U.S. imports of Permanent Magnets Made of Metal (HS 850511) totaled $42.9M in August 2026, imported from 54 countries.
Importers of Permanent Magnets Made of Metal paid $9.9M in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 23.29% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule. Permanent Magnets Made of Metal imports of $42.9M in August 2026 ran 11% above the year-to-date monthly average of $38.8M.
Last updated: August 2026 dataSintered neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets — classified under 8505110070 — are the highest-performance and most commercially significant product within this heading, serving as critical inputs for EV motors, wind turbine generators, robotics, and defense systems. China dominates global NdFeB production and leads US import supply by a wide margin, creating concentrated supply-chain risk that has drawn significant policy attention; goods from China are subject to Section 301 tariffs. The heading also covers alnico (8505110010), ceramic ferrite (8505110030), and sintered samarium-cobalt magnets (8505110050), each with distinct performance-versus-cost trade-offs relevant to motor and sensor designers. Japan and Germany are secondary suppliers, particularly for specialty and high-grade samarium-cobalt types.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
1.7K import shipments a month
Both fall under heading 850511, but at the 10-digit level they are separated: sintered NdFeB magnets are classified under 8505110070, while ceramic (ferrite) permanent magnets are classified under 8505110030. The distinction is based on material composition and manufacturing process — sintered rare-earth alloys versus oxide-based ceramic compounds — and the two lines may carry different Section 301 duty treatment depending on origin.
Unmagnetized blanks intended to become permanent magnets are classifiable here alongside finished magnets, but importers should be prepared to provide technical specifications confirming the material composition and intended magnetization process. CBP may request this documentation to confirm the article is not more appropriately classified as a semi-finished metal product under another chapter. A binding ruling is advisable for novel alloy forms.
Subheading 2 of 4 in heading 8505
Subheading 850511 · $42.9M of $116.6M
ImportsExports
Imports
$42.9MYoY · free account
Exports
$11.5MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $460.0M of Permanent Magnets Made of Metal and exported $127.4M.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
Trade Directory
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HS10 import codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
| Code | Description | Imports for consumption | Average duty rate | Dutiable Share | Duty Collected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8505110070 | Sintered Neodymium-Iron-Boron Permanent Magnets | $27.4M | 21.97% | 96.88% | $6.0M |
| 8505110090 | Permanent Magnets of Metal, NESOI | $9.7M | 27.23% | 95.69% | $2.6M |
| 8505110030 | Ceramic Permanent Magnets | $3.8M | 23.44% | 100.00% | $894K |
| 8505110050 | Sintered Samarium-Cobalt Permanent Magnets | $1.2M | 20.93% | 99.68% | $243K |
| 8505110010 | Alnico Permanent Magnets | $534K | 23.49% | 88.00% | $125K |
HS10 export codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Schedule B export classification.
| Code | Description | Export Value |
|---|---|---|
| 8505119000 | Permanent Magnets of Metal, NESOI | $7.5M |
| 8505110070 | Sintered Neodymium-Iron-Boron Permanent Magnets | $3.7M |
| 8505110030 | Ceramic Permanent Magnets | $407K |
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 · August 2026
origin
China and Japan together supply 76% of it. China pays 30.7% duty; Philippines 2.9%.
customs district
destination
entry
rate provision · imports
3.1% enters free of duty; duty collected equals 23.29% of imports for consumption.