Standard International Trade Classification
U.S. imports of Variable Electrical Resistors, Not Elsewhere Specified (Rheostats & Potentiometers) (SITC 77235) totaled $40.6M in August 2026, imported from 62 countries.
Importers of Variable Electrical Resistors, Not Elsewhere Specified (Rheostats & Potentiometers) paid $4.6M in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 12.07% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule. Variable Electrical Resistors, Not Elsewhere Specified (Rheostats & Potentiometers) imports of $40.6M in August 2026 ran 19% above the year-to-date monthly average of $34.0M.
Last updated: August 2026 dataNon-wirewound variable resistors — including carbon-track, conductive-plastic, and cermet potentiometers, as well as trimmer potentiometers used for circuit calibration — occupy this residual NES heading. Conductive-plastic types dominate in applications demanding long rotational life and low noise, such as precision servo systems and medical instrumentation, while cermet trimmers are ubiquitous on PCBs for one-time calibration adjustments. The NES designation means the heading is a catch-all, so the corresponding HTS classification requires careful review of the resistive element material and mechanical configuration. Section 301 tariffs on Chinese-origin electronic components affect a broad range of these products.
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3.8K import shipments a month
Both fall under this NES variable resistor heading, but the resistive element material — cermet (a ceramic-metal composite) versus conductive plastic — affects the product's performance profile and may influence the specific HTS 10-digit line. Cermet trimmers are typically single-turn, panel-mount or PCB-mount calibration devices, while conductive-plastic types are used in continuous-rotation, high-cycle applications. Invoices and datasheets should specify the element type.
Digital potentiometers — integrated circuits that simulate a variable resistor under digital control — are generally classified as integrated circuits rather than as variable resistors, and would not fall under this SITC heading. Only mechanically adjustable variable resistors with non-wirewound elements belong here. Importers of digitally controlled resistance devices should verify their HTS classification separately.
Basic heading 257 of 642 in section 7
Basic heading 77235 · $40.6M of $172.0B
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Imports · August 2026
origin
China pays 36.0% duty; Mexico 0.4%.
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
$40.6MYoY · free account
Exports
$44.1MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $394.5M of Variable Electrical Resistors, Not Elsewhere Specified (Rheostats & Potentiometers).
Through August 2026 · exports 10 of 12 months reported. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.