At the time of this writing, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife services has advised that on July 1, 2021, a wide range of imported musical instruments, including drums, clarinets, flutes and piccolos, and others will be required to file a Lacey Act import declaration. While the industry awaits additional information and the final effective date from Animal and Plant Inspection Service (APHIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), NAMM Members are encouraged to review the latest impact and requirements to commercial importers.
Watch the webinar here: https://www.namm.org/issues-and-advocacy/public-policy/namm-compliance-update-expanded-lacey-import
Participants include Jim Goldberg, Goldberg & Associates, PLLC, Joe O’Donnell, International Wood Products Association and Mary Luehrsen, NAMM.
The addition of these instruments follows the 2008 expansion of the Lacey Act, which was expanded to include all plants and plant products (including wood), and later, the 2010 import declaration requirement was made applicable to pianos (including player pianos, harpsichords, and other stringed keyboard instruments) defined in Harmonized Tariff Schedule 9201 and “other stringed instruments” (including acoustic guitars, violins, and harps) in HTS 9202.
Now, the import declaration requirement will be applicable to imported products falling within the following HTS codes:
- 9205.90.20.00 — wind musical instruments, bagpipes
- 9205.90.40.20 — clarinets
- 9205.90.40.60 — flutes and piccolos
- 9205.90.40.80 — other woodwind instruments
- 9206.00.20.00 — drums
- 9207.90.00.40 — fretted stringed instruments, the sound of which is produced or must be amplified electrically.
- 9209.92 — parts and accessories for musical instruments (e.g., instrument stands, tuning pins, bows)
- 9209.92.80.80 — parts and accessories for musical instruments, other
- 9209.99.20.00 — parts and accessories for bagpipes
- 9209.99.40.40 — parts and accessories for other woodwind instruments
- 9209.99.80.00 — parts and accessories for musical instruments, other
Further information on HTS code descriptions can be found at https://hts.usitc.gov/current. Musical Instruments are found in Chapter 92.
The import declaration form must be filed electronically or in paper format by the importer, although as a practical matter, the information required by the form must be obtained from the product manufacturer or exporter.
More detailed information on Lacey Act requirements can be found at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/lacey_act
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