Code 8523 49 · Heading 8523

Recorded optical media for sound or other phenomena, excluding unrecorded media and Chapter 37 goods

This code covers optical media that have recordings of sound or other phenomena. It does not cover unrecorded optical media or goods covered by Chapter 37.

For example

Recorded DVD
Recorded laser-based disc other than a DVD
Other recorded optical medium, excluding DVDs and laser-based discs

See the official tariff text

Official tariff text

Optical media for the recording of sound or of other phenomena (excl. unrecorded and goods of chapter 37)

How we got to this code

XVI
85
8523
8523 49

Show the steps

The path to this code

Every code is reached through these choices, one level at a time.

Step 4 of 4

Step 1 · Section XVI Machinery and mechanical appliances; electrical equ…
Is the product a machine, apparatus or mechanical tool, or is it electrical equipment, a sound recorder or player, or a television image and sound recorder or player?
✓
Step 2 · Chapter 85 Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereo… 2 of 2 chapters in section XVI
What is the product: an electrical motor, generator or converter; a transformer or electrical converter; a magnet; a primary cell or battery; an accumulator; a household appliance; a shaver or hair-removal appliance; equipment for an internal-combustion engine, vehicle or bicycle; a portable lamp; an industrial or laboratory heating appliance; soldering or welding equipment; another electrical heating appliance; a telephone or other data-communication device; sound equipment; video equipment or recording media; a display module; a radio, television, radar, navigation or remote-control device; electrical control, switching, lighting, semiconductor, circuit, cable or insulation equipment; another electrical machine or apparatus; or electrical and electronic waste or scrap?
✓
Step 3 · Heading 8523 Discs, tapes, solid-state non-volatile storage devi… 22 of 48 headings under chapter 85
What kind of medium is it: a coded magnetic-stripe card, another magnetic medium, an unrecorded or recorded optical medium, a fixed non-volatile data-storage device, a smart card, an unrecorded semiconductor-based medium, or another medium for reproducing sound or other phenomena, including a matrix or master for making plates?
✓
Step 4 · Subheading 8523 49 Optical media for the recording of sound or of othe… 4 of 8 subheadings under heading 8523
Is it a recorded DVD, a recorded laser-based disc other than a DVD, or another recorded optical medium?

Pick the 8-digit code

Pick the description that best matches your product.

Import duty on the codes below: 0.0%

3 codes below this one

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See all 8 codes at this level

Selling to Norway, Great Britain and the United States

What they charge on arrival.

Norway, Great Britain and the United States use their own tariff lines under the 6-digit HS code. The rates below are what their customs charge on goods arriving from the EU. Match the goods against each country's own wording before you rely on a rate.

Norway

Duty free

Their lines4 Norwegian lines

85.23.4901 For reproducing phenomena other than sound or image, or for reproducing representations

Norwegian tariff data checked Sept. 13, 2026.

Great Britain

Duty free

Their lines3 British lines

8523 49 10 00 Digital versatile discs (DVD)

Northern Ireland follows other rules.

UK tariff data checked Sept. 13, 2026.

United States

10.0%

Estimated from published US measures

Their lines5 US lines
Entry dateSept. 17, 2026

8523.49.20.10 Discs, tapes, solid-state non-volatile storage devices, "smart cards" and other media

The US importer of record files the entry.

US tariff data checked Sept. 16, 2026.

See the 4 Norwegian lines

Selling to Norway

Norway splits the 6-digit category its own way, so these are Norway's own lines under it, not this EU code. Check your product against their wording; what Norwegian customs charges is shown per line.

85.23.4901

For reproducing phenomena other than sound or image, or for reproducing representations of instructions, data, sound, and image recorded in a machine readable binary form, and capable of being manipulated or providing interactivity to a user, by means of an automatic data-processing machine

Ordinary duty

Duty free
85.23.4902

DVD ("Digital Versatile Disc") Video

Ordinary duty

Duty free
85.23.4903

For reproducing sound only

Ordinary duty

Duty free
85.23.4909

Other

Ordinary duty

Duty free

Norwegian tariff data version 1.5/1.2, last checked Sept. 13, 2026.

Contains data from Norwegian Customs (data.toll.no), licensed under CC BY 4.0, adapted for display.

See the 3 British lines

Selling to Great Britain

What UK customs charges when goods like these arrive in Great Britain.

All 3 UK lines under this code

They all have the same duty rates shown here.

Ordinary duty

Duty free

These rates apply in Great Britain. Different rules may apply for goods entering Northern Ireland.

UK tariff data version v4.0.1599, last checked Sept. 13, 2026.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Source: UK Department for Business and Trade (data.api.trade.gov.uk).

See the 5 US lines

Selling to the United States

What US customs charges when goods like these arrive from the EU. The US importer of record files the entry and pays the duty.

8523.49.20.10

Discs, tapes, solid-state non-volatile storage devices, "smart cards" and other media for the recording of sound or of other phenomena, whether or not recorded, including matrices and masters for the production of discs, but excluding products of Chapter 37, Optical media, Other, For reproducing phenomena other than sound or image, Prepackaged software for automatic data processing machines, of a kind sold at retail

General rate

Free

From the EU

10.0% Estimated from published US measures US headings applied: 9903.05.39 Section 301 forced-labour action, 91 FR 47318 (memorandum 91 FR 47717), U.S. note 52 to subchapter III of chapter 99
8523.49.20.20

Discs, tapes, solid-state non-volatile storage devices, "smart cards" and other media for the recording of sound or of other phenomena, whether or not recorded, including matrices and masters for the production of discs, but excluding products of Chapter 37, Optical media, Other, For reproducing phenomena other than sound or image, Other

General rate

Free

From the EU

10.0% Estimated from published US measures US headings applied: 9903.05.39 Section 301 forced-labour action, 91 FR 47318 (memorandum 91 FR 47717), U.S. note 52 to subchapter III of chapter 99
8523.49.30.00

Discs, tapes, solid-state non-volatile storage devices, "smart cards" and other media for the recording of sound or of other phenomena, whether or not recorded, including matrices and masters for the production of discs, but excluding products of Chapter 37, Optical media, Other, For reproducing sound only

General rate

Free

From the EU

10.0% Estimated from published US measures US headings applied: 9903.05.39 Section 301 forced-labour action, 91 FR 47318 (memorandum 91 FR 47717), U.S. note 52 to subchapter III of chapter 99
8523.49.40.00

Discs, tapes, solid-state non-volatile storage devices, "smart cards" and other media for the recording of sound or of other phenomena, whether or not recorded, including matrices and masters for the production of discs, but excluding products of Chapter 37, Optical media, Other, For reproducing representations of instructions, data, sound, and image, recorded in a machine readable binary form, and capable of being manipulated or providing interactivity to a user, by means of an automatic data processing machine; proprietary format recorded discs

General rate

Free

From the EU

10.0% Estimated from published US measures US headings applied: 9903.05.39 Section 301 forced-labour action, 91 FR 47318 (memorandum 91 FR 47717), U.S. note 52 to subchapter III of chapter 99
8523.49.50.00

Discs, tapes, solid-state non-volatile storage devices, "smart cards" and other media for the recording of sound or of other phenomena, whether or not recorded, including matrices and masters for the production of discs, but excluding products of Chapter 37, Optical media, Other

General rate

Free

From the EU

10.0% Estimated from published US measures US headings applied: 9903.05.39 Section 301 forced-labour action, 91 FR 47318 (memorandum 91 FR 47717), U.S. note 52 to subchapter III of chapter 99

Worked out for an entry on Sept. 17, 2026.

US tariff schedule 2026HTSRev19, last checked Sept. 16, 2026.

Last change we recorded: Revision 19 (2026), Sept. 16, 2026.

Anti-dumping and countervailing duties, US import taxes and customs fees are not included.

The descriptions above are the US tariff texts, which the United States publishes in English only.

Source: the US International Trade Commission's Harmonized Tariff Schedule (hts.usitc.gov), public domain, and the measures published in the Federal Register.

This is a planning estimate from the US Harmonized Tariff Schedule (revision shown) and the published Federal Register measures as of the date shown, for a shipment of EU origin. It is not a customs entry, legal advice or a broker's opinion, and tariffs.help is not a US-licensed customs broker. The US importer of record or their broker confirms the classification, origin, value and the duty due before filing.

Duty rates shown here are estimates, read from official EU / Danish, Norwegian and UK tariff data for orientation only. Confirm the current rate with Toldstyrelsen, TARIC, Norwegian Customs or the UK Online Trade Tariff before you file. The rate you pay can also depend on the country of origin. These are base customs duties only: import VAT, excise duties, anti-dumping duties and safeguard or quota measures are not included.