8101.96.00.00 - Wire

This HTS category, 8101.96.00.00, specifically classifies wire made from tungsten (also known as wolfram) or its alloys. The defining characteristic for inclusion in this category is the product's form: it must be manufactured into wire, regardless of whether it is finished or semi-finished. This includes wire in various diameters and potentially with specific surface treatments, as long as its primary material is tungsten and its form is filamentous.

It is crucial to distinguish this category from its sibling classifications. Unwrought tungsten, including bars and rods obtained simply by sintering (8101.94.00.00), represents the initial stages of tungsten processing and does not yet possess the elongated, filamentary form of wire. Waste and scrap tungsten (8101.97.00.00) is defined by its state as discarded material, not as a manufactured product ready for use. The "Other" category within 8101.99 encompasses tungsten articles not otherwise specified, but wire in its specific form is exclusively classified under 8101.96.00.00.

As a leaf node, 8101.96.00.00 has no further subcategories. Therefore, classification within this code depends solely on identifying the material as tungsten and its form as wire. This ensures precise tariff application for all tungsten wire products imported or exported.