Quick answer
Classify PVC-insulated copper wire and cable without connectors, then review duty, origin marking, electrical safety and trade-remedy checks.
Classification and duty conclusion
A typical copper power cable insulated or jacketed with PVC, rated above 80 V but not over 1,000 V, and imported without connectors is examined in HTSUS 8544.49. CBP ruling N356923 classified a 300 V PVC-jacketed copper cable without connectors in 8544.49.3080, with a 2026 Column 1 General rate of 5.3%. That suffix is a useful reference, not a blanket answer: conductor material, whether the article is telecommunications cable, individual conductor construction and any special use determine the ten-digit number. Vietnam codes 85444941 and 85444942 cannot be copied into a U.S. entry.
Technical facts that control the HTSUS number
GRI 1 places insulated electric conductors in heading 8544; GRI 6 resolves the national breakout. Keep a cross-section drawing, conductor metal, number and diameter of strands, American Wire Gauge or metric cross-section, number of cores, insulation and jacket compounds, voltage rating, shielding, connector status and intended use. The invoice term “PVC wire” does not show whether the item is winding wire, coaxial cable, a vehicle wiring set, telecommunications conductor, cable with connectors or another conductor. A binding ruling under 19 CFR Part 177 is the most reliable route for recurring or high-value imports.
Additional duties and country of origin
The 5.3% base rate is not necessarily the landed-duty total. Country of origin controls marking and Chapter 99 measures. For China-origin goods, review the live USTR Section 301 and HTS Chapter 99 notes on the entry date. Screen antidumping and countervailing-duty orders by written scope, especially for aluminum wire and cable; an HTS match alone neither proves nor excludes scope. Transshipment or repacking does not change origin without a legally sufficient substantial transformation. Mark the article or container with the actual English country of origin under 19 CFR Part 134.
Electrical safety and market access
Ordinary passive cable is not an FCC radio device. Nevertheless, cable installed in buildings or equipment must satisfy the applicable National Electrical Code, state and local requirements, flame classification and product standard. Certification by an OSHA-recognized NRTL, commonly to an applicable UL wire-and-cable standard, is frequently required by inspectors, buyers, insurers or the downstream equipment certification, even though a UL mark is not a universal CBP entry document. Consumer extension cords and cord sets may trigger separate CPSC rules; bare building wire should not be treated as the same product.
Entry file and suggested description
Retain the invoice, packing list, transport and valuation records, origin analysis, bill of materials and production flow; product photographs, cross-section drawing, ratings, material specifications, flame and electrical test reports, NRTL listing information where applicable and marking artwork. Suggested declaration: “PVC-insulated copper power cable, ... conductors, ... AWG, rated ... V, without connectors, non-coaxial, not a wiring set, model ..., new; HTSUS reference 8544.49.3080.” Replace every placeholder and recheck the suffix if any fact differs.
When a different heading applies
Use a different provision for conductors fitted with connectors, coaxial cable, winding wire, vehicle wiring sets, optical fiber cable, telecommunications conductors in a more specific breakout, or voltage above 1,000 V. Separately imported plugs, terminals and cable assemblies may also change the result. Customs classification, electrical approval, origin marking, Section 301 and AD/CVD are independent reviews.
Official sources
Sources checked September 22, 2026: USITC 2026 HTS Revision 19; CBP ruling N356923; 19 CFR Part 134; 19 CFR Part 177; USTR Section 301 tariff actions; OSHA NRTL Program; CPSC electrical products guidance.
Editorial note
Prepared by the Global HS Code Checker Editorial Team for customs-classification, tariff and import-policy research. The correct code and applicable measures may change with the merchandise's actual characteristics, jurisdiction, entry date and supporting record. Verify the current tariff, governing measures and competent customs authority before filing an entry. A reviewer is identified only after a named expert has completed the review.