Finding the right 10-digit HTS code for your product is one of the most important — and most error-prone — steps in US importing. This guide walks you through every method, tool, and safeguard.
The Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) is the official list of every import classification code and associated duty rate. It's maintained by the US International Trade Commission (USITC) and published at hts.usitc.gov.
The HTS is updated continuously — multiple times per year — to reflect:
• Section 301 China tariff list changes
• USMCA and other FTA modifications
• Technical corrections and new product categories
• Presidential proclamations and Congressional amendments
Always use the current version at hts.usitc.gov rather than a cached copy.
Step 1: Describe your product precisely
Write down the product's material composition, function, how it's used, and whether it's finished, semi-finished, or a part/component. Customs classification is highly specific.
Step 2: Identify the chapter
The HTS has 97 chapters organized by product type. Browse the chapter list at hts.usitc.gov/reststop/api/details/C/0 or use the search function. Key chapters: Chapter 84 (machinery), Chapter 85 (electronics), Chapter 61-63 (textiles/apparel), Chapter 39 (plastics).
Step 3: Read the chapter and section notes
Before diving into headings, read the Legal Notes for the chapter and its section. These notes are legally binding and often exclude or include specific products from the chapter.
Step 4: Match to a 4-digit heading
Find the heading whose description most closely matches your product's nature or function (not just its name).
Step 5: Drill to the 6-digit subheading
Break down the heading into subheadings. Apply the WCO General Rules of Interpretation if the product could fit more than one.
Step 6: Add the 4-digit US-specific statistical suffix
The final 4 digits are the US statistical suffix — they further define the product and determine the duty rate. Read the column 1 (MFN) and column 2 rates, plus any special program rates (A for GSP, CA for USMCA, etc.).
This is one of the most common points of confusion for US traders:
HTS (Harmonized Tariff Schedule):
• Used for US imports
• Maintained by USITC
• 10 digits
• Determines duty rate on incoming goods
• Filed on CBP Form 7501 (Entry Summary)
Schedule B:
• Used for US exports
• Maintained by US Census Bureau
• 10 digits
• Required on Electronic Export Information (EEI) filings via AES
The overlap: The first 6 digits (the HS base) are identical between HTS and Schedule B. The final 4 digits often differ. Never use a Schedule B code on an import entry — CBP will reject or misprocess it.
Official tools:
• hts.usitc.gov — The authoritative HTSUS browser. Use the General Notes and chapter notes alongside classification.
• CBP CROSS — CBP's ruling search system. Search for binding rulings on similar products to see how CBP has classified them.
• Census Schedule B Search Engine — If you're exporting, use the Census Bureau's Schedule B search tool at uscensus.prod.3ceonline.com.
Third-party tools:
• Flexport HS Code Lookup — AI-assisted initial classification (not authoritative — always verify)
• Zonos Classify — Another AI-assisted tool for e-commerce sellers
• WCO HS Compendium — Good for international classification reference
Professional resources:
• Licensed Customs Brokers (LCBs) — Always recommended for high-value or complex products
• Trade attorneys — For products with significant duty exposure or legal uncertainty
• Don't rely on supplier-provided codes: Foreign exporters use their country's codes, which share the first 6 digits with HTS but differ in the final 4. Always verify the full 10-digit HTS yourself.
• Request CBP binding rulings for high-volume products: A ruling letter legally binds CBP to honor the classification. Essential if you're importing millions of dollars of a product annually.
• Document your classification rationale: Keep a classification worksheet for each product. If CBP audits you, showing a reasoned analysis demonstrates good faith.
• Monitor HTS updates: Subscribe to USITC update notices. HTS changes can affect your duty rate without any action on your part — you need to know when your code changes.
• Be especially careful with Chapter 99 Section 301 tariffs: Section 301 tariffs are applied as additional duties using Chapter 99 codes that stack on top of the base HTS rate. Both codes must appear on the entry.
When classification is genuinely ambiguous — and it often is — here's the decision framework:
1. Search CROSS for similar product rulings: CBP rulings are public and searchable. If CBP has ruled on a similar product, that's strong guidance (though not binding on your specific product).
2. Consult the Explanatory Notes: The WCO's Explanatory Notes are the official guide to HS interpretation. Available at wcoomd.org — not legally binding in the US, but courts give them weight.
3. File under protest: If you must import immediately but are unsure of the code, file under the code you believe is correct, then file a protest (CBP Form 19) within 180 days if you change your mind.
4. Hire a licensed customs broker: For anything over $2,500 or with significant duty exposure, a customs broker's fee is almost always worth it.
Real US CBP manifest data for freight brokers and importers
Yes — the HTSUS (Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States) is the US tariff schedule for imports. It lists every product classification code and the corresponding duty rate (both the standard MFN rate and any special program rates). It's maintained by USITC and available free at hts.usitc.gov.
US HTS codes are 10 digits. The first 6 match the international HS code used worldwide. Digits 7-8 are the US-specific subheading. Digits 9-10 are the statistical suffix. All 10 digits are required on US import entry documents.
Generally yes, but verify it's still current. HTS codes change — subheadings get added, deleted, or renumbered. Section 301 tariff lists also expand and change. What was correct 12 months ago may have been superseded. Always verify against the current USITC HTS before each import cycle.
Column 1 rates (also called MFN or Normal Trade Relations rates) apply to imports from most countries — essentially anyone with normal trade relations with the US. Column 2 rates are the much higher statutory rates that apply to a handful of countries without normal trade relations (currently Cuba and North Korea). Almost all US imports use Column 1 rates.
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