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HTS code for relay: plan the classification before you ship

Planning Use only. Broker review required for Entry Use.

A relay looks small on an invoice, but it can sit inside several different classification stories. A bare supplier line like "relay, 12V" is not enough. Is it an electromechanical relay, a solid-state relay, a protective relay, a relay module on a printed circuit board, or a replacement part built into a larger control system? Those details change the research path before anyone should rely on a code.

Use this page to build the planning file for a relay shipment. The goal is not to guess the code faster. The goal is to show the facts behind the likely HTS candidates, catch the missing facts, and give a broker a file they can actually review.

quick answer

For the search "hts code for relay", start by separating the relay from the equipment around it. A loose relay sold as a component is not the same planning problem as a mounted relay module, a control cabinet subassembly, or a finished device that happens to contain relays.

The planning record should say what switches, what voltage and current ratings apply, how the relay is actuated, whether it contains semiconductor switching, and whether it is imported alone or as part of a board or kit. Do not treat a six-digit HS code from the supplier as enough. Many supplier codes stop at the international level and do not account for US statistical suffixes, trade remedies, or the way CBP has treated similar goods.

what to collect before the shipment moves

Product name used on the purchase order and invoice.
Photos of the top, bottom, terminals, labels, and packaging.
Datasheet with coil voltage, contact rating, load type, poles, throws, and actuation method.
Whether the product is electromechanical, reed, latching, time-delay, protective, or solid-state.
Whether it is mounted on a PCB, shipped with a socket, or packed with other control parts.
Country of origin evidence, not the shipping country alone.
Supplier HS or HTS code, plus the source of that code if the supplier has it.
Import value, quantity, and intended use.

If the relay is imported as part of a kit, collect the kit contents and packaging plan. If it is sold as a replacement part, collect the equipment model and how the part is marketed. A component sold by itself and a part dedicated to a machine can lead to different questions.

missing facts

Contact arrangement, coil rating, and switching capacity.
Whether semiconductor switching is present.
Whether the relay is imported loose, mounted on a board, or packed with accessories.
Whether any housing, socket, harness, fuse, timer, sensor, or controller changes the nature of the product.
Origin evidence showing where the last substantial transformation took place.
Whether the invoice description hides a module, assembly, or finished control device.

These are not tiny details. A relay module listed casually as "relay" may include a board, connectors, optocouplers, LEDs, jumpers, and control circuitry. That is a different factual file from a plain electromechanical relay with coil and contacts.

HTS candidate notes

Do not publish one code as the answer from this page. For Planning Use, record candidate families and the facts that would support or reject them. Relays commonly send the researcher toward electrical apparatus headings, but the exact branch depends on voltage, switching function, construction, and whether the relay is part of a larger article.

Solid-state relays deserve a separate check because the switching element may be semiconductor-based. Protective relays also deserve care because they may be designed for circuit protection rather than simple switching. If the item arrives on a PCB, the record should explain whether the board changes the article being imported or merely supports the relay function.

authority sources

Use USITC HTS for the current tariff text. Use CBP CROSS to compare rulings where the goods are close on function, voltage, construction, and import condition. Use 19 CFR 177.2 when you are preparing a ruling request or deciding what facts CBP would expect to see.

planning path

Start with the evidence. Name the relay type, then attach the datasheet and photos. Build a candidate table with one row per possible HTS path. In each row, write the fact that supports the candidate, the fact that weakens it, and the source you used.

Then check the duty stack. The base duty line is only part of the planning question. Origin can affect additional duties, exclusions, or remedies. If the relay comes from China, do not stop at the base HTS line. Check whether the proposed classification interacts with Section 301 planning and whether any exclusion history or product scope note matters.

classification record outline

A relay Classification Record should include product evidence, product facts, Missing Facts, HTS candidate families, rejected alternatives, authority sources, duty stack notes, and a review decision. The review decision should say whether the file is ready for broker review, still missing facts, or better suited for a ruling packet.

For relays, I would also add a short "what the product is not" note. If the supplier called it a relay but the photos show a complete control module, say that. If the invoice says module but the datasheet shows a loose relay, say that too. Plain contradictions are often the first thing a reviewer needs to see.

internal links

questions importers ask

Can I use this page as the HTS code for a relay?

No. Use it to prepare a Planning Use file. Entry Use needs broker or customs authority review.

Is a relay module classified the same as a relay?

Not automatically. A relay mounted on a board with other components needs its own fact review. The board, connectors, control circuitry, and import condition may matter.

What is the biggest supplier-code risk?

The supplier may provide a six-digit code, or a code based on a different country's tariff schedule. That can be a helpful clue, but it is not enough for US planning.

What should go to the broker?

Send the invoice, photos, datasheet, origin evidence, supplier code, candidate table, missing facts list, and any close CBP CROSS rulings you found.

planning boundary

This Classification Record is a planning artifact. It is not an Entry Use classification, not a binding ruling, and not a legal opinion. The importer remains responsible for reasonable care and must obtain broker or customs authority review before filing.

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