HS Code for Air Compressors

Air compressors are gathered in heading 8414 of the HTSUS, the provision for air and gas compressors, fans and ventilating hoods. A towable compressor mounted on a wheeled chassis points toward subheading 8414.40, while most other air and gas compressors point toward subheading 8414.80, which splits by type and size, with named lines for turbochargers and superchargers, small units not exceeding 746 W, and refrigerant recovery units, and a residual 'other' line. Parts of compressors point toward subheading 8414.90. General rates run from Free for several compressor and parts lines up to around 3.7 percent for other complete compressors, so the compressor's type, mounting and power output are the first things to confirm in exploring the most appropriate subheading.

Air compressors have a clear home in heading 8414, which covers air or gas compressors together with fans, blowers and ventilating hoods. Because that heading also gathers several neighboring machines, the starting point is confirming that the machine is a compressor and then working down to the right subheading by how it is built and mounted.

The first branch is the mounting and portability. A compressor mounted on a wheeled chassis for towing (the kind towed to a job site) points toward subheading 8414.40. Compressors that are not towable-chassis units point instead toward the broad 'other' compressor subheading 8414.80.

Within 8414.80 the next branch is type and size. The subheading carries named lines for particular machines (turbochargers and superchargers, and refrigerant recovery units) as well as a split by power output, with a line for compressors not exceeding 746 W (roughly one horsepower) and a residual 'other' line for larger air and gas compressors. So the power rating and whether the machine is one of the named types are worth checking before settling on a subheading, because they move the compressor between duty-free and dutiable lines.

Parts are handled together in subheading 8414.90. That parts provision covers items such as compressor housings and the stators and rotors of certain compressors, and it sits alongside parts of the other machines in the heading (for example parts of fans and parts of vacuum pumps), so the parts subheading requires matching the part to the machine it belongs to. A practical way to approach it is to confirm first whether you have a complete compressor or a part; for a complete machine, check the mounting (towable chassis or not) and then the type and power output; for a part, identify the machine it fits. That sequence points toward a single most-appropriate subheading to explore. It is generally better to stay within heading 8414 than to reach for the pump headings 8413 or the refrigerating-equipment heading 8418, which cover different machines.

General duty rates across heading 8414 vary by line. A towable compressor on a wheeled chassis (8414.40) is around 2.7 percent, and the residual 'other' compressor line (8414.80.90) around 3.7 percent. Several named lines enter at Free, including turbochargers and superchargers, small compressors not exceeding 746 W, and refrigerant recovery units. Most parts lines in subheading 8414.90 also enter Free (compressor housings and the stators and rotors of certain compressors, for example) while parts of fans run around 4.7 percent. Because the type and mounting can move a compressor between a duty-free line and a dutiable one, those attributes are worth confirming. Preferential rates under free trade agreements may reduce or eliminate these duties for qualifying origins. These figures are estimates for general planning purposes only.