Vinyl Records and CDs Will be Exempt From US Tariffs

The United States implemented new tariffs for imported goods on Thursday, August 28, but vinyl and CDs will be exempt. US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) considers these items “information materials.”

The tariffs:

• Tariffs will be applied to 1.36 billion shipments.

• Vinyl and CDs are exempt under 50 U.S.C. § 1702(b), which states that trade restrictions do not apply to “certain donations and informational materials.”

• The US Harmonized Tariff Schedule includes publications, films, posters, phonograph records, photographs, microfilms, microfiche, tapes, compact disks, CD-ROMS, artworks, and news wire feeds as information materials.

• Popular marketplaces for physical music media, Bandcamp and Discogs, have updated their shipping guidelines in response to the tariffs.

• Bandcamp allowed sellers to restrict shipping to the US to ensure they don’t clash with CBP.

• Both companies urged the importance of using the correct harmonized System (HS) codes.

What they said:

• Discogs: “Simply put, music and informational media have always been exempt from tariffs and continue to be so at this time. This means neither sellers nor collectors on Discogs should be charged additional customs fees. [We] can’t guarantee how US Customs and each postal carrier will implement these exemptions.”