Product classification
HS code for Mask aligner: 8486.40
Machines and apparatus of a kind used solely or principally for the manufacture or repair of masks and reticles, assembling semiconductor devices or electronic integrated circuits, or for lifting, handling, loading or unloading items of heading 8486.
Classification of mask aligner under HS 8486.40
Mask aligners are classified under HS code 8486.40. This code is part of a specialized heading created to consolidate machinery used in the semiconductor industry. Heading 8486 covers machines and apparatus used solely or principally for the manufacture of semiconductor boules, wafers, devices, integrated circuits, or flat panel displays. Subheading 8486.40 specifically addresses machines and apparatus for the manufacture or repair of masks and reticles, as well as lifting and handling equipment. Mask aligners are critical in the photolithography process, ensuring that the photomask is perfectly positioned over the silicon wafer. Because their primary and sole function is within the semiconductor fabrication line, they are excluded from general optical or photographic headings and placed within this high-tech machinery category. The classification is driven by the application of the machine rather than its individual mechanical components.
- Covers
- Photolithography mask aligners
- Proximity and contact aligners
- Projection mask aligners
- Automated mask handling systems
- Ultraviolet (UV) mask alignment systems
- Backside alignment systems for wafers
- Also under 8486.40
- KLA-Tencor e-beam mask writers
- Advantest V93000 ATE
- ASM Pacific Technology (ASMPT) wire bonders
- Disco DAD3000 dicing saws
- Teradyne UltraFLEX
Codes often confused with 8486.40
Common mistake. Mask aligners are sometimes misclassified under 8456.11 (laser machine tools) or 9010.50 (other apparatus for photographic laboratories). However, Note 11 to Chapter 84 mandates that machines meeting the description of heading 8486 must be classified there and nowhere else in the nomenclature.
Top exporters and importers of HS 848640 (the code used for mask aligner), 2025
In 2025, the largest exporter of HS 848640 (the code used for mask aligner) in UN Comtrade data was Singapore, with 32% of world exports; the largest importer in UN Comtrade data was China, with 31% of world imports. Countries that did not report 2025 data are estimated from partner records, which can understate them.
Figures cover everything classified under HS 848640, not only mask aligner.
Top exporters 2025 · share of world exports
- 1 Singapore $4.7B 32% of world exports
- 2 Japan $2.4B 16% of world exports
- 3 South Korea $1.9B 13% of world exports
World total: $14.8B Reported figures on UN Comtrade ↗
Top importers 2025 · share of world imports
- 1 China $4.6B 31% of world imports
- 2 Taiwan* ~$3.2B 21% of world imports · partner records ↗
- 3 South Korea $1.6B 11% of world imports
World total: $15.0B Reported figures on UN Comtrade ↗
How these figures are built
109 countries reported 2025 trade to UN Comtrade in HS 2022, and their own totals are used. Countries marked * did not, so their figures add up what other countries recorded trading with them, and their exports are valued at buyers' CIF prices. Those estimates miss trade with other non-reporting countries, so they can be low, and a non-reporting country can rank higher than shown or be missing from the list. World totals add both and leave out trade between two non-reporting countries. UN Comtrade records Taiwan as "Other Asia, not elsewhere specified". Saudi Arabia's exports under that code are left out: they are far too large to be trade with Taiwan, so mostly undisclosed partners. Figures are in current US dollars; reported imports are mostly valued CIF and exports FOB, and exports include re-exports. The UN Comtrade links show the underlying records; they can also list a few reporters left out here (regional groups and older HS editions).
Source: UN Comtrade (United Nations Statistics Division), 2025 annual data.
Brazil NCM code for mask aligner
Brazil classifies mask aligner under NCM 8486.40.00: HS 8486.40 with 00 added.
Source: Siscomex NCM table, updated Oct 2026. The Portuguese text on each NCM page is the official one.
Questions about mask aligner
What is the HS code for Mask aligner?
The HS code for Mask aligner is 848640 (Machines and apparatus of a kind used solely or principally for the manufacture or repair of masks and reticles, assembling semiconductor devices or electronic integrated circuits, or for lifting, handling, loading or unloading items of heading 8486). The correct HS code for a mask aligner used in semiconductor manufacturing is 8486.40.
How do I classify Mask aligner for customs?
Mask aligner is classified under HS code 848640 — Machines and apparatus of a kind used solely or principally for the manufacture or repair of masks and reticles, assembling semiconductor devices or electronic integrated circuits, or for lifting, handling, loading or unloading items of heading 8486. This is a 6-digit subheading level code.
Are spare parts for mask aligners under 8486.40?
Parts and accessories solely or principally for use with these machines are classified under 8486.90, not 8486.40.
Which countries are the top exporters of mask aligner (HS 848640)?
In 2025, the top exporters of HS 848640 (the code used for mask aligner) in UN Comtrade data were Singapore ($4.7B, 32% of world exports), Japan ($2.4B) and South Korea ($1.9B). World exports came to about $14.8B, adding countries' reported figures and partner-based estimates for those that did not report (UN Comtrade data). Countries that did not report 2025 data are estimated from partner records, which can understate them.
Which countries are the top importers of mask aligner (HS 848640)?
In 2025, the top importers of HS 848640 (the code used for mask aligner) in UN Comtrade data were China ($4.6B, 31% of world imports), Taiwan (about $3.2B) and South Korea ($1.6B). World imports came to about $15.0B, adding countries' reported figures and partner-based estimates for those that did not report (UN Comtrade data). Countries that did not report 2025 data are estimated from partner records, which can understate them.
Is the HS code for Mask aligner the same in all countries?
The base HS code 848640 for Mask aligner is internationally standardized for the first 6 digits across 200+ countries. Individual countries may add additional digits for national tariff lines and specific classifications.
What is the NCM code for mask aligner in Brazil?
In Brazil, mask aligner (HS 848640) is classified under NCM 8486.40.00.