What is a tariff code?

The same thing under many names

"Tariff code" is a generic term. Depending on who is speaking and which border is involved, the same concept is called a commodity code, a customs code, a classification code, a harmonized code, an HS code, an HTS code or a TARIC code. They all describe a hierarchical number derived from the World Customs Organization's Harmonized System.

What it controls

• Duty rate. The percentage or per-unit charge collected on import.
• Trade remedies. Antidumping, countervailing, Section 232 and Section 301 tariffs are applied by code.
• Agency requirements. Whether FDA, USDA, FCC, EPA or another agency needs to review the shipment.
• Quotas and licences. Tariff-rate quotas and import licensing are administered by code.
• Trade agreement eligibility. Rules of origin are written against specific headings.

Who needs one

Anyone who is the importer of record on a commercial shipment. That includes ecommerce sellers importing their own inventory, manufacturers bringing in components, and anyone selling into the US from abroad on delivered terms. Your freight forwarder or broker can advise, but the legal duty of reasonable care sits with the importer — not the broker, and not the supplier.

Tariff codes are not universal beyond six digits

The first six digits are shared internationally. Beyond that, each country extends the code for its own duty and statistics purposes, which is why a code that is valid in the EU may not exist in the US schedule. See the full comparison.

Find your code

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