9801.00.10.69 - Articles provided for in headings 8705 or 8709

This HTS classification, 9801.00.10.69, specifically covers returned articles that fall under Harmonized System (HS) headings 8705 or 8709. Heading 8705 pertains to specialized motor vehicles designed for specific purposes, such as fire engines, breakdown lorries, or mobile cranes. Heading 8709 covers industrial trucks, such as forklift trucks, self-propelled, not fitted with lifting or handling equipment, and works trucks of the type used in factories, warehouses, or ports for short-distance transport of goods. The key condition for classification under this provision is that these articles must be products of the United States, or other products returned within three years of export, without having undergone any form of value addition or improvement through manufacturing or other processes while abroad.

Unlike sibling categories that focus on other vehicle types (e.g., 8701 for tractors, 8702 for passenger vehicles, 8703 for cars, 8704 for trucks, and 8706, 8707, or 8708 for chassis and parts), this category carves out a specific niche for returned specialized and industrial vehicles. This distinction is crucial for applying the correct tariff treatment under the special provisions for returned U.S. goods or goods eligible for similar treatment. Importers must ensure that the returned vehicle precisely matches the description and function of vehicles classified under HS headings 8705 or 8709 to qualify for this specific classification.

As this is a leaf node within the HTS structure, there are no further subcategories to introduce. Classification within 9801.00.10.69 is dependent on the explicit alignment of the returned article's original classification under HS headings 8705 or 8709 and fulfillment of the general requirements for returned goods under Chapter 98, Subheading 9801.00.