What is an HS code?
An HS code is a 6-digit code from the Harmonized System, the product classification the World Customs Organization maintains and almost every country builds its tariff on. The first 2 digits are the chapter, the first 4 the heading, and all 6 the subheading. Countries add their own digits for their duty rates.
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Look up an HS code by product name or code. Choose a country to see its national lines instead of the 6 digits.
Chapters, headings and subheadings
The Harmonized System groups goods into chapters by what they are or what they are made of: chapter 61 is knitted clothing, 84 machinery, 95 toys and sports goods. Each chapter splits into 4-digit headings, and each heading into 6-digit subheadings.
Section and chapter notes come with the codes and are part of the legal text: they say what a chapter includes and leaves out, and often decide a classification on their own.
Why countries add digits
The 6 digits are shared, but duty rates are national, so each country adds digits for its own lines: the US HTS uses 10, the EU Combined Nomenclature 8 (and TARIC 10), the UK 10. The first 6 digits match in all of them, which is why one HS code is a good start for any destination.
How to classify a product
Classification follows the General Rules of Interpretation, in order: the heading texts and notes first, then rules for incomplete goods, mixtures, sets and the most specific description. Material, function and how the product is put together matter more than its name.
Frequently asked questions
How many digits does an HS code have?
Six. Longer codes, such as the 8-digit EU CN code or the 10-digit US HTS code, are national extensions that start with the 6-digit HS code.
Who decides a product’s HS code?
The importer declares it, and the destination’s customs can check and change it. A binding ruling from that customs authority is the only answer it must follow.
Do HS codes change?
Yes. The World Customs Organization revises the Harmonized System every five or six years (the current edition is HS 2022), and countries change their own extra digits more often.