Instruments and appliances used in medical — HTS 9018
Instruments and appliances used in medical, surgical, dental or veterinary sciences, including scintigraphic apparatus, other electro-medical apparatus and sight-testing instruments; parts and accessories thereof
Chapter 90 › Heading 9018
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 9018 is a broad product category for instruments and appliances used in medical, surgical, dental, or veterinary work. It can include diagnostic, therapeutic, monitoring, imaging-related, electro-medical, and sight-testing equipment, along with certain parts and accessories. The heading is based mainly on the product’s function and design, not simply on whether it is sold for healthcare use.
To move from heading 9018 to a specific 8-digit HTSUS code, read the subheadings and legal descriptions in order. The distinctions may depend on the instrument’s type, operating principle, medical function, technology, or whether it is a part or accessory. Material can matter in some tariff classifications, but it is not automatically the deciding factor. Confirm that the complete product description, including its principal function and included components, matches the selected tariff line and any applicable notes.
What to check
- Identify the product’s principal function, intended professional use, and operating technology before comparing subheadings.
- Read the full wording of each candidate subheading and the relevant section, chapter, and heading notes; do not classify from the heading title alone.
- Determine whether the item is a complete instrument, a component, a replacement part, or an accessory, and check whether the tariff text treats that item separately.
- Review product specifications, user manuals, photographs, and technical literature to support the classification and distinguish similar instruments.
- Check the current HTSUS and seek a customs broker or binding ruling when the product has multiple functions, is sold as a set, or could fit more than one subheading.
HTS heading 9018 summary
Instruments and appliances used in medical is a 4-digit product category containing 5 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 |
|---|---|
| 9018.11 | Electrocardiographs, and parts and accessories thereof |
| 9018.19 | Other |
| 9018.90 | Other instruments and appliances and parts and accessories thereof |
Product codes & duty rates
👇 Each row is a specific product code — click a blue code to open its full page with exact duty rates by country, the rate-history chart, and a duty calculator. 👉
| Code | Description | General (MFN) | Special | Column 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9018.12.00.00 👉 | Ultrasonic scanning apparatus | Free | — | 35% |
| 9018.13.00.00 👉 | Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus | Free | — | 35% |
| 9018.14.00.00 👉 | Scintigraphic apparatus | Free | — | 35% |
| 9018.20.00 👉 | Ultraviolet or infrared ray apparatus, and parts and accessories thereof | Free | — | 35% |
| 9018.50.00.00 👉 | Other ophthalmic instruments and appliances and parts and accessories thereof | Free | — | 60% |
"Special" shows the free-trade-agreement rate; open a code to see exactly which countries qualify.
Common questions
What products fall under HTS heading 9018?
Instruments and appliances used in medical, surgical, dental or veterinary sciences, including scintigraphic apparatus, other electro-medical apparatus and sight-testing instruments; parts and accessories thereof. 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.