Tariffs Removed on Percussion

15th November 2024

The Australian Government has removed tariffs on all imports of Percussion products. The Nuisance Tariffs policy was developed to remove very low revenue tariff collection where there is no particular reason for a tariff to continue. The AMA supported this change and analysed customs, AMA found that in the 12 months prior to this consultation (April 2023-March 2024), $37426 was collected on Percussion imports including $12462 from the US.

The AMA’s submission, which can be seen alongside 22 others on the Treasury website, proposed removing tariffs on several other import codes, if tariffs could be removed at the 10 digit (rather than 8 digit) HS code level. For example, 9202900039 (ukuleles etc) and 9207900050 (electronic drums / other electronic instruments).

Some tariffs still remain on 92029000 (acoustic guitars, ukuleles & other acoustic, non-bowed stringed instruments) and 92079000 (electric & bass guitars, other electronic instruments) to support Australian instrument manufacturing.

Current status of tariffs on musical instruments:

9201 PIANOS, INCLUDING AUTOMATIC PIANOS; HARPSICHORDS AND OTHER KEYBOARD STRINGED INSTRUMENTS:

  • 9201.10.00 51 Upright pianos - Free
  • 9201.20.00 52 Grand pianos - Free
  • 9201.90.00 53 Other - Free

9202 OTHER STRING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS (FOR EXAMPLE, GUITARS, VIOLINS, HARPS):

  • 9202.10.00 07 No - Played with a bow - Free
  • 9202.90.00 - Other 5%
  • DCS:4%
  • DCT:5%
  • 38 No Acoustic guitars including acoustic-electric
  • 39 No Other

9205 WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS (FOR EXAMPLE, KEYBOARD PIPE ORGANS, ACCORDIONS, CLARINETS, TRUMPETS, BAGPIPES), OTHER THAN FAIRGROUND ORGANS AND MECHANICAL STREET ORGANS:

  • 9205.10.00 13 Brass-wind instruments - Free
    9205.90.00 - Other - Free

    • Flutes and piccolos
    • Clarinets
    • Saxophones
    • Other

9206.00.00 PERCUSSION MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS (FOR EXAMPLE, DRUMS, XYLOPHONES, CYMBALS, CASTANETS, MARACAS) - Free

    • Drum sets (comprising at least bass drum, tom toms,
      snare drum and hardware)
    • Other drums
    • Cymbals
    • Other

9207 MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, THE SOUND OF WHICH IS PRODUCED, OR MUST BE AMPLIFIED,
ELECTRICALLY (FOR EXAMPLE, ORGANS, GUITARS, ACCORDIONS):

  • 9207.10.00 - Keyboard instruments, other than accordions Free
  • Organs
  • Synthesizers
  • Other:
    • Pianos
    • Other
  • 9207.90.00 - Other 5%
      • DCS:4%
      •  DCT:5%
    • Electric bass guitars
    • Electric guitars (excluding bass guitars, acousticelectric)
    • Other

9208 MUSICAL BOXES, FAIRGROUND ORGANS, MECHANICAL STREET ORGANS, MECHANICAL SINGING BIRDS, MUSICAL SAWS AND OTHER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS NOT FALLING WITHIN
ANY OTHER HEADING OF THIS CHAPTER; DECOY CALLS OF ALL KINDS; WHISTLES, CALL
HORNS AND OTHER MOUTH-BLOWN SOUND SIGNALLING INSTRUMENTS:

  • 9208.10.00 26 Musical boxes - Free
  • 9208.90.00 27 Other - Free

Source: Australian Customs Notice 2024/17

DCS denotes the rate for countries and places listed in Part 4 of Schedule 1 to the Customs Tariff Regulations 2004.

DCT denotes the rate for HK, KR, SG and TW.