Will Trump Tariffs Affect USB Flash Drives?

Posted May 16, 2019.

The United States and China walked away from trade talks earlier this week. Following that departure, President Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping increased the number of products subject to tariffs.

With that said, will Trump-era tariffs affect USB flash drives?

A quick Google search may surface a BuzzFeed article claiming that flash drives are affected. That article is incorrect. USB flash drives are not affected by tariffs at this time.

U.S. and China trade tariffs illustration related to technology imports

Don’t take our word for it—verify the information directly using official sources.

Here is the Harmonized Tariff Schedule website: https://hts.usitc.gov/

The Harmonized Tariff Code for a USB flash drive is 8523.51.0000. Search the HS code on the site above. The tariff status is shown in the right-hand column, indicating whether the product is duty-free or subject to a percentage-based tax.

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