Standard International Trade Classification
U.S. imports of Automatic Circuit Breakers — Voltage Less Than 72.5 kV (SITC 77242) totaled $66.2M in August 2026, imported from 24 countries.
Importers of Automatic Circuit Breakers — Voltage Less Than 72.5 kV paid $2.3M in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 3.55% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule. Automatic Circuit Breakers — Voltage Less Than 72.5 kV imports of $66.2M in August 2026 ran 18% above the year-to-date monthly average of $56.1M.
Last updated: August 2026 dataAutomatic circuit breakers for voltages below 72.5 kV span a wide commercial range — from molded-case breakers used in commercial buildings and industrial panels to medium-voltage vacuum and SF₆ breakers deployed in distribution substations. The 72.5 kV ceiling is the IEC-defined boundary between medium-voltage and high-voltage equipment, making it the critical specification to verify on technical datasheets before classification. Section 301 tariffs have affected Chinese-origin switchgear in this category, prompting US utilities and industrial buyers to reassess supply chains. Importers should also confirm whether any specific breaker model requires UL or ANSI certification for the intended US installation, as listing requirements are enforced independently of customs clearance.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
749 import shipments a month
The rated maximum voltage (Ur or Um in IEC terminology, or rated voltage in ANSI standards) stated on the nameplate and in the manufacturer's technical datasheet is the controlling specification. Importers should include the datasheet or catalog page with the entry documentation; if the nameplate voltage is at or near 72.5 kV, a binding ruling from CBP may be warranted to avoid reclassification into the higher-voltage heading.
SF₆ (sulfur hexafluoride) is a potent greenhouse gas regulated under EPA's Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program for certain end-use sectors, but its presence in a sealed switchgear unit does not currently trigger an import permit requirement at the border. However, buyers should be aware of evolving state-level restrictions (California, for example, has adopted SF₆ phase-down rules for utilities) that may affect the long-term usability of imported SF₆-insulated equipment.
Basic heading 198 of 642 in section 7
Basic heading 77242 · $66.2M of $172.0B
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Imports · August 2026
origin
Canada and Mexico together supply 68% of it. South Korea pays 11.3% duty; Canada <0.1%.
customs district
Census does not publish district detail for this classification system.
destination
Census does not publish state detail for this classification system.
entry
Census does not publish port detail for this classification system.
ImportsExports
Imports
$66.2MYoY · free account
Exports
$6.8MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $571.4M of Automatic Circuit Breakers — Voltage Less Than 72.5 kV.
Through August 2026 · exports 10 of 12 months reported. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.