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HSChapter 85
U.S. imports of receiver or amplifier vacuum tubes (HS 854081) totaled $556K in April 2026, traded with 12 countries.
Importers of Receiver or Amplifier Vacuum Tubes paid $111K in duties in April 2026 — an effective duty rate of 20% on $559K in dutiable value, based on actual customs collections rather than the published tariff schedule. Receiver or Amplifier Vacuum Tubes imports of $556K in April 2026 ran 43% below the year-to-date monthly average of $967K.
Last updated: April 2026 dataReceiver and amplifier tubes—commonly called vacuum tubes or valves—retain a dedicated commercial market in high-end audio amplification, vintage radio restoration, and certain military or aerospace applications where radiation-hardened or long-life thermionic devices are specified. All US imports under this heading are classified under a single 10-digit line (8540810000), reflecting the relatively consolidated nature of current trade flows. Slovakia and France are the leading US import sources, with China, Russia, and Sierra Leone also represented—a supplier mix that spans Eastern European specialty manufacturers, French precision producers, and Chinese mass-market tube factories.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
Several Eastern European manufacturers maintained continuous production of vacuum tubes through and after the Cold War era, preserving the tooling, glass-working expertise, and quality-control processes needed for audiophile-grade and military-specification tubes. This institutional continuity gives Slovak and Czech producers a competitive advantage in the premium and specialty segments of the market, where consistent electrical characteristics across production batches are critical.
When a tube type is used in both consumer audio and industrial or military applications, classification under 8540810000 as a receiver or amplifier tube is appropriate if the tube's design and specifications align with that function. If the tube is specifically a microwave-frequency device (e.g., a klystron or magnetron), it would fall under a different heading. Retaining the manufacturer's datasheet showing the tube's type designation, operating parameters, and intended application supports the classification decision in the event of a customs inquiry.
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Monthly import values over time
| Country | Imports | Exports | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| KOREA, SOUTH | -- | $3.5M | +$3.5M |
| JAPAN | $16K | $396K | +$381K |
| UNITED KINGDOM | $20K | $344K | +$324K |
| LUXEMBOURG | -- | $256K | +$256K |
| SLOVAKIA | $200K | -- | -$200K |
HS10 import codes under this HS6 parent. Source: U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
| Code | Description | Import Value | Effective Tariff % | Duty Collected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8540810000 | RECIEVER OR AMPLIFIER TUBES | $556K | 19.78% | $111K |
RECIEVER OR AMPLIFIER TUBES
HS10 export codes under this HS6 parent. Source: U.S. Schedule B export classification.
| Code | Description | Export Value |
|---|---|---|
| 8540810000 | RECIEVER OR AMPLIFIER TUBES | $5.0M |
RECIEVER OR AMPLIFIER TUBES
1.5K no
MACH FOR RECP/CONVR/TRANS/REGN OF VOICE/IMAGE/DATA
HS 851762
SOLID-STATE NON-VOL SEMICONDUCTOR STORAGE DEVICES
HS 852351
SMARTPHONES
HS 851713
PROCESSORS AND CONTROLLERS, ELECTRONIC INTEG CIRCT
HS 854231
CONTROLS ETC W ELECT APPR F ELECT CONT NOV 1000 V
HS 853710
STATIC CONVERTERS; ADP POWER SUPPLIES
HS 850440
| State | Imports | Exports | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $206K | $4.4M | +$4.2M |
| Maryland | -- | $392K | +$392K |
| Kentucky | $148K | $12K | -$136K |
| Port | Imports | Exports | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, CA | $67K | $3.5M | +$3.5M |
| JFK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, NY | $148K | $384K | +$236K |
| NEW ORLEANS, LA | $60K | $443K | +$383K |