 8456Laser or water-jet cutting machines that cut leather
Machine tools that remove material by laser, plasma, or water jet are classified by process, not by the material being cut.
- Heading 8208Cutting blades and knives sold as interchangeable tools
Interchangeable tools and blades are classified as tools of base metal, not as machine parts.
- Heading 8413General purpose hydraulic pumps fitted to tannery machinery
Pumps are classified in their own heading even when mounted on machinery of 8453.
- Heading 8479Presses not dedicated to leather or footwear work
Presses and mechanical appliances without a specific leather or footwear function fall to the residual machinery heading.
Frequently asked questions
What is the HTS code for hide and leather working machinery?
Machinery for preparing, tanning, or working hides, skins, or leather is classified under 8453.10.00.00, with a general (MFN) rate of Free.
What is the duty on footwear making or repairing machinery?
Machinery for making or repairing footwear is classified under 8453.20.00.00 and carries a general (MFN) rate of Free.
How do I classify parts of leather working and shoe making machines?
Parts of footwear making or repairing machinery go under 8453.90.10.00, and other parts of the heading go under 8453.90.50.00. Both lines carry a general (MFN) rate of Free.
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.