The HS code for your product, with the evidence

Answer a few questions about your goods. We show the code, the duty in the US, UK and EU, the official tariff text, and the customs rulings that back it up.

Two US customs officers unloading sacks from a shipping container for inspection
US customs officers inspect a container at the Port of New York and New Jersey. The code on the paperwork tells them what should be inside. Photo: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, public domain.
US tariff lines
19,949
HS subheadings
5,612
US revisions in 2026
21
Data checked
2026-10-27

Product guides

Each guide asks only the questions customs uses to separate similar goods. The bar shows how far the US duty can swing between the possible codes.

Bars run from Free to 30% US general duty. New guides are added every week; see all guides.

How to read an HS code

The first six digits are shared by every country that uses the Harmonized System. Everything after that is national: the US, UK and EU each add their own digits and set their own rates. Pick a code to see what each part means, straight from the US tariff schedule.

Try a code:

    How customs decides between two codes

    Customs officers do not search for the closest-sounding description. They apply the six General Rules of Interpretation (GRI) in order, and our guides ask their questions the same way.

    1. GRI 1Heading text and legal notes first. The wording of the four-digit heading and the section and chapter notes decide most cases. Section and chapter titles are only a guide.
    2. GRI 2Unfinished and mixed goods. An incomplete or unassembled article that already has the essential character of the finished one is classified as finished. A material mixed with others still counts as that material.
    3. GRI 3When two headings fit. The more specific description wins. If that does not settle it, the material or part that gives the goods their essential character decides, as in a jacket with knit panels that CBP classified as woven. Failing both, the heading that comes last in numerical order applies.
    4. GRI 4Most similar goods. Goods that fit no heading go with the goods they most resemble.
    5. GRI 5Cases and packing. Fitted cases sold with the article, such as a camera case, and ordinary packing go with the goods they hold.
    6. GRI 6Same rules at subheading level. Once the heading is settled, the same logic picks the six-digit subheading, and then the national lines.

    Why a wrong code costs money

    The code sets the duty rate, decides which permits and inspections apply, and feeds every country's trade statistics. A woven polyester windbreaker pays 7.1% in the US if it passes the water-resistance test and 27.7% if it does not. Vinyl stickers pay 5.8%; decorative paper stickers pay nothing. Getting the code right is often worth more than negotiating the freight rate.

    That is why every guide on this site shows its evidence: the official tariff text, the duty from the official data, and where it exists, the customs ruling that classified similar goods.

    A US customs agriculture specialist takes a sample of grain from a shipping container
    A CBP agriculture specialist samples a grain shipment at the Port of Baltimore. Photo: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, public domain.

    Check codes without leaving the page

    The free HS Code Lookup browser extension puts the US schedule in your toolbar. Type a code, or select one on a supplier's quote and right-click, to see its official description, general duty rate and whether it really exists. The data is bundled, so lookups work offline, and it updates itself when USITC publishes a new revision.

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    Recent US tariff revisions

    USITC publishes a new revision of the US schedule whenever rates or lines change. We download each one, keep an archive, and recheck every guide against it. See what changed in each revision.

    1. 9 OctRevision 21 (2026) · current
    2. 28 SeptRevision 20 (2026)
    3. 15 SeptRevision 19 (2026)
    4. 2 SeptRevision 18 (2026)
    5. 24 AugRevision 17 (2026)
    6. 14 AugRevision 16 (2026)
    7. 3 AugRevision 15 (2026)
    8. 31 JulRevision 14 (2026)

    The 21 sections of the HS

    Every product belongs to one of 21 sections and 97 chapters. Knowing the section narrows the search before you look at a single code.

    SectionChaptersCoversFor example
    I1–5Live animals and animal productsmeat, fish, dairy, honey
    II6–14Vegetable productsplants, fruit, coffee, tea, rice
    III15Animal, vegetable and microbial fats and oilsolive oil, waxes
    IV16–24Prepared foods, drinks and tobaccochocolate, wine, supplements
    V25–27Mineral productssalt, stone, fuels
    VI28–38Chemical productscosmetics, perfume, soap
    VII39–40Plastics and rubbervinyl stickers, tyres, gloves
    VIII41–43Leather, handbags and travel goodsbags, wallets, backpacks
    IX44–46Wood, cork and basketwarewooden crafts, frames
    X47–49Paper, paperboard and printed matterbooks, boxes, labels, cards
    XI50–63Textiles and clothingyarn, fabric, jackets, T-shirts
    XII64–67Footwear, headgear and umbrellasshoes, hats, umbrellas
    XIII68–70Stone, ceramic and glass articlesmugs, glassware, tiles
    XIV71Precious metals, stones and jewelryrings, earrings, imitation jewelry
    XV72–83Base metals and metal articlesscrews, tools, keychains
    XVI84–85Machinery and electrical equipmentlaptops, phones, batteries
    XVII86–89Vehicles, aircraft and shipscar parts, bicycles
    XVIII90–92Optical and medical instruments, watches, musicsunglasses, watches, guitars
    XIX93Arms and ammunition
    XX94–96Miscellaneous manufactured articlesfurniture, toys, lamps, pens
    XXI97Works of art and antiquespaintings, sculptures

    Chapter 77 is reserved for future use. Chapters 98 and 99 are US-only provisions for special cases and additional duties.

    Questions people ask

    What is an HS code?

    The Harmonized System is a list of product categories kept by the World Customs Organization and used by more than 200 countries. Its six-digit codes describe goods the same way everywhere, so customs, trade statistics and duty rates can all refer to one shared list.

    Why does the US use 10 digits?

    The first six digits are the international HS code. The United States adds two digits that set the duty rate (the 8-digit tariff line) and two more for trade statistics. The current US schedule has 19,949 ten-digit lines.

    Is an HTS code the same as an HS code?

    HTS (Harmonized Tariff Schedule) is the US version of the HS. Its first six digits are the HS code; the extra digits are American. The UK and EU also add their own digits, so a full 10-digit code from one country usually does not exist in another.

    How often do codes and duty rates change?

    The HS itself is revised about every five years; the next edition takes effect in 2028. National rates change much more often: the US has published 21 revisions of its tariff schedule in 2026 so far.

    Who decides which code is right?

    The importer is responsible for declaring the correct code, and customs makes the final decision. For certainty before shipping, you can ask US Customs and Border Protection or the UK's HMRC for a binding ruling.

    What happens if I use the wrong code?

    You may pay the wrong duty, have goods held for inspection, or face penalties if customs finds the error was careless. Using an obviously generic code to avoid duty is treated more seriously than an honest mistake.

    Why trust these codes

    Official data, checked daily

    Codes and US rates come straight from the USITC tariff schedule, currently Revision 21 (2026). UK and EU rates come from the UK Trade Tariff. Nobody types a rate by hand.

    Real customs rulings

    Where CBP has ruled on a product, we quote the ruling word for word and link to it, so you can read the reasoning yourself.

    Honest about limits

    When the answer depends on facts about your goods, we ask. When no ruling exists, we say so. We never show a total duty we cannot verify. How we verify.