HS Code Lookup
Search HS Codes
Type a product keyword (e.g. laptop, cotton t-shirt) or an HS prefix (e.g. 8471) to find the right tariff code. Results update as you type.
What is an HS Code?
The Harmonized System (HS) is a global product-classification standard maintained by the World Customs Organization (WCO), used by 200+ countries to classify traded goods. Every customs declaration in international trade needs the right HS code — it determines duty rate, tax, licensing requirements, and whether your shipment can move at all.
HS codes are 6 digits at the international level. Most countries extend them with national digits: the EU uses 8-digit CN codes, the US uses 10-digit HTSUS codes, and the UK uses its 10-digit Trade Tariff. The first 6 digits are always the same worldwide — the extra digits are how each customs authority breaks down national statistical or duty distinctions.
How to find the right code
- Start with what the product is, not what it does.A “Bluetooth speaker” is classified by being a speaker (heading 8518), not by its connectivity. Material and function trump brand language.
- Use the most specific code that applies. HS hierarchy: chapter (2 digits) → heading (4) → subheading (6) → national digits. Always pick the deepest level your authority publishes. A 6-digit code on a US import will get rejected — they want 10.
- Check the section/chapter noteson the individual code page. They contain the exclusions that decide close calls — “parts of X are classified with X, not with the parts chapter” is a common one.
- When in doubt, request a binding ruling. US (CBP eRulings), EU (BTI), UK (Advance Tariff Ruling) all offer free, legally binding classification rulings. Takes 30-90 days but locks the code in for 3-5 years.
Frequently asked questions
Is the HS code the same as the HTS or CN code?
The first 6 digits are the same — that's the international HS. The HTS (US) and CN (EU) extend HS with extra national digits. A US HTSUS code like 8517.13.00.00 is HS heading 8517, subheading 13, with US-specific statistical digits 00.00.
What happens if I use the wrong HS code?
Three things, in increasing severity: (1) you pay the wrong duty rate, (2) customs holds the shipment for verification, (3) repeated misclassification can trigger penalties or a misdeclaration audit. Honest mistakes are usually settled by paying the duty differential plus a small fine.
Which jurisdiction should I search?
Search the destinationcountry's schedule. The destination customs authority is the one that classifies your import — origin classification is irrelevant to them. Shipping to the US? Use US HTS. Shipping into the EU? Use the EU CN. The International (HS 2022) option here gives you the common 6-digit base when you're researching or when destination data isn't yet ingested.
Why does the same product have different codes in different countries?
The first 6 digits should match across countries — that's the WCO standard. The national digits differ because each authority breaks down its own duty and statistical categories. A laptop is HS 8471.30 globally, but the US adds 00.00 (no sub-distinction), while the EU CN adds further digits to distinguish processor architecture and screen size for trade-flow reporting.
How is the data here kept current?
The catalogue is ingested from the authoritative source per jurisdiction: WCO HS 2022 reference list, US ITC Harmonized Tariff Schedule, EU Combined Nomenclature (Publications Office), UK Trade Tariff. Each schedule is re-ingested when the publishing authority releases an update — quarterly for US HTSUS, annually for EU CN.
Don't know where to start?
Browse the catalog by chapter, or jump straight into the invoice wizard which has built-in autocomplete.