CHAPTER 97 · LEGAL NOTES
Chapter 97
The 47 legal notes below govern classification under Chapter 97. They are part of the official Harmonized Tariff Schedule and are cited verbatim in CBP rulings.
As of June 9, 2026
Chapter notes
Note 1
Chapter Note 1: This chapter does not cover: (a) Unused postage or revenue stamps, postal stationery (stamped paper) or the like, of heading 4907; (b) Theatrical scenery, studio backdrops or the like, of painted canvas (heading 5907) except if they may be classified in heading 9706; or (c) Pearls, natural or cultured, or precious or semiprecious stones (headings 7101 to 7103).
Note 2
Chapter Note 2: Heading 9701 does not apply to mosaics that are mass-produced reproductions, casts or works of conventional craftsmanship of a commercial character, even if these articles are designed or created by artists.
Note 3
Chapter Note 3: For the purposes of heading 9702, the expression "original engravings, prints and lithographs" means impressions produced directly, in black and white or in color, of one or of several plates wholly executed by hand by the artist, irrespective of the process or of the material employed by him, but not including any mechanical or photomechanical process.
Note 4
Chapter Note 4: Heading 9703 does not apply to mass-produced reproductions or works of conventional craftsmanship of a commercial character, even if these articles are designed or created by artists.
Note 5
Chapter Note 5: (a) Subject to notes 1 to 4 above, articles of this chapter are to be classified in this chapter and not in any other chapter of the tariff schedule. (b) Heading 9706 does not apply to articles of the preceding headings of this chapter.
Note 6
Chapter Note 6: Frames around paintings, drawings, pastels, collages or similar decorative plaques, engravings, prints or lithographs are to be classified with those articles, provided they are of a kind and of a value normal to those articles. Frames which are not of a kind or of avalue normal to the articles referred to in this note are to be classified separately.
Additional U.S. notes
Note 1
Additional U.S. Note 1: Heading 9703 covers not only original sculpture made by the sculptor, but also the first 12 castings, replicas or reproductions made from a sculptor's original work or model, by the sculptor himself or by another artist, with or without a change in scale and whether or not the sculptor is alive at the time the castings, replicas or reproductions are completed.
Note 2
Additional U.S. Note 2: Whenever an article is entered for sale under heading 9706, and thereafter determined to be not over 100 years of age, a duty of 6.6 percent ad valorem for articles subject to column 1-general treatment, free of duty for goods originating in the territory of Canada or a duty of 25 percent ad valorem for articles subject to column 2 treatment shall be assessed thereon in addition to any other duty or penalty imposed on such article under the tariff schedule.
Statistical notes
Note 2
Statistical Note 2: For statistical reporting of merchandise provided for in subheading 9705, collections made up of articles of more than one type of cultural property, i.e., zoological, biological, paleontological, archaeological, anatomical, etc., shall be reported by their separate components in the appropriate statistical reference numbers, as if separately entered. Unit Rates of Duty of Quantity Article Description Stat. Suffix Heading/ Subheading 1 2 General Special Painting, drawings and pastels, executed entirely by hand, other than drawings of heading 4906 and other than hand-painted or hand-decorated manufacture articles; collages, mosaics and similar decorative plaques: 9701 Of an age exceeding 100 years:
footnote
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.90.08.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.90.08.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.90.08.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.90.08.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.90.08.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.90.08.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.90.08.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.90.08.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.90.08.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.90.08.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.90.08.
Applies to
See 9903.90.08.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.90.08.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.90.08.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.90.08.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.90.08.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.90.08.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.90.08.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.90.08.
Applies to
Classify under Chapter 97 with confidence
TariffLens applies the legal notes above automatically when classifying — citing the relevant note in every GRI reasoning chain.