What is HS Code ?

June 12, 2015

The Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS) is the mechanism by which international tariffs are standardized. If you ship items overseas, you are required to classify them according to the harmonized system. Each country has its own Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS), i.e, USA HTS Code 8473309100.

The description and coding system of global tariffs is an internationally standardized system of names and numbers for classifying products. The first 6 digits of any HTS code is (in theory) the same for any country. Beyond the six digit level, individual countries sometimes have different rules for classification. Importers and Exporters the world over must classify all goods moved across international borders using the Harmonized System of the country of import. Every item you sell must be assigned an HTS code according to the Customs tariff schedule of the country from which you are selling.

The Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) is organized into 22 sections and 99 chapters, accompanied with general rules of interpretation and explanatory notes.

The Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States

 

 

Anatomy of the USA HTS Code of 8473309100.