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Phone Cases HS Code — Plastic vs Leather Classification Guide

Phone cases are a $20B/year import category, and the HS classification depends entirely on the outer surface material. A plastic case and a leather case for the same phone get different codes, different duty rates, and a 14-percentage-point spread in US duty. Most Amazon sellers don't know this.

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The material split

HS 3926.90 — other articles of plastics. Covers: TPU cases, silicone cases, clear plastic cases, hard polycarbonate cases, and hybrid cases where the outer surface is plastic. US duty: 3.3%.

HS 4202.92 — containers with outer surface of sheeting of plastics or of textile materials. Covers: wallet-style folio cases, cases with fabric/textile/leather outer surface, and flip cases. US duty: 17.6% (if textile surface) or 8% (some subheadings).

HS 4202.91 — containers with outer surface of leather. Genuine leather phone cases. US duty: 8%.

How to classify your phone case

Step 1: What is the outer surface? If it's plastic (TPU, silicone, PC, acrylic) with no textile or leather covering, it's 3926.90.

Step 2: Does it have pockets, card slots, or a folio design? Wallet-style cases with card slots move toward 4202 because they function as a 'container' for carrying items, not just protection.

Step 3: Is the outer surface textile or leather? Then it's 4202.91 (leather) or 4202.92 (textile/plastic sheeting in the 4202 sense).

The critical distinction: a simple snap-on plastic shell is 3926.90. The moment you add a textile exterior or wallet functionality, you're in 4202 territory with 3–5x the duty rate.

Duty comparison

Real impact on margin:

  • US: 3926.90 = 3.3% | 4202.92 = 17.6%. On a $2 FOB case, that's $0.066 vs $0.352 per unit.
  • EU: 3926.90 = 6.5% | 4202.92 = 3.8%. EU actually charges MORE for pure plastic cases.
  • Canada: 3926.90 = 6.5% | 4202.92 = 9.5%.
  • UK: 3926.90 = 6.5% | 4202.92 = 3.8%.

Frequently asked questions

What about phone cases with built-in kickstands?
Kickstand doesn't change the classification. It's still determined by outer surface material — a plastic case with a kickstand is 3926.90.
MagSafe-compatible cases — any different?
No. The magnets don't affect classification. A MagSafe-compatible TPU case is 3926.90. A MagSafe-compatible leather wallet is 4202.91.
What about screen protectors?
Tempered glass screen protectors classify under 7007.19 or 7020.00 (glass articles), not with phone cases. Plastic film protectors go to 3919 or 3926.90.

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