HS Code or Harmonized System Code

What is a Harmonized code (HS Code)?

The Harmonized System of Classification (HS) is widely used in business to classify goods for export. Standardized numerical classification for traded products is called the Harmonized System. Across the world, it is used to identify products and collect statistics for assessing domestic and international tariffs and taxes.
World Customs Organization (WCO) is in charge of managing the HS, and it is updated every five years. U.S. and many trading partners use it to classify imports and exports.

Numerous classes and commodities are assigned separate six-digit codes by the HS. The first six numbers are further categorized in some countries by adding longer codes.

  • Shipments worth more than $2,500, or those requiring a license, should be reported through the Automated Export System.
  • Determine the type of physical goods that should be shipped overseas.
  • Obtain the appropriate shipping documentation, such as the shipper’s letter of instructions, commercial invoice or certificate of origin.
  • Analyze import tariff (duty) rates and determine which products are eligible for free trade agreements’ preferential tariffs.
    Collect trade data and conduct market research.
  • Assure compliance with US law, if applicable.
hs code

The (HS code) Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System, also known as the Harmonized System code (HS Code) of tariff nomenclature is an internationally standardized system of names and numbers to classify traded products. It came into effect in 1988 and has since been developed and maintained by the World Customs Organization (WCO) (formerly the Customs Co-operation Council), an independent intergovernmental organization based in Brussels, Belgium, with over 200 member countries.

Structure:-
The HS code is organized logically by economic activity or component material. For example, animals and animal products are found in one section of the HS, while machinery and mechanical appliances are found in another. The HS is organized into 21 sections, which are subdivided into 99 chapters. The 99 HS chapters are further subdivided into 1,244 headings and 5224 subheadings.

Section and Chapter titles describe broad categories of goods, while headings and subheadings describe products in more detail. Generally, HS sections and chapters are arranged in order of a product’s degree of manufacture or in terms of its technological complexity. Natural commodities, such as live animals and vegetables, for example, are described in the early sections of the HS, whereas more evolved goods such as machinery and precision instruments are described in later sections.

Chapters within the individual sections are also usually organized in order of complexity or degree of manufacture. For example, within Section X (Pulp of wood or of other fibrous cellulosic material; Recovered (waste and scrap) paper or paperboard; Paper and paperboard and articles thereof), Chapter 47 provides for pulp of wood or of other fibrous cellulosic materials, whereas Chapter 49 covers printed books, newspapers, and other printed matter. Finally, the headings within individual Chapters follow a similar order. For example, the first heading in Chapter 50 (Silk) provides for silk worm cocoons while articles made of silk are covered by the chapter’s later headings.

The HS code consists of 6-digits. The first two digits designate the HS code Chapter. The second two digits designate the HS heading. The third two digits designate the HS subheading. HS code 1006.30, for example indicates Chapter 10 (Cereals), Heading 06 (Rice), and Subheading 30 (Semi-milled or wholly milled rice, whether or not polished or glazed).

In addition to the HS codes and commodity descriptions, each Section and Chapter of the HS is prefaced by Legal Notes, which are designed to clarify the proper classification of goods.

To ensure harmonization, the contracting parties to the Convention on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System, have agreed to base their national tariff schedules on the HS nomenclature and Legal Notes. Parties are permitted to subdivide the HS nomenclature beyond 6-digits and add their own Legal Notes according to their own tariff and statistical requirements. Parties often set their customs duties at the 8-digit “tariff code” level. Statistical suffixes are often added to the 8-digit tariff code for a total of 10 digits.

HS Chapter 77 is reserved for common use by the parties internationally. Chapters 98 and 99 are reserved for national use. Chapter 98 comprises special classification provisions, and chapter 99 contains temporary modifications pursuant to a parties’ national directive or legislation.

Since its creation, the HS has undergone several revisions – ostensibly, to either eliminate headings and subheadings describing commodities that are no longer traded, or to create headings and subheadings that address technological advancements and environmental concerns. The current version of the HS Code became effective on January 1, 2017.

Depending on the various countries they can add more digits making it 8 or 10 digits..

To Know more about customs Hs code. kindly contact below:-

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Hs Code are divided as Below:-

SECTION I: LIVE ANIMALS; ANIMAL PRODUCTS

Chapter 1
Live animals
Chapter 2
Meat and edible meat offal
Chapter 3
Fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates
Chapter 4
Dairy produce; birds eggs; natural honey; edible products of animal origin, not elsewhere specified or included
Chapter 5
Products of animal origin, not elsewhere specified or included.

SECTION II: VEGETABLE PRODUCTS

Chapter 6
Live trees and other plants; bulbs, roots and the like; cut flowers and ornamental foliage
Chapter 7
Edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers
Chapter 8
Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruit or melons
Chapter 9
Coffee, tea, maté and spices
Chapter 10
Cereals
Chapter 11
Products of the milling industry; malt; starches; inulin; wheat gluten
Chapter 12
Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits; miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruits; industrial or medicinal plants; straw and fodder
Chapter 13
Lac; gums, resins and other vegetable saps and extracts
Chapter 14
Vegetable plaiting materials; vegetable products not elsewhere specified or included.

SECTION III: ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE FATS AND OILS AND THEIR CLEAVAGE PRODUCTS; PREPARED EDIBLE FATS; ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE WAXES

Chapter 15
Animal or vegetable fats and oils and their cleavage products prepared edible fats; animal or vegetable waxes

SECTION IV: PREPARED FOODSTUFFS; BEVERAGES, SPIRITS, AND VINEGAR; TOBACCO AND MANUFACTURED TOBACCO SUBSTITUTES

Chapter 16
Preparations of meat, of fish or of crustaceans, molluscs or other aquatic invertebrates
Chapter 17
Sugars and sugar confectionery
Chapter 18
Cocoa and cocoa preparations
Chapter 19
Preparations of cereals, flour, starch or milk; bakers’ wares
Chapter 20
Preparations of vegetables, fruit, nuts or other parts of plants
Chapter 21
Miscellaneous edible preparations
Chapter 22
Beverages, spirits and vinegar
Chapter 23
Residues and waste from the food industries; prepared animal feed
Chapter 24
Tobacco and manufactured tobacco substitutes

SECTION V: MINERAL PRODUCTS

Chapter 25
Salt; sulfur; earths and stone; plastering materials, lime and cement
Chapter 26
Ores, slag and ash
Chapter 27
Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation; bituminous substances; mineral waxes

SECTION VI: PRODUCTS OF THE CHEMICAL OR ALLIED INDUSTRIES

Chapter 28
Inorganic chemicals; organic or inorgani c compounds of precious metals, of rare-earth metals,of radioactive elements or of isotopes
Chapter 29
Organic chemicals
Chapter 30
Pharmaceutical products
Chapter 31
Fertilizers
Chapter 32
Tanning or dyeing extracts; dyes, pigments, paints, varnishes, putty and mastics
Chapter 33
Essential oils and resinoids; perfumery, cosmetic or toilet preparations
Chapter 34
Soap, organic surface-active agents, washing preparations, lubricating preparations, artificial waxes, prepared waxes, polishing or scouring preparations, candles and similar articles, modeling pastes, “dental waxes” and dental preparations with a basis of plaster
Chapter 35
Albuminoidal substances; modified starches; glues; enzymes
Chapter 36
Explosives; pyrotechnic products; matches; pyrophoric alloys; certain combustible preparations
Chapter 37
Photographic or cinematographic goods
Chapter 38
Miscellaneous chemical products

SECTION VII: PLASTICS AND ARTICLES THEREOF RUBBER AND ARTICLES THEREOF

Chapter 39
pastics and articles thereof
Chapter 40
Rubber and articles thereof

SECTION VIII: RAW HIDES AND SKINS, LEATHER, FURSKINS AND ARTICLES THEREOF; SADDLERY AND HARNESS; TRAVEL GOODS, HANDBAGS AND SIMILAR CONTAINERS; ARTICLES OF ANIMAL GUT (OTHER THAN SILKWORM GUT)

Chapter 41
Raw hides and skins (other than furskins) and leather
Chapter 42
Articles of leather; saddlery and harness; travel goods, handbags and similar containers; articles of animal gut (other than silkworm gut)
Chapter 43
Furskins and artificial fur; manufactures thereof

SECTION IX: WOOD AND ARTICLES OF WOOD; WOOD CHARCOAL; CORK AND ARTICLES OF CORK; MANUFACTURERS OF STRAW,OF ESPARTO OR OF OTHER PLAITING MATERIALS; BASKETWARE AND WICKERWORK

Chapter 44
Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal
Chapter 45
Cork and articles of cork
Chapter 46
Manufactures of straw, of esparto or of other plaiting materials; basketware and wickerwork

SECTION X: PULP OF WOOD OR OF OTHER FIBROUS CELLULOSIC MATERIAL; WASTE AND SCRAP OF PAPER OR PAPERBOARD; PAPER AND PAPERBOARD AND ARTICLES THEREOF

Chapter 47
Pulp of wood or of other fibrous cellulosic material; waste and scrap of paper or paperboard
Chapter 48
Paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulp, of paper or of paperboard
Chapter 49
Printed books, newspapers, pictures and other products of the printing industry; manuscripts, typescripts and plans

SECTION XI: TEXTILE AND TEXTILE ARTICLES

chapter 50
silk
chapter 51
Wool, fine or coarse animal hair; horsehair yarn and woven fabric
Chapter 52
Cotton
Chapter 53
Other vegetable textile fibers; paper yarn and woven fabric of paper yarn
Chapter 54
Man-made filaments
Chapter 55
Man-made staple fibers
Chapter 56
Wadding, felt and nonwovens; special yarns, twine, cordage, ropes and cables and articles thereof
Chapter 57
Carpets and other textile floor coverings
Chapter 58
Special woven fabrics; tufted textile fabrics; lace, tapestries; trimmings; embroidery
Chapter 59
Impregnated, coated, covered or laminated textile fabrics; textile articles of a kind suitable for industrial use
Chapter 60
Knitted or crocheted fabrics
Chapter 61
Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, knitted or crocheted
Chapter 62
Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted or crocheted
Chapter 63
Other made up textile articles; sets; worn clothing and worn textile articles; rags

SECTION XII: FOOTWEAR, HEADGEAR, UMBRELLAS, SUN UMBRELLAS, WALKING STICKS, SEATSTICKS, WHIPS, RIDING-CROPS AND PARTS THEREOF; PREPARED FEATHERS AND ARTICLES MADE THEREWITH; ARTIFICIAL FLOWERS; ARTICLES OF HUMAN HAIR

Chapter 64
Footwear, gaiters and the like; parts of such articles
Chapter 65
Headgear and parts thereof
Chapter 66
Umbrellas, sun umbrellas, walking sticks, seatsticks, whips, riding-crops and parts thereof
Chapter 67
Prepared feathers and down and articles made of feathers or of down; artificial flowers; articles of human hair

SECTION XIII: ARTICLES OF STONE, PLASTER, CEMENT, ASBESTOS, MICA OR SIMILAR MATERIALS; CERAMIC PRODUCTS; GLASS AND GLASSWARE

Chapter 68
Articles of stone, plaster, cement, asbestos, mica or similar materials
Chapter 69
Ceramic products
Chapter 70
Glass and glassware

SECTION XIV: NATURAL OR CULTURED PEARLS, PRECIOUS OR SEMIPRECIOUS STONES, PRECIOUS METALS, METALS CLAD WITH PRECIOUS METAL, AND ARTICLES THEREOF; IMITATION JEWELRY; COIN

Chapter 71
Natural or cultured pearls, precious or semi-precious stones,precious metals, metals clad with precious metal and articles thereof; imitation jewelry; coin

SECTION XV:BASE METALS AND ARTICLES OF BASE METAL

Chapter 72
Iron and steel
Chapter 73
Articles of iron or steel
Chapter 74
Copper and articles thereof
Chapter 75
Nickel and articles thereof
Capter 76
Aluminum and articles thereof
Chapter 77
(Reserved for possible future use)
Chapter 78
Lead and articles thereof
Chapter 79
Zinc and articles thereof
Chapter 80
Tin and articles thereof
Chapter 81
Other base metals; cermets; articles thereof
Chapter 82
Tools, implements, cutlery, spoons and forks, of base metal; parts thereof of base metal
Chapter 83
Miscellaneous articles of base metal

SECTION XVI: MACHINERY AND MECHANICAL APPLIANCES; ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT; PARTS THEREOF; SOUND RECORDERS AND REPRODUCERS, TELEVISION IMAGE AND SOUND RECORDERS AND REPRODUCERS, AND PARTS AND ACCESSORIES OF SUCH ARTICLES

Chapter 84
Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof
Chapter 85
Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers, television image and sound recorders and reproducers, and parts and accessories of such articles

SECTION XVII: VEHICLES, AIRCRAFT, VESSELS AND ASSOCIATED TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT

Chapter 86
Railway 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
Chapter 87
Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories thereof
Chapter 88
Aircraft, spacecraft, and parts thereof
Chapter 89
Chapter 90
Optical, photographic, cinShips, boats and floating structures

SECTION XVIII: OPTICAL, PHOTOGRAPHIC, CINEMATOGRAPHIC, MEASURING, CHECKING, PRECISION, MEDICAL OR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS AND APPARATUS; CLOCKS AND WATCHES; MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; PARTS AND ACCESSORIES THEREOF

ematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof
Chapter 91
Clocks and watches and parts thereof
Chapter 92
Musical instruments; parts and accessories of such articles

SECTION XIX: ARMS AND AMMUNITION; PARTS AND ACCESSORIES THEREOF

Chapter 93
Arms and ammunition; parts and accessories thereof

SECTION XX: MISCELLANEOUS MANUFACTURED ARTICLES

Chapter 94
Furniture; bedding, mattresses, mattress supports, cushions and similar stuffed furnishings; lamps and lighting fittings, not elsewhere specified or included; illuminated sign illuminated nameplates and the like; prefabricated buildings
Chapter 95
Toys, games and sports requisites; parts and accessories thereof
Chapter 96
Miscellaneous manufactured articles

SECTION XXI: WORKS OF ART, COLLECTORS’ PIECES AND ANTIQUES

Chapter 97
Works of art, collectors’ pieces and antiques

SECTION XXII: SPECIAL CLASSIFICATION PROVISIONS;

Chapter 98
Special classification provisions

To Know more about customs Hs code. kindly contact below:-
Alma Cargo Forwarding and Clearing L.L.C
Email:-Alsahal@emirates.net.ae / Info@almacargouae.com
Tel:-050-6240236/04-3790945
Web:-http://almacargodubai.com

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