HS code list and HTS codes finder

Millions of shipments are sent across the world and they all need to be checked, classified and taxed by customs authorities. Product names may differ from country to country. In order to have clarity in advance what is being shipped there is a system of so-called HS codes.

What Are Harmonized System (HS) Shipping Codes?

The HS code is a worldwide terminology for the classification of items. It helps customs in various countries to make sure that they are talking about the same product and the HS code of a product also determines the import duties. Worldwide it is a six-digit code framework for grouping and categories different merchandise and goods being exported. Some countries even specify further with an eight-digit code.

If you are an exporter of products and you know your HS-codes, then you can easily get more insights on how to grow your international sales. For example by looking at trends in import volumes and price levels per country.

Where to find the HS-code list?

Different countries may have different versions of the HS code list, but at least the first 6 digits are fully harmonised. You can find a good website to lookup the code for your product here.

How many Harmonized System (HS) shipping codes are there?

There are approximately in circulation 5,300 HS codes that identify export goods that are broken down into headings along with subheadings. They are also arranged into 99 different chapters around with being grouped into 21 sections. The shipping code is broken into the following three different parts:

  1. The first two digits give a rough indication of the product an refer to the various chapters of the list (HS-2).
  2. The following two digits within the code help to further identity the product category (HS-4).
  3. The final two digits within the code are extremely specific to the goods that are exported (HS-6).

There are only a couple of countries who do not follow the current version of the 3 for the HS-6 level. They apply the old version of Harmonized System rather than the new updated version.

Harmonized System and Harmonized Tariff Schedule

The Harmonized Systems (HS) is linked with the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) of the various countries where you want to export to, for example the one of the United States. Depending on the HS code that you assign to your goods, you will have to pay import duties. If you do not apply these codes correctly your goods may be seized or you may face penalties. Especially where two or more HS codes may be applied you may want to check first with customs in the target country.

Picking the right HS code is one thing, but you also need to check local regulations for your product, and the best way to get traction in a market. Because there may be more opportunities than the one importer that wants to buy from you…

The full 2-digit HS codes list

HS Code4 digit categoriesProduct descriptions
10101 – 0106Live animals
20201 – 0210Meat and edible meat offal
30301 – 0307Fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates
40401 – 0410Dairy produce; birds’ eggs; natural honey; edible products of animal origin, not elsewhere specified or included
50501 – 0511Products of animal origin, not elsewhere specified or included
60601 – 0604Live trees and other plants; bulbs, roots and the like; cut flowers and ornamental foliage
70701 – 0714Edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers
80801 – 0814Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruit or melons
90901 – 0910Coffee, tea, mate and spices
101001 – 1008Cereals
111101 – 1109Products of the milling industry; malt; starches; inulin; wheat gluten
121201 – 1214Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits; miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruit; industrial or medicinal plants ; straw and fodder
131301 – 1302Lac; gums, resins and other vegetable saps and extracts
141401 – 1404Vegetable plaiting materials; vegetable products not elsewhere specified or included
151501 – 1522Animal or vegetable fats and oils and their cleavage products; prepared edible fats; animal or vegetable waxes
161601 – 1605Preparations of meat, of fish or of crustaceans, molluscs or other aquatic invertebrates
171701 – 1704Sugars and sugar confectionery
181801 – 1806Cocoa and cocoa preparations
191901 – 1905Preparations of cereals, flour, starch or milk; pastrycooks’ products
202001 – 2009Preparations of vegetables, fruit, nuts or other parts of plants
212101 – 2106Miscellaneous edible preparations
222201 – 2209Beverages, spirits and vinegar
232301 – 2309Residues and waste from the food industries; prepared animal fodder
242401 – 2403Tobacco and manufactured tobacco substitutes
252501 – 2530Salt; sulphur; earths and stone; plastering materials, lime and cement
262601 – 2621Ores, slag and ash
272701 – 2715Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation; bituminous substances; mineral waxes
282801 – 2853Inorganic chemicals; organic or inorganic compounds of precious metals, of rare-earth metals, of radioactive elements or of isotopes
292901 – 2942Organic chemicals
303001 – 3006Pharmaceutical products
313101 – 3105Fertilisers
323201 – 3215Tanning or dyeing extracts; tannins and their derivatives; dyes, pigments and other colouring matter; paints and varnishes; putty and other mastics; inks
333301 – 3307Essential oils and resinoids; perfumery, cosmetic or toilet preparations
343401 – 3407Soap, organic surface-active agents, washing preparations, lubricating preparations, artificial waxes, prepared waxes, polishing or scouring preparations, candles and similar articles, modelling pastes, “dental waxes” and dental preparations with a basis of plaster
353501 – 3507Albuminoidal substances; modified starches; glues; enzymes
363601 – 3606Explosives; pyrotechnic products; matches; pyrophoric alloys; certain combustible preparations
373701 – 3707Photographic or cinematographic goods
383801 – 3825Miscellaneous chemical products
393901 – 3926Plastics and articles thereof
404001 – 4017Rubber and articles thereof
414101 – 4115Raw hides and skins (other than furskins) and leather
424201 – 4206Articles of leather; saddlery and harness; travel goods, handbags and similar containers; articles of animal gut (other than silk-worm gut)
434301 – 4304Furskins and artificial fur; manufactures thereof
444401 – 4421Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal
454501 – 4504Cork and articles of cork
464601 – 4602Manufactures of straw, of esparto or of other plaiting materials; basketware and wickerwork
474701 – 4707Pulp of wood or of other fibrous cellulosic material; waste and scrap of paper or paperboard
484801 – 4823Paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulp, of paper or of paperboard
494901 – 4911Printed books, newspapers, pictures and other products of the printing industry; manuscripts, typescripts and plans
505001 – 5007Silk
515101 – 5113Wool, fine or coarse animal hair; horsehair yarn and woven fabric
525201 – 5212Cotton
535301 – 5311Other vegetable textile fibres; paper yarn and woven fabrics of paper yarn
545401 – 5408Sewing thread of man-made filaments, whether or not put up for retail sale
555501 – 5516Man-made staple fibres
565601 – 5609Wadding, felt and nonwovens; special yarns; twine, cordage, ropes and cables and articles thereof
575701 – 5705Carpets and other textile floor coverings
585801 – 5811Special woven fabrics; tufted textile fabrics; lace; tapestries; trimmings; embroidery
595901 – 5911Impregnated, coated, covered or laminated textile fabrics; textile articles of a kind suitable for industrial use
606001 – 6006Knitted or crocheted fabrics
616101 – 6117Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, knitted or crocheted
626201 – 6217Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted or crocheted
636301 – 6310Other made up textile articles; sets; worn clothing and worn textile articles; rags
646401 – 6406Footwear, gaiters and the like; parts of such articles
656501 – 6507Headgear and parts thereof
666601 – 6603Umbrellas, sun umbrellas, walking-sticks, seat-sticks, whips, riding-crops and parts thereof
676701 – 6704Prepared feathers and down and articles made of feathers or of down; artificial flowers; articles of human hair
686801 – 6815Articles of stone, plaster, cement, asbestos, mica or similar materials
696901 – 6914Ceramic products
707001 – 7020Glass and glassware
717101 – 7118Natural or cultured pearls, precious or semi-precious stones, precious metals, metals clad with precious metal, and articles thereof; imitation jewellery; coin
727201 – 7229Iron and steel
737301 – 7326Articles of iron or steel
747401 – 7419Copper and articles thereof
757501 – 7508Nickel and articles thereof
767601 – 7616Aluminium and articles thereof
787801 – 7806Lead and articles thereof
797901 – 7907Zinc and articles thereof
808001 – 8007Tin and articles thereof
818101 – 8113Other base metals; cermets; articles thereof
828201 – 8215Tools, implements, cutlery, spoons and forks, of base metal; parts thereof of base metal
838301 – 8311Miscellaneous articles of base metal
848401 – 8487Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof
858501 – 8548Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers, television image and sound recorders and reproducers, and parts and accessories of such articles
868601 – 8609Railway or tramway locomotives, rolling-stock and parts thereof; railway or tramway track fixtures and fittings and parts thereof; mechanical (including electro-mechanical) traffic signalling equipment of all kinds
878701 – 8716Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling-stock, and parts and accessories thereof
888801 – 8805Aircraft, spacecraft, and parts thereof
898901 – 8908Ships, boats and floating structures
909001 – 9033Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof
919101 – 9114Clocks and watches and parts thereof
929201 – 9209Musical instruments; parts and accessories of such articles
939301 – 9307Arms and ammunition; parts and accessories thereof
949401 – 9406Furniture; bedding, mattresses, mattress supports, cushions and similar stuffed furnishings; lamps and lighting fittings, not elsewhere specified or included; illuminated signs, illuminated name-plates and the like; prefabricated buildings
959501 – 9508Toys, games and sports requisites; parts and accessories thereof
969601 – 9618Miscellaneous manufactured articles
979701 – 9706Works of art, collectors’ pieces, and antiques

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