The Product
- Hard-sided cooler made of molded plastic, not covered or coated with another material on the outer surface.
- Structured and rigid on all sides, with a handle on each side and two latches to secure the lid.
- Has a bin, a divider and a removable light. Measures about 62 inches long, 20 inches wide and 42 inches high.
- Comes with an optional wheeled cart that joins the cooler by latches and four shaped indentations; the cooler works with or without it.
- Designed to store, protect, carry and organize food and beverages while traveling.
CBP's Ruling
| Item | HTS code | CBP's description of the line |
|---|---|---|
| Molded plastic cooler | HTS 4202.12.2120 | trunks, suitcases, and similar containers: with outer surface of plastics: structured, rigid on all sides |
Explanation
CBP treated the cooler and its optional wheeled cart as composite goods under General Rule of Interpretation 3(b). The cooler can be used with or without the cart. The primary purpose of the article is to keep food and beverages at temperature while they are moved to another place, so the cooler gives the whole its essential character.
CBP then placed the cooler under heading 4202, which names trunks, suitcases and similar containers, on the line for those with an outer surface of plastics that are structured and rigid on all sides. The cooler is molded plastic with no covering or coating on its outer surface, and it is structured and rigid on all sides.
Does this apply to your product?
It likely does if you can answer yes to each of these:
- Is it a hard-sided cooler made of molded plastic?
- Is the outer surface bare plastic, not covered or coated with another material?
- Is it structured and rigid on all sides?
- Is its main purpose keeping food and drinks at temperature while they're carried somewhere?
A no to any of them can mean a different code. A licensed broker can classify your product.
The code today
| HTS code | In today's schedule | Where it sits | Today's duty |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4202.12.2120 | ✓ Still in the schedule | Heading 4202 › With outer surface of plastics or of textile materials › Trunks, suitcases, vanity cases and similar containers › Structured, rigid on all sides | Today's duty from Cambodia |
Checked against today's tariff schedule. The duty calculator opens with the code and country filled in.
Related rulings
N326804 (molded plastic coolers) and N316324 (molded plastic cases) sit on the same line, and N338889 (a molded plastic cooler), N317980 and N320912 (rigid plastic coolers) are close relatives. N271663 and N301948 cover plastic cases, and N337921 an expanding document organizer, elsewhere in the same subheading.
- N338889April 4, 2024Molded plastic cooler from China4202.12.2120
- N326804July 21, 2022Molded plastic coolers from China4202.12.2120
- N316324December 11, 2020Molded plastic cases from China4202.12.2120
- N317980March 18, 2021Rigid plastic cooler from China4202.12.2120
- N320912August 31, 2021Rigid plastic cooler from China4202.12.2120
- N337921February 16, 2024The classification and country of origin of an expanding document organizer from Cambodia4202.12.2935
- N271663January 21, 2016Molded plastic case from China4202.12.2020
- N301948December 14, 2018Plastic case from China4202.12.2910
Borderless, a licensed U.S. customs brokerage, summarized CBP ruling N338911 in plain English and checked its codes against the letter and today's tariff schedule. A ruling applies only to goods that match its facts; our terms explain the rest. Terms