8523.21.00.00 - Cards incorporating a magnetic stripe

This HTS category, 8523.21.00.00, specifically covers media that utilize a magnetic stripe for recording sound or other phenomena. The defining characteristic is the presence and functionality of this magnetic stripe as the primary recording surface. Examples within this classification include, but are not limited to, credit cards, debit cards, gift cards, access cards, and other identification cards that store information magnetically. The recording can be of any type of phenomena, and the media may be blank or pre-recorded.

This classification is distinguished from its sibling category, 8523.29, which encompasses "other" magnetic media. While both fall under the broader heading of magnetic media, 8523.21.00.00 is narrowly focused on the magnetic *stripe* as the key feature. Category 8523.29 would therefore include magnetic media that do not prominently feature a magnetic stripe as their recording mechanism, such as traditional magnetic tape or diskettes, if they were not otherwise classified elsewhere.

As this is a leaf node, there are no further subcategories under 8523.21.00.00. The classification is definitive for cards incorporating a magnetic stripe. Classification at this level relies on the physical attribute of the magnetic stripe and its intended function for data storage, regardless of the type of data or the ultimate purpose of the card itself.