Bushing HS Code Guide (2026): Import/Export Tariffs & Customs Classification

TRADE COMPLIANCE · CUSTOMS CLASSIFICATION · UPDATED 2026

Plain Bearing Bushing HS Code: The Complete 2026 Guide to Customs Classification, Tariffs & HTS Codes

By the Bearing & Bushing Trade Desk · 14 min read · For importers, exporters, freight forwarders & compliance teams

If you manufacture, source, or ship plain bearing bushings across borders, the single most important number on your commercial invoice is the HS code. Get it right and your shipment clears smoothly with predictable duties. Get it wrong and you risk over- or under-paid tariffs, customs holds, and penalties that can run into the tens of thousands of dollars.

The short answer: the plain bearing bushing HS code is 8483.30 at the international 6-digit level. This guide goes further — breaking down exactly how China, the United States, and the European Union extend that code, what duties apply, how material and design affect (or don’t affect) classification, and the five misclassification traps that catch even experienced traders.

1. What Is a Plain Bearing Bushing?

A plain bearing bushing (also called a sleeve bearing, journal bearing, or sliding bearing) is the simplest type of bearing in mechanical engineering. It is a cylindrical lining — usually with a precision-machined inner surface — that fits around a rotating or sliding shaft to reduce friction and wear through sliding contact rather than rolling elements.

Unlike a ball or roller bearing, a bushing has no balls, needles, or rollers. It relies on a thin film of lubricant, a self-lubricating material, or the low-friction properties of the bushing itself to let the shaft move smoothly. That single design fact — no rolling elements — is what drives its customs classification.

These components appear in industrial machinery, agricultural equipment, automotive engines, marine drives, textile machines, construction plant, and aerospace assemblies — anywhere a rotating shaft needs support under load.

2. Why the Correct HS Code Protects Your Bottom Line

The Harmonized System (HS) Code is the universal “language” of international trade, administered by the World Customs Organization (WCO). Every traded product is assigned a code; customs authorities use it to determine duty rates, collect trade statistics, enforce controls, and apply trade remedies.

For plain bearing bushings, an incorrect code is not a paperwork formality. It directly causes:

• Duty miscalculation — overpaying erodes margin; underpaying triggers back-duty assessments and fines.
• Customs clearance delays — misclassified goods are flagged, inspected, and held, disrupting just-in-time supply chains.
• Penalties & audits — repeated errors invite formal audits and civil penalties.
• Lost trade-agreement benefits — the wrong code can disqualify you from preferential (FTA) duty rates you were entitled to.

3. The Core Code: HS 8483.30 Explained

The international 6-digit subheading for plain bearing bushings is:

The code is built in layers defined by the WCO:

Because the first six digits are standardized by the WCO, 8483.30 means the same thing in 200+ countries. Individual nations then append extra digits for their national tariff lines — and that is where China, the US, and the EU diverge.

4. Country-Specific Codes: China · US · EU/UK

🇨🇳 China — 84833000 / 8483300090

China’s 8-digit code is 84833000, with the most commonly used 10-digit statistical line being 8483300090 — “Other bearing seats unfitted with ball or roller bearings; other sliding bearings.”

🇺🇸 United States — HTS 8483.30.80

The U.S. uses the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS), an HS-based system with extra digits. Plain shaft bearings and “other” bearing housings fall under 8483.30.80, with a general duty rate of 4.5% ad valorem. The 10-digit statistical lines are:

Tip: For a typical self-lubricating sleeve bushing without housing, the correct line is 8483.30.80.90. For spherical plain bearings/rod ends, use 8483.30.80.70 or .55.

🇪🇺 EU / 🇬🇧 UK — 8483308090

In the EU and UK the code extends to 8483308090 (“Other” plain shaft bearings), carrying a third-country duty of approximately 3.4% (with many FTA partners at 0%).

5. Does Bushing Material Change the HS Code?

No. Under Section XVI of the Harmonized System, bearings are classified by function, not by the material they are made from. Whether your bushing is:

• Cast bronze (CuSn8) with lubrication indents,
• Bimetal (steel backing + lead-bronze layer),
• Metal-polymer composite (steel + porous bronze sinter + PTFE),
• Cast bronze with solid graphite lubricant plugs, or
• Injection-molded Nylon / PTFE polymer,

…if it functions as a plain shaft bearing for machinery, it is classified under 8483.30. Material affects the product’s performance and price — not its HS code. This is a frequent point of confusion, especially for bronze bushing HS code and steel bushing HS code searches; both resolve to the same heading.

6. Plain vs Rolling Bearings: The 8483 vs 8482 Divide

The cleanest rule in bearing classification:

If the component contains any rolling element, it leaves 8483 entirely and belongs in 8482. Conversely, if a part is merely a shaft support with a sliding surface and no balls/rollers, it stays in 8483.30 — even if it looks like a “bearing.”

7. 5 Common Misclassification Mistakes

Mistake 1 — Filing under 8482 (ball/roller bearings)

Suppliers and brokers sometimes default to the familiar “bearing” heading 8482. If there are no rolling elements, the bushing cannot be in 8482. Use 8483.30.

Mistake 2 — Mixing up 8483.20 and 8483.30

8483.20 is for bearing housings that incorporate ball or roller bearings. If your housing is empty (no bearing fitted), it belongs in 8483.30. The declaration element “whether the housing incorporates a ball/roller bearing” exists precisely to separate these.

Mistake 3 — Rubber “bushings” → 8483.30

Vehicle-suspension rubber bushings are vibration dampers made of vulcanized rubber. Despite the name, they are classified in Chapter 40 (typically 4016.99), not as machinery bearings.

Mistake 4 — Spacers / washers treated as bearings

If a sleeve is merely a spacer, sleeve, or washer that does not provide a bearing surface, it may fall under 7318 (screws/nuts/washers of iron/steel) or 7326 (other articles of iron/steel) — not 8483.30.

Mistake 5 — Assuming material changes the code

As covered in Section 5, bronze vs steel vs polymer does not move a plain bearing out of 8483.30. Don’t create a new code based on the metal.

8. How to Determine the Right HS Code (Checklist)

1. Confirm the function. Does the part support a rotating/sliding shaft through sliding contact?
2. Check for rolling elements. Balls, needles, or rollers present → 8482. None → continue to 8483.
3. Identify housing. Bare bushing (no housing) → plain shaft bearing. Empty housing → 8483.30. Housing with a fitted rolling bearing → 8483.20.
4. Pick the national extension. China 8483300090 · US 8483.30.80.90 (or .70/.55) · EU 8483308090.
5. Verify the live rate. Cross-check against the official tariff tool for the destination country before filing.
6. Keep a binding ruling. For high-volume or novel designs, obtain a customs classification ruling (e.g., a US CBP ruling) to lock in the code.

9. Certificate of Origin & Trade Compliance

A Certificate of Origin (CO) certifies that goods in a shipment were wholly obtained, produced, or processed in a stated country. For 8483.30 products, it is the document that unlocks preferential FTA rates and satisfies rules of origin.

Note that some destinations impose strategic-trade controls on certain machinery components. Always screen your end-user and destination against current export-control lists, and retain classification records for the statutory audit period.

10. Related HS Codes Quick Reference

11. Frequently Asked Questions

12. Conclusion

The plain bearing bushing HS code is, at its heart, simple: 8483.30 at the international level, extended to 84833000 (China), 8483.30.80 (US), and 8483308090 (EU/UK). The complexity lies not in the code but in applying the functional test — no rolling elements, sliding contact, machined to support a shaft — and avoiding the well-worn misclassification traps in 8482, 8483.20, 4016.99, and 7318/7326.

Get the classification right the first time, document your reasoning, and verify the live rate for your destination market. Your customs broker, your finance team, and your delivery schedule will all thank you.

Disclaimer: This article is for general guidance only and is not legal or customs advice. Tariff rates and trade measures change frequently — always confirm with the official tariff schedule of the importing country and, where needed, obtain a binding classification ruling.