HS Code 853931
6-digit classification for Fluorescent, Hot Cathode, with duty lookup and 1688 checks before payment
Official description: Electric filament or discharge lamps, including sealed beam lamp units and ultraviolet or infrared lamps; arclamps; lightemitting diode (LED) lamps : Discharge lamps, other than ultraviolet lamps : Fluorescent, hot cathode
Also searched as: fluorescent tube, fluorescent lamp, T8 bulb, T5 bulb, fluorescent light
Classification
How 853931 breaks down
Electrical machinery and equipment; sound and TV recorders and reproducers
Electric filament or discharge lamps, including sealed beam lamp units and ultraviolet or infrared lamps; arclamps; lightemitting diode (LED) lamps
Fluorescent, hot cathode
Short answer
What HS code 853931 means before paying a 1688 supplier
HS code 853931 is the 6-digit HS 2022 starting point for fluorescent, hot cathode; often searched as fluorescent tube, fluorescent lamp, T8 bulb. Before using it in a landed-cost estimate, confirm the product material, function, destination market, and the official tariff source. Treat any 1688 supplier code as a clue, not the final import classification.
Use
Start with this 6-digit HS code and compare the product's material, function, and use.
Verify
Check the destination market's official HTS, TARIC, commodity-code, duty, VAT, or GST source.
Decide
If classification, documents, or restricted-product risk is unclear, submit the product for a written check.
Covered products
What products fall under HS code 853931?
Buyers sourcing fluorescent, hot cathode from 1688 commonly describe it in these ways. If your product matches, 853931 is likely the right 6-digit starting point — confirm material and intended use against the official tariff.
US import duty · China origin
US import duty for HS 853931
Published USITC HTS rates for fluorescent, hot cathode (853931), aggregated at the 6-digit level. A research estimate — the final rate depends on your full 8-10 digit HTS line.
Base MFN rate
2.4%
From the US national tariff line under 853931.
Section 301 (China)
+25%
Covered lines under this code carry a Section 301 China surcharge.
Effective China-origin
≈27.4%
Base rate with applicable 301 surcharges — before MPF/HMF and any trade-action changes.
Source: USITC HTS (base MFN) + Section 301 overlay · data as of 2026-07-05 · rates change with trade actions — always confirm your full 10-digit line on hts.usitc.gov before pricing a product. Other markets (EU/UK/CA/AU/SG) below.
Import duty by market
Where to check the import duty for HS 853931
The 6-digit code is universal, but duty, VAT and GST are set by the destination country and depend on the full national tariff line with China as the country of origin. Start from the official source for your market.
United States
USITC / CBP · Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS)
European Union
TARIC · Access2Markets
United Kingdom
HMRC · UK Integrated Online Tariff
Canada
CBSA · Canadian Customs Tariff
Australia
ABF · Australian customs tariff
Singapore
Singapore Customs · Singapore Trade Classification (HS)
Compare China-origin duty evidence across supported markets
Use the HS & import duty checker to estimate duty + VAT/GST for 853931 by destination before you pay a 1688 supplier.
Heading 8539
Other HS codes under 8539
Subheadings in the same 4-digit heading — "Electric filament or discharge lamps, including sealed beam lamp units and ultraviolet or infrared lamps; arclamps; lightemitting diode (LED) lamps". If 853931 is not an exact match, one of these may classify your product more precisely.
Questions
HS code 853931: common questions
What is the US import duty for HS code 853931 from China?
As published in the USITC HTS (data as of 2026-07-05), the base MFN rate for 853931 averages about 2.4%, and Section 301 China surcharges apply on covered lines (up to +25%), bringing the effective China-origin rate to roughly 27.4%. This is a research estimate — the final rate depends on your full 8-10 digit HTS line; verify on hts.usitc.gov.
What is HS code 853931?
HS code 853931 is the World Customs Organization 6-digit HS 2022 subheading for "Electric filament or discharge lamps, including sealed beam lamp units and ultraviolet or infrared lamps; arclamps; lightemitting diode (LED) lamps : Discharge lamps, other than ultraviolet lamps : Fluorescent, hot cathode". The first two digits (85) are the chapter — Electrical machinery and equipment; sound and TV recorders and reproducers — and digits 3-4 (8539) are the heading. Countries add further digits (8-10) for their national tariff line.
What products fall under HS 853931?
Common products classified under 853931 include fluorescent tube, fluorescent lamp, T8 bulb, T5 bulb, fluorescent light and similar items matching fluorescent, hot cathode. The correct code still depends on the product's material, function and intended use.
How do I find the import duty for HS code 853931?
Duty is set by the destination country, not by the 6-digit HS code alone. Start from the official tariff of your market — USITC HTS (US), TARIC / Access2Markets (EU), GOV.UK Trade Tariff (UK), CBSA (Canada), ABF (Australia) or Singapore Customs — and look up the full national code with China as the country of origin.
Is HS code 853931 the same in every country?
The first 6 digits (853931) are the same worldwide under the WCO Harmonized System. Beyond that, each country extends the code (HTS in the US, TARIC in the EU, etc.) and sets its own duty and tax rates.
Can I trust the HS code a 1688 supplier gives me?
Treat a supplier-provided code as a clue, not a final classification. It can be incomplete, China-export-specific, or mismatched to your destination's rules. Verify against the official tariff and your product's actual material and use.
Is HSN code 853931 the same as HS code 853931?
Yes at the 6-digit level. India's HSN (Harmonized System of Nomenclature) uses the same WCO base, so HSN 853931 covers the same "fluorescent, hot cathode" scope; India then extends it to 8 digits for GST and customs. Check the Indian Customs tariff (CBIC) for the full national line.
Chapter 85
Explore Electrical machinery and equipment; sound and TV recorders and reproducers
Sourcing fluorescent, hot cathode from 1688?
Get a written pre-payment check — classification clues, China-origin landed cost, and supplier risk — before you commit. 5,754 HS codes covered.