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U.S. imports of pen and mechanical pencil parts (nesoi) (HS 960899) totaled $5.1M in July 2026, traded with 21 countries.
Importers of Pen and Mechanical Pencil Parts (NESOI) paid $358K in duties in July 2026 — an effective duty rate of 11% on $3.2M in dutiable value, based on actual customs collections rather than the published tariff schedule. Pen and Mechanical Pencil Parts (NESOI) imports of $5.1M in July 2026 ran 49% above the year-to-date monthly average of $3.4M.
Last updated: July 2026 dataBeyond nibs and ball-point refills, the residual parts category for pens and mechanical pencils covers a wide range of components — from refill cartridges (9608992000) and precision balls for ball-point pens (9608993000) to barrel and clip assemblies (9608994000, 9608996000). Japan and Taiwan are the leading US suppliers, reflecting the concentration of precision component manufacturing in East Asia. Importers must take care to distinguish between refill cartridges (ink-only reservoirs without a ball tip) and complete ball-point refills under 9608.60, as misclassification is a common audit finding.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
208 shipments/mo
Balls specifically designed for ball-point pens are classified under 9608993000 within the 9608.99 subheading. These are distinct from industrial bearing balls, which would fall under Chapter 84 or 73 depending on material and use.
Chinese-origin pen parts under 9608.99 are subject to Section 301 tariffs, which has prompted some importers to diversify sourcing toward Japan, Taiwan, and India. Because the parts category spans multiple 10-digit lines with potentially different list coverage, importers should verify each specific component's classification and Section 301 status with a licensed customs broker before committing to a supply arrangement.
HSChapter 96
Subheading 4 of 8 in heading 9608
Subheading 960899 · $5.1M of $80.1M
Supplier Network
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ImportsExports
Imports
$5.1MYoY · Pro
Exports
$1.4MYoY · Pro
12-mo low · imports
YoY · ProThrough July 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
HS10 import codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
| Code | Description | Import Value | Effective Tariff % | Dutiable Share | Duty Collected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9608996000 | Parts of Pens,Etc,NESOI | $2.5M | 9.12% | 78.83% | $231K |
| 9608994000 | Parts of Art in 9608.10,9608.31,9608.39 | $2.4M | 4.60% | 41.37% | $108K |
| 9608992000 | Refill Cartridges | $188K | 9.53% | 100.00% | $18K |
| 9608993000 | Balls for Ball Point Pens | $7K | 11.44% | 100.00% | $744 |
HS10 export codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Schedule B export classification.
| Code | Description | Export Value |
|---|---|---|
| 9608990000 | Parts of Pens, Etc, NESOI | $1.4M |
Import lines come from the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule and export lines from Schedule B. The two are numbered by different agencies, so the same 10-digit code can appear in both tables describing a different product.
Imports · July 2026
origin
Japan and China together supply 70% of it.
customs district
destination
entry
rate provision · imports
37.7% enters free of duty; the effective duty rate is 7.04%.