HS Code Lookup: How to Find Yours

The Harmonized System (HS) is the six-digit international classification standard for traded goods, maintained by the World Customs Organization (WCO) and used by over 200 countries. It is the foundation of every tariff lookup, every customs declaration, and every cross-border trade statistic. Get the HS wrong and the rest of your customs work, from duty to FDA registration to AD/CVD exposure, follows the wrong path.

This guide explains how to find the right code, the GRI rules that govern classification, and the resources you should use.

Structure of the HS

The HS is hierarchical:

• Chapter (2 digits): broad category. Chapter 09 is "coffee, tea, mate, spices". Chapter 84 is "machinery". Chapter 85 is "electrical machinery and equipment".
• Heading (4 digits): finer category within the chapter. 0901 is "coffee". 8471 is "automatic data processing machines".
• Subheading (6 digits): even finer. 0901.21 is "roasted coffee, not decaffeinated". 8471.30 is "portable ADP machines weighing not more than 10 kg".
• Tariff line / national breakout (8 or 10 digits): country-specific. The US HTSUS 0901.21.00.10 is roasted Arabica coffee, not decaffeinated, in retail packages 2 kg or less.

The first six digits are common worldwide. Countries extend the code to capture their own statistical and tariff distinctions.

The General Rules of Interpretation (GRI)

The HS has six General Rules of Interpretation. They govern how to assign a code to a specific good.

GRI 1

Classification is determined by the terms of the headings and any relative section or chapter notes. The titles of sections, chapters, and sub-chapters are for ease of reference only.

In practice: read the heading text. If your product is clearly covered by one heading and excluded from others, GRI 1 settles it.

GRI 2

(a) Any reference to an article includes that article in incomplete or unfinished form, provided it has the essential character of the complete article. (b) Any reference to a material includes mixtures or combinations of that material with others.

In practice: an unassembled bicycle in a box is still a bicycle. A 70 percent cotton, 30 percent polyester shirt is still classified in cotton if cotton predominates.

GRI 3

When goods are prima facie classifiable under two or more headings:

(a) The heading providing the most specific description shall be preferred to the one providing a more general description. (b) Composite goods consisting of different materials or different components, and not classifiable by GRI 3(a), shall be classified by the material or component that gives them their essential character. (c) When 3(a) and 3(b) cannot resolve it, the goods shall be classified under the heading which occurs last in numerical order.

In practice: GRI 3(b) "essential character" is the most-litigated rule. Is it a vacuum cleaner with a flashlight, or a flashlight with a vacuum? CBP's CROSS rulings show the analysis.

GRI 4

If still unresolved, classification follows the heading most akin (by character, function, etc.).

GRI 5

(a) Specially shaped containers presented with the article (e.g., a camera case shipped with a camera) are classified with the article if normally sold with it. (b) Packing materials and containers are classified with the goods if of a kind normally used.

GRI 6

The same rules apply at the subheading level.

Section and chapter notes

Each section and chapter has explanatory notes that override the heading text. They exclude certain goods, include others, and define terms. Always read the chapter notes before settling on a code.

Example: chapter 30 (pharmaceuticals) note 1(a) excludes foods. So a vitamin-fortified breakfast cereal is not chapter 30 even though it contains vitamins; it is chapter 19 (cereals).

The lookup process

Practical steps for classifying a new product:

1. Describe the product precisely

Write a one-paragraph description covering:

• What is it?
• What is it made of (material, fiber, principal active ingredient)?
• What is it for?
• How is it used?
• How is it presented (retail packaging, bulk, etc.)?

2. Identify the chapter

Use the chapter titles as a starting orientation. Chapter 61 vs 62 (knit vs woven apparel). Chapter 84 vs 85 (mechanical vs electrical). Etc.

3. Identify candidate headings

Within the chapter, look for headings whose text covers your product. Often two or three candidates emerge.

4. Apply GRI 1, then GRI 3 if needed

If one heading covers it cleanly, GRI 1 is your answer. If two or more apply, apply GRI 3.

5. Read the chapter notes

Verify no exclusion sends your product elsewhere.

6. Identify the 6-digit subheading

Subheadings further subdivide the heading. Read the dashes (-, --, ---) which indicate the subheading hierarchy.

7. Extend to 8 or 10 digits per the destination country

For US imports, the 10-digit HTSUS code. For EU imports, the 8-digit CN code.

8. Cross-reference CBP CROSS rulings

CROSS (Customs Rulings Online Search System) is the searchable archive of binding ruling letters issued by CBP. Search by product description. Rulings on similar products are valuable precedent.

9. Sanity check

Apply the proposed code to the LandedFees calculator. Does the resulting duty rate seem right for the product? If the duty is wildly out of line with industry norms, re-examine.

Common classification mistakes

• Confusing "specific function" articles with general categories: a device that does one named thing belongs in the specific heading, not the general one. A musical doorbell is HTS 8531.80 (electric sound or visual signaling apparatus), not chapter 92 (musical instruments) or 95 (toys).
• Misclassifying composite goods: kits, gift sets, multi-function devices. Apply GRI 3(b) and find essential character.
• Ignoring chapter notes: especially the exclusion notes at the beginning of every chapter.
• Using "household" headings for industrial products: many heading texts distinguish household from industrial.
• Wrong fiber content for textiles: classify by predominating fiber by weight, not by what the label claims.

When to request a binding ruling

For high-value or recurring shipments, request a binding ruling from CBP before importing. The process:

1. Submit a Form 28 or Form 29 ruling request to CBP Headquarters or to the National Commodity Specialist Division.
2. Include detailed product description, photos or samples, proposed classification, and supporting analysis.
3. CBP issues a binding ruling, usually within 30 to 90 days.
4. The ruling is binding on CBP and the importer for that product.

A binding ruling is invaluable for novel products, products with ambiguous classification, or products where the classification difference is several percentage points of duty.

Resources

• WCO HS Database: the international authoritative source for HS to 6 digits.
• USITC HTS Online: US HTSUS to 10 digits, with duty rates and chapter 99 special provisions.
• EU TARIC: EU CN code with all member-state measures.
• UK Online Trade Tariff: UKGT with UK-specific measures.
• CBP CROSS: binding ruling archive.
• LandedFees HS lookup: AI-assisted classification with chapter notes and CROSS cross-references.

How the calculator handles classification

The LandedFees HS lookup tool lets you describe a product, get an AI-proposed HS code, and review:

• The chapter notes and heading text that justify the code.
• Similar CROSS rulings.
• Alternative codes that might apply, with reasons for and against.
• The resulting duty rate at the chosen destination.

For new products, treat the AI suggestion as a starting point and verify before relying on it for entries.

Related guides

• 10 Most Misclassified HS Codes (and how to fix them)
• Chapter 84 vs 85: Machinery vs Electrical
• Chapter 61 vs 62: Knit vs Woven Apparel
• Chemistry HS Codes: Using CAS Numbers
• Steel HS Codes Under Section 232
• Pharma HS Codes and FDA Requirements

Try the LandedFees HS lookup tool for AI-assisted classification.