Ball or Roller Bearings, NESOI, Including Combined Ball/Roller Bearings

A combined bearing incorporates two different rolling element types—such as ball and needle rollers—within a single unit designed to handle loads in multiple directions simultaneously. If the bearing uses only one rolling element type, it should be classified under the specific heading for that type (e.g., 8482.10 for ball bearings). The combined designation requires that both element types be structurally integrated, not merely assembled in a housing.

Classification follows GRI 3(a), which directs that the more specific heading prevails. If a bearing clearly meets the definition of a tapered, spherical, needle, or cylindrical roller bearing, it should be classified there rather than in 8482.80. The NESOI heading is a residual category; importers should exhaust the specific headings first and document the technical basis for any residual classification. A binding ruling request to CBP can provide certainty for high-volume or high-value shipments.