Standard International Trade Classification
U.S. imports of Electrical Isolating Switches & Make-and-Break Switches — Voltage Exceeding 1,000 Volts (SITC 77244) totaled $51.4M in August 2026, imported from 36 countries.
Importers of Electrical Isolating Switches & Make-and-Break Switches — Voltage Exceeding 1,000 Volts paid $4.8M in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 9.34% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule. Electrical Isolating Switches & Make-and-Break Switches — Voltage Exceeding 1,000 Volts imports of $51.4M in August 2026 ran 16% above the year-to-date monthly average of $44.2M.
Last updated: August 2026 dataIsolating switches and make-and-break switches for circuits above 1,000 volts are the disconnecting and load-switching workhorses of medium- and high-voltage distribution systems, used to de-energize equipment for maintenance and to switch load currents in substations and industrial facilities. Unlike circuit breakers, isolating switches are generally not designed to interrupt fault currents — a functional distinction that is central to both their engineering specification and their trade classification. Section 301 tariffs have affected Chinese-origin switchgear components in this voltage class, and the ongoing US grid modernization program has sustained import demand. Importers should verify whether a device is rated for load-break or no-load (isolator-only) duty, as that distinction can affect both the applicable HTS line and the buyer's installation compliance requirements.
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2.7K import shipments a month
An isolating switch (disconnector) is designed to open a circuit only after load current has been interrupted by another device — it provides visible isolation but is not rated to break load current. A make-and-break switch is rated to both make and interrupt load current under normal operating conditions. Both are included in this SITC heading for voltages above 1,000 V, but the distinction matters for the buyer's engineering specification and may affect the corresponding HTS 10-digit classification.
Yes. US utilities and industrial facilities commonly require compliance with IEEE C37.30 (for high-voltage air switches) or ANSI C37.32 for disconnect switches, in addition to IEC standards that many foreign manufacturers certify to. Importers should confirm with the end customer which standards apply before finalizing the purchase, as retrofitting or re-testing non-compliant equipment after arrival is costly and time-consuming.
Basic heading 220 of 642 in section 7
Basic heading 77244 · $51.4M of $172.0B
Imports · August 2026
origin
Mexico and Canada together supply 62% of it. China pays 39.1% 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.
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ImportsExports
Imports
$51.4MYoY · free account
Exports
$12.3MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $505.6M of Electrical Isolating Switches & Make-and-Break Switches — Voltage Exceeding 1,000 Volts.
Through August 2026 · exports 10 of 12 months reported. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.