US Tariff Rates for Construction Equipment
Most heavy construction machinery enters the US at a 0% base (MFN) duty rate — but that headline number hides the real cost. Origin-specific actions like Section 301 on Chinese-made equipment and Section 232 on steel content can add 25% or more to the customs value, swinging a capital equipment budget by hundreds of thousands of dollars per unit.
Current rates by HTS code and origin
The table below summarizes typical classifications and the duties that stack on top of the base rate. Always confirm the exact HTS code and active trade actions at time of import — they change frequently.
| Equipment | HTS code | MFN base | China origin | Germany origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hydraulic excavators (self-propelled) | 8429.52.10 | 0% | +25% (Sec. 301) | 0% |
| Front-end wheel loaders | 8429.51.10 | 0% | +25% (Sec. 301) | 0% |
| Mobile / truck cranes | 8426.41.00 | 0% | +25% (Sec. 301) | 0% |
| Bulldozers & angledozers | 8429.11.00 | 0% | +25% (Sec. 301) | 0% |
| Steel structural parts for machinery | 7308.90.95 | 0% | +25% (Sec. 301) +25% (Sec. 232) | +25% (Sec. 232) |
How these rates hit the project budget
On a $500,000 Chinese-origin excavator, a 25% Section 301 duty adds $125,000 in tariffs alone — before freight, insurance, and brokerage. Sourcing the same machine from Germany avoids the Section 301 duty entirely, though steel-intensive components may still carry a Section 232 tariff. Across a fleet, those deltas decide whether a project clears its equipment budget.