U.S. imports of Smart Cards (HS 852352) totaled $59.7M in August 2026, imported from 60 countries.
Importers of Smart Cards paid $5.7M in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 9.24% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule.
Last updated: August 2026 dataSmart cards — plastic cards embedding an integrated circuit chip that stores and processes data — are split at the 10-digit level between unrecorded (8523520010) and recorded (8523520090) variants, a distinction that reflects whether the chip has been personalized or programmed at the time of importation. Mexico leads US supply, followed by Taiwan, Malaysia, South Korea, and France, a supplier mix that spans both high-volume card body manufacturing and specialized chip personalization operations. Cards used in payment, identity, healthcare, and access-control applications may be subject to sector-specific security certification requirements — such as EMV or FIPS 201 standards — that operate alongside but independently of customs classification obligations.
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1.7K import shipments a month
An unrecorded smart card (8523520010) is one whose embedded chip has not yet been programmed or personalized — essentially a blank card body with an unprogrammed chip. A recorded smart card (8523520090) has been programmed with data, an application, or a cryptographic key. The distinction matters because the two lines may carry different duty rates, and the classification must reflect the card's condition at the time it crosses the border, not its intended end use.
Classification of combination cards depends on which feature — the integrated circuit or the magnetic stripe — imparts the card's essential character. For modern payment and identity cards where the chip is the primary functional element, CBP generally classifies the article as a smart card under 852352. Cards where the magnetic stripe is the dominant feature would fall under 852321. Importers with combination-feature cards should review CBP rulings or consult a licensed customs broker to confirm the correct heading.
ImportsExports
Imports
$59.7MYoY · free account
Exports
$31.1MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $758.0M of Smart Cards and exported $355.8M.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8523520090 | Smart Cards, Recorded | $30.0M | 9.83% | 78.18% | $3.0M |
| 8523520010 | Smart Cards, Unrecorded | $31.9M | 8.69% | 76.97% | $2.8M |
HS10 export codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Schedule B export classification.
| Code | Description | Export Value |
|---|---|---|
| 8523520090 | Smart Cards, Recorded | $19.4M |
| 8523520010 | Smart Cards, Unrecorded | $11.7M |
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.
Subheading 2 of 8 in heading 8523
Subheading 852352 · $59.7M of $8.5B
Imports · August 2026
origin
Thailand pays 12.5% duty; Mexico 2.3%.
customs district
destination
entry
rate provision · imports
20.7% enters free of duty; duty collected equals 9.24% of imports for consumption.