HTS Codes Explained: How to Find Your Tariff Code

What an HTS code is

An HTS code is a number that identifies a product for customs. The schedule is published by the US International Trade Commission (USITC) and enforced by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Every product traded internationally has one, and it determines the duty rate, whether extra fees or restrictions apply, and what statistical data is recorded.

How the digits work

HTS codes are built in layers, and each pair of digits narrows the description:

• First 6 digits: the international Harmonized System (HS), shared by more than 200 countries and economies. A product has the same first six digits almost everywhere.
• Digits 7 and 8: the US tariff line. This is where US-specific duty rates are set.
• Digits 9 and 10: the statistical suffix, used by the US to collect trade statistics. It does not usually change the duty rate.

For example, a code written as 1101.00.00 is an 8-digit tariff line. Codes are grouped into chapters by type of product (for example, cereals, machinery, or textiles), and chapters are grouped into sections.

How to read the duty rate columns

Each tariff line shows more than one rate. The main ones to know are:

• General (Column 1 General): the normal duty rate for countries with normal trade relations. This is the rate most importers pay.
• Special: reduced or free rates for goods from countries covered by a trade agreement or preference program. You usually have to claim and document the preference.
• Column 2: much higher rates that apply to a small number of countries that do not have normal trade relations with the US.

A rate can be a percentage of the value (ad valorem, such as 5%), a fixed amount per unit (specific, such as 0.7 cents per kilogram), or a combination. Beyond the HTS rate, additional duties can apply depending on the product and the country of origin, for example safeguard, national-security or anti-dumping and countervailing duties. These change often, so always check current notices from CBP before you quote a landed cost.

How to find the right code for your product

Classification follows the General Rules of Interpretation, which start from the wording of the headings and chapter notes. In practice:

• Describe the product precisely: what it is made of, what it does, how it is sold and how it is used.
• Search the schedule by keyword and browse the chapter to confirm the heading matches, reading the chapter and section notes.
• Compare with similar products and, for important or unusual products, look up CBP's public binding rulings (the CROSS database) for how similar goods were classified.
• If you are unsure and the amount at stake is large, ask a licensed customs broker or request a binding ruling from CBP.

Our free tariff tool lets you search the schedule by product description or by code and see the current duty rates, refreshed daily from the official USITC data.

Exports use a different schedule: Schedule B

The HTS is for imports. When you export from the US, you classify the goods under Schedule B, a 10-digit system maintained by the US Census Bureau. The first six digits match the international HS, so the code you use on export lines up with the code your buyer's country uses on import, which is what lets them calculate their own duties.

Why classification matters

A wrong code can mean paying too much duty, paying too little and facing penalties later, or having goods held at the border. The importer of record is responsible for correct classification, so importers should never rely blindly on a supplier's code. Suppliers can still help enormously by including a well-researched code on the commercial invoice.

Frequently asked questions