HTSUS Chapter 85 on the customs broker exam
Chapter 85 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule covers Electrical machinery and equipment and parts; sound recorders; TV. Across the released customs broker exams, 13 questions turn on classifying goods in this chapter. Drawn from 11 released sittings, April 2021 through October 2025. Below: every heading CBP has tested, the official heading text, and each exam question that used it.
8511 — Electrical ignition or starting equipment of a kind used for spark-ignition or compression-ignition internal combustion engines (for example, ignition magnetos, magneto-dynamos, ignition coils, spark plugs and glow plugs, starter motors); generators (for example, dynamos, alternators) and cut-outs of a kind used in conjunction with such engines; parts thereof
What is the CLASSIFICATION of an alternator (electric generator) that is used solely in conjunction with internal combustion engines?
April 2022 exam, question 41 · tests 8511.50.0000. Full question, answer and citation →
What is the CLASSIFICATION of a used alternator core removed from a 2003 Ford Focus with a 4 cylinder gasoline engine?
October 2020 (AM) exam, question 51 · tests 8511.50.0000. Full question, answer and citation →
8504 — Electrical transformers, static converters (for example, rectifiers) and inductors; parts thereof
What is the CLASSIFICATION of a power supply that is described as a 100-Watt medical grade power supply for use with a Portable Oxygen Concentrator (POC)? The power supply is a rectifying power supply and functions to convert input AC input voltage to 29 VDC electrical output that is supplied directly to the POC. The power supply is said to provide power exclusively to a POC and is permanently embossed stating its limited use as a medical AC/DC Adapter for a POC.
April 2021 exam, question 30 · tests 8504.40.9520. Full question, answer and citation →
8507 — Electric storage batteries, including separators therefor, whether or not rectangular (including square); parts thereof
Number One Car Company (NOCC), an electric vehicle manufacturer, has asked Jack Frost Customshouse Broker (Jack Frost) to classify imported battery assemblies intended for use in electric vehicles in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) in advance of the next shipment. NOCC tells Jack Frost that it typically classifies the battery assemblies under 8507.60.0010 / 3.4%. Jack Frost has the following information. • the nominal voltage is 696.96 V • the nominal energy is 77.4 kWh • the weight is 480 kg. What additional information does Jack Frost need to confirm that 8507.60.0010 is the correct classification?
May 2024 exam, question 37 · tests 8507.60.0010. Full question, answer and citation →
8508 — Vacuum cleaners; parts thereof
What is the CLASSIFICATION of an automatic robot vacuum cleaner, with boundary strips, a remote control, a charging base, and an AC power adapter ? The vacuum cleaner is 1300 W and disk-shaped measuring approximately 13 inches in diameter and 3 inches in height with a 0.5 L receptacle. The user can set boundary strips and the robotic vacuum only cleans certain areas.
April 2021 exam, question 21 · tests 8508.11.0000. Full question, answer and citation →
8516 — Electric instantaneous or storage water heaters and immersion heaters; electric space heating apparatus and soil heating apparatus; electrothermic hairdressing apparatus (for example, hair dryers, hair curlers, curling tong heaters) and hand dryers; electric flatirons; other electrothermic appliances of a kind used for domestic purposes; electric heating resistors, other than those of heading 8545; parts thereof
Of the four choices below, which is the best CLASSIFICATION of a multi-function electric countertop appliance advertised for sale as a "toaster oven?" The apparatus can be used to bake, broil, toast, warm, and air-fry. It has a 12-liter interior capacity, large enough to toast four slices of bread or bake a nine-inch pizza, and includes an oven rack and an air fryer basket.
October 2025 exam, question 39 · tests 8516.60.4070. Full question, answer and citation →
8518 — Microphones and stands therefor; loudspeakers, whether or not mounted in their enclosures; headphones and earphones, whether or not combined with a microphone, and sets consisting of a microphone and one or more loudspeakers; audio-frequency electric amplifiers; electric sound amplifier sets; parts thereof
What is the CLASSIFICATION of a speaker assembly that, within a single housing, incorporates: two loudspeakers and a subwoofer (speaker), an amplification module, an audio input port, and a RF receiver unit.
October 2020 (PM) exam, question 46 · tests 8518.22.0000. Full question, answer and citation →
8521 — Video recording or reproducing apparatus, whether or not incorporating a video tuner
What is the CLASSIFICATION of a Digital Video Recorder (DVR) imported with an internal semiconductor media, such as a Hard Disk Drive (HDD)? This DVR receives, records, and reproduces the video and audio captured from surveillance cameras. It has no other electronic functions.
October 2023 exam, question 39 · tests 8521.90.0000. Full question, answer and citation →
8528 — Monitors and projectors, not incorporating television reception apparatus; reception apparatus for television, whether or not incorporating radio-broadcast receivers or sound or video recording or reproducing apparatus
What is the CLASSIFICATION of an Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) television with a diagonal screen size of 75-inches (190.5 cm)? Additionally, this television has the following connectors: Bluetooth, Auxiliary In, Universal Serial Bus (USB) Near Field Communication (NFC), and High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI). This television can also reproduce audio and video from a USB memory device. Lastly, this television has built-in Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) and can stream movies or music through streaming services.
April 2023 exam, question 21 · tests 8528.72.6460. Full question, answer and citation →
8531 — Electric sound or visual signaling apparatus (for example, bells, sirens, indicator panels, burglar or fire alarms), other than those of heading 8512 or 8530; parts thereof
What is the CLASSIFICATION of a sound signaling apparatus imported with two components, Part A and Part B, that is battery operated, wireless, and has the following additional characteristics? Part A is a chime unit that is placed inside a home no more than 150 feet from an exterior door. It has a radio frequency (RF) receiver. Part B is a backlit button that, when pressed, sends an RF signal to the receiver in Part A, resulting in a chime sound. Part B is placed outside the home near the exterior door.
May 2024 exam, question 31 · tests 8531.80.1500. Full question, answer and citation →
8536 — Electrical apparatus for switching or protecting electrical circuits, or for making connections to or in electrical circuits (for example, switches, relays, fuses, surge suppressors, plugs, sockets, lamp-holders and other connectors, junction boxes), for a voltage not exceeding 1,000 V; connectors for optical fibers, optical fiber bundles or cables
Which merchandise described below is CLASSIFIED under 8536.70.0000?
October 2024 exam, question 37 · tests 8536.70.0000. Full question, answer and citation →
8543 — Electrical machines and apparatus, having individual functions, not specified or included elsewhere in this chapter; parts thereof
What is the CLASSIFICATION of an apparatus for electroplating flatware made up of silver anodes, an electrolytic solution, and a direct-current (DC) power source? The apparatus is designed for silver anodes and brass (copper-zinc) flatware cathodes to be immersed in the electrolytic solution. The apparatus functions by applying a positively-charged electric current through the anodes and a negatively-charged current through the cathodes. These charges cause silver atoms to dissolve in the electrolytic solution and move toward the negatively-charged brass flatware, thereby coating the brass flatware with silver.
April 2025 exam, question 39 · tests 8543.30.9080. Full question, answer and citation →
8544 — Insulated (including enameled or anodized) wire, cable (including coaxial cable) and other insulated electric conductors, whether or not fitted with connectors; optical fiber cables, made up of individually sheathed fibers, whether or not assembled with electric conductors or fitted with connectors
A “leaky coaxial sensor cable” consists of a central conductor surrounded by an insulator, which is then surrounded by a secondary conductor. A low voltage power wire is located within the assembly. The secondary conductor has apertures that allow radio frequency (RF) energy to escape from one of the cables and are received by the corresponding parallel cable. This leaky cable device creates an electromagnetic detection field, which activates an audible and visual alarm when the amount of RF energy is disturbed. What is the CLASSIFICATION of this “Leaky coaxial sensor cable”, which functions as an outdoor intrusion detection sensor?
October 2018 exam, question 45 · tests 8544.20.0000. Full question, answer and citation →
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