What an HTS Code Actually Is

The Harmonized Tariff Schedule code is a 10-digit number that determines how much duty you pay on every unit you import. The first six digits are internationally standardized — the same product has the same first six digits in most countries. The last four digits are US-specific and determine the exact duty rate that applies.

Getting your HTS code wrong is expensive. If you're paying 12% duty when the correct code is 4%, you're leaving money on every container. If you're paying 4% when the correct code is 12%, you have a compliance problem that CBP will eventually find.

How to Find Your HTS Code

Start at hts.usitc.gov — the official USITC tariff schedule database. Search by product description and work down through the chapter, heading, and subheading hierarchy until you reach a specific 10-digit classification that matches your product.

The hierarchy matters. Chapter 39 covers plastics. Heading 3924 covers tableware, kitchenware, and household articles of plastic. Subheading 3924.10 covers tableware and kitchenware specifically. Each level narrows the classification until you reach a specific duty rate.

Common Classification Mistakes

  • Classifying by material when the correct classification is by function
  • Using the first result that sounds close instead of reading the chapter notes
  • Ignoring Section and Chapter Notes that can override the heading description
  • Not accounting for Section 301 tariffs layered on top of the base duty rate

Verifying Your Classification

The only way to get a legally binding HTS classification is a binding ruling from CBP, which takes 30 days and costs nothing. For products you import repeatedly in significant volume, a binding ruling eliminates duty risk entirely.

For everything else, cross-reference your classification against the explanatory notes in the USITC schedule and confirm that your product meets the description at every level of the hierarchy — not just the final subheading.

Section 301 Tariffs

Most products from China carry additional Section 301 tariffs on top of the base HTS duty rate. These are listed in the USTR Section 301 annexes — not in the HTS schedule itself. Always check both before calculating your landed cost.