Electric motors and generators — HTS 8501
Electric motors and generators (excluding generating sets)
Chapter 85 › Heading 8501
2026 HTS Rev 19 Synced Rules verified Operational
Written to help non-specialists understand this page. Rates, dates, and legal facts come from the official records above and on the linked source.
HTS heading 8501 is a broad product category for electric motors and electric generators, but not generating sets. It can cover many motor and generator designs used in products, machinery, vehicles, appliances, and other equipment. The heading is organized into more specific subheadings based mainly on the equipment’s function, electrical characteristics, construction, and other product details—not simply its material.
To reach the correct 8-digit HTSUS code, start with the product’s principal function and technical specifications. Check whether it is a motor or generator, its power output or rating, whether it operates on alternating or direct current, and whether it has features such as multiple phases or special construction. Then follow the applicable headings, subheadings, and statistical breakouts in the current HTSUS, using the legal notes and product descriptions. A customs broker or classification specialist may be needed when the specifications do not clearly fit one provision.
What to check
- Confirm that the item is an individual motor or generator, not a generating set or a larger machine whose classification may be determined by its principal function.
- Record the technical specifications: motor versus generator, AC versus DC, phase, output or power rating, speed, and any integrated electronics or special design features.
- Read the 6-digit subheading and the 8-digit statistical breakout together; do not select a code based only on a keyword, product name, or material.
- Compare the HTSUS description with manufacturer datasheets, labels, drawings, and test documentation, and make sure the facts match the imported condition.
- Check the current HTSUS and seek broker or specialist review if the product is multifunctional, incomplete, combined with other equipment, or difficult to distinguish from a generating set.
HTS heading 8501 summary
Electric motors and generators is a 4-digit product category containing 0 published product-code lines in this snapshot. A heading does not carry one universal duty rate; classification must be narrowed to the line matching the product facts.
How to find your code in this category
A heading is a product category. To get the exact duty, narrow from this 4-digit heading to a sub-category (usually by material), then open the 8-digit code that matches your product.
Open any code in the tables below to see its exact duty rate, a duty calculator (enter your shipment value → estimated duty and landed cost), the rate-change history chart, and the country-by-country breakdown (including Section 301/232 add-on duties).
Why you have to click in: a single category can contain products with very different duties. The rate depends on the specific product — its material and construction — and on the country of origin, and those only get pinned down at the 8-digit code level. That is why this page points you to codes instead of showing one rate for the whole category.
Sub-categories
| Code | Description |
|---|---|
| 8501.10 | Motors of an output not exceeding 37.5 W |
| 8501.20 | Universal AC/DC motors of an output exceeding 37.5 W |
| 8501.40 | Other AC motors, single-phase |
| 8501.80 | Photovoltaic AC generators |
Common questions
What products fall under HTS heading 8501?
Electric motors and generators (excluding generating sets). To classify a specific item you must pick the matching sub-category and 8-digit code above; the right choice usually depends on the material and construction of the product.
How do I choose the right code within this category?
Start from the sub-categories (typically divided by material—for example cotton versus man-made fibers), then open the active 8- or 10-digit code that matches the product. When unsure, a licensed customs broker or a CBP binding ruling can confirm the classification.
Reference information only, not customs, legal, or classification advice. Confirm the current code and rate against the official HTS before you import.