Wholesale Sourcing
HS Codes and USA Import Tariffs for Jewelry: 2026 Importer's Guide
Getting the HTS code wrong on a jewelry shipment is one of the most common and most expensive mistakes importers make. Here are the codes and rates you actually need.
The single most common question we get from new US importers is not about price or MOQ. It is about duty. Buyers find the HTS code confusing, the rate schedule opaque, and the Section 301 tariffs on Chinese-origin goods genuinely hard to track. Get the code wrong and you either overpay duty, underpay and face a CBP audit, or find your shipment held at the border. This is the practical version of the rules as they stand for 2026 imports.
The HTS codes you actually need
Jewelry imports into the United States are classified under Chapter 71 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule. The codes below cover the vast majority of wholesale jewelry imports. Confirm the exact 10-digit code with your customs broker before entry - these are the 6-digit headings.
| HTS heading | Product | Base duty rate | Section 301 (China-origin) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7113.11 | Silver jewelry, set or not with stones | ~5-7% | Additional 25% on China origin (List 3/4A) |
| 7113.19 | Gold jewelry (other than silver/platinum) | ~5-7% | Additional 25% on China origin |
| 7113.20 | Base metal jewelry clad with precious metal | ~6-11% | Varies; check current list |
| 7116.20 | Articles of precious or semiprecious stone | ~4-6.5% | Varies by list |
| 7117.11 / 7117.19 | Imitation (costume) jewelry, base metal | ~5-11% | Additional 25% on China origin |
These rates move. The Section 301 lists have been amended several times, and the de minimis rule for Chinese-origin shipments changed in 2025. Treat the table as a starting point and verify the current rate on CBP's HTS search before every entry. Your broker does this for you; you should still understand the headline number.
Section 301 and the China-origin question
Most wholesale jewelry sourced from China carries an additional 25% duty under the Section 301 tariffs, on top of the base Chapter 71 rate. That is the number that surprises buyers who priced against a 5% duty and find the landed cost 30% higher. It also explains why some factories quote you prices that look identical but land differently: if the pieces are actually finished in Vietnam or Thailand, the origin may be different and the Section 301 surcharge may not apply.
Do not advise a factory to 're-route' origin to avoid the surcharge. Country-of-origin fraud is a real offense and CBP pursues it. If you want to source outside China for tariff reasons, source outside China, do the manufacturing outside China, and document it. Re-stamping a piece in Hong Kong does not change origin.
MPF, HMF and the other fees
Duty is not the only government fee. Two others land on every formal entry:
- Merchandise Processing Fee (MPF): roughly 0.3464% of the entered value, with a minimum and maximum that CBP adjusts annually. On a $10,000 shipment that is about $34.60.
- Harbor Maintenance Fee (HMF): 0.125% of the value, charged on ocean freight shipments only. Air and express shipments do not pay HMF.
These sound small but they add up on repeated entries. Budget 0.5-0.7% of shipment value for MPF/HMF on top of duty.
De minimis and what changed in 2025-2026
For years, the US allowed imports under $800 per day per person to enter duty-free and with minimal documentation under Section 321. That rule was used heavily by e-commerce sellers. In 2025, the de minimis treatment for Chinese-origin goods was revised. As of 2026, the practical rule is: do not plan your business around splitting commercial shipments into sub-$800 parcels to avoid duty. CBP has been rejecting that practice, and customs bonds and broker fees on formal entries are the cost of doing business properly.
If you are a small brand testing the market, a handful of sample parcels under $800 is normal and acceptable. Building a wholesale operation on split shipments is not.
What to put on the commercial invoice
A clean jewelry commercial invoice lists: exporter and importer details, date, PO number, currency, line items with description, material (e.g. '925 sterling silver ring with cubic zirconia'), quantity, unit price, total value, country of origin, and the HTS code. Describe the goods in plain English ('sterling silver stud earrings'), not marketing language ('luxury designer studs'). CBP reads the description; the fancier it is, the more likely they ask questions.
Using a customs broker
If your annual jewelry imports exceed roughly $50,000, a licensed customs broker pays for itself. Brokers charge $100-$250 per formal entry on top of duty, and they handle the paperwork, the HTS classification, and the CBP correspondence. For a handful of small entries a year, you can self-clear or use the broker your freight forwarder recommends. For a recurring program, your own broker is the cleaner structure - they work for you, not the forwarder.
We provide a proforma invoice with every order that already lists HTS-correct descriptions and origin, so you can hand it straight to your broker. More on our export documentation is on the logistics page. The code is not something you have to figure out alone - but you do have to check it, because it decides your landed cost.
Authoritative References
For buyers who need to verify the technical and regulatory basis of this guide, the following independent institutions publish authoritative reference data:
- ISO 9001 Quality Management - the international standard for consistent production quality.
- Wikipedia: Jewellery - manufacturing processes, materials and global trade background.
