HS Code for Lanyards
There is no dedicated HTSUS provision for lanyards, so the material and construction point toward the heading. Woven textile ribbon lanyards for ID badges and keys have often been placed in heading 6307 (other made up textile articles), while lanyards of cord, plastics, glass beads, steel wire or leather follow the headings for those materials. General rates range from Free for some leather articles to 14.6% for textile clothing accessories, so the material and the article's function are the first things to confirm.
HTS Codes for Lanyards
| HTS Code | Description | Duty Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 6307.90.98.91 | Other made up textile articles, not elsewhere specified Woven polyester or nylon ribbon lanyards for ID badges, keys and event credentials | 7% |
| 5609.00.30.00 | Articles of yarn, twine, cordage or rope of man-made fibers Lanyards made of braided or twisted man-made fiber cord, such as paracord lanyards | 4.5% |
| 5609.00.10.00 | Articles of yarn, twine, cordage or rope of cotton Lanyards made of cotton cord or braided cotton rope | 2.9% |
| 6217.10.95.30 | Other made up clothing accessories of man-made fibers Woven textile lanyards designed as a clothing accessory rather than a general utility article | 14.6% |
| 6117.80.95.40 | Other knitted or crocheted clothing accessories of man-made fibers Knitted man-made fiber lanyards designed as a clothing accessory | 14.6% |
| 3926.90.99.89 | Other articles of plastics Plastic lanyards, coil key lanyards and plastic badge holders | 5.3% |
| 7018.90.50.00 | Other articles of glass beads Beaded lanyards made of glass beads, such as eyeglass and badge chains | 6.6% |
| 7326.20.00.90 | Other articles of iron or steel wire Steel wire or cable lanyards and coiled wire key lanyards | 3.9% |
| 4205.00.80.00 | Other articles of leather or composition leather Leather lanyards and leather key or badge straps | Free |
How to Approach Classification for Lanyards
Because the HTSUS has no heading that names lanyards, the starting point is the material the lanyard is made of and how it is constructed. For the most common type, a flat woven polyester or nylon ribbon with a clip or split ring, CBP rulings have pointed toward heading 6307, the residual provision for other made up textile articles, and its 'other' line at 6307.90.98.
Lanyards made of cord or rope rather than flat fabric may point toward heading 5609, which covers articles of yarn, twine, cordage, rope or cables not elsewhere specified. A braided paracord lanyard of nylon, for example, points toward the man-made fiber line at 5609.00.30, while a cotton cord lanyard points toward 5609.00.10. The difference between a flat woven strip and a cord is worth confirming from the product itself.
Some textile lanyards are designed to be worn as a clothing accessory, and CBP has considered the clothing accessories headings (6217 for woven and 6117 for knitted accessories) for items such as medallion holders. Those lines carry a much higher rate than 6307, so how the lanyard is designed and marketed matters, and on-point rulings are worth reviewing before settling on either path.
Non-textile lanyards follow their own material headings. Plastic lanyards, coil key lanyards and plastic badge holders point toward heading 3926 (other articles of plastics), glass bead lanyards toward 7018.90.50 (articles of glass beads), steel wire or cable lanyards toward 7326.20, and leather lanyards toward heading 4205 for other articles of leather.
Accessories attached to the lanyard can complicate things. A lanyard sold with a separate article it is designed to hold, such as a badge holder, whistle or knife, may be treated as a set or classified separately depending on the components. A practical approach is to identify the lanyard's material and construction first, then review whether attached items change the essential character of the article.
Duty Rate Overview
General rates for lanyards depend on material and heading. Textile lanyards under 6307.90.98 carry 7%, while cord lanyards under heading 5609 carry 4.5% (man-made fibers) or 2.9% (cotton). If a textile lanyard is treated as a clothing accessory under 6217.10.95 or 6117.80.95, the general rate is notably higher, at 14.6%. Plastic lanyards (3926.90.99) carry 5.3%, glass bead lanyards (7018.90.50) 6.6%, steel wire lanyards (7326.20) 3.9%, and leather lanyards under 4205.00.80 enter at a general rate of Free.
These are general (MFN) rates only. Additional duties such as Section 301 or IEEPA measures can apply on top and vary by country of origin, while free trade agreement preferences may reduce the duty for qualifying goods. These figures are estimates for general planning purposes only.