HTS Code Lookup & HS Converter

What is an HTS code?

An HTS (Harmonized Tariff Schedule) code is the 10-digit number used by US Customs and Border Protection to classify every product imported into the United States. The code determines the applicable duty rate, any trade remedy treatment (Section 301, IEEPA, antidumping duties), and statistical reporting requirements. Every commercial import entry must include the correct 10-digit HTS code — an error can result in misdeclaration penalties.

HS codes vs. HTS codes — what's the difference?

An HS (Harmonized System) code is the international 6-digit standard used by over 200 countries to classify traded goods. The US extends this to a 10-digit HTS code for imports — the first 6 digits are identical to the HS code, while digits 7–10 are US-specific subdivisions that determine the precise duty rate. When a foreign supplier quotes a 6 or 8-digit code on an invoice, use the “Convert HS → HTS” tab above to find all matching US 10-digit codes.

HTS codes and Schedule B codes

Schedule B codes are 10-digit export classification codes maintained by the US Census Bureau — separate from HTS import codes but built on the same 6-digit HS subheading foundation. When you look up an HTS code on this page, the result shows the HS chapter, heading, and subheading breakdown. Use the 6-digit subheading to search for the corresponding Schedule B code at scheduleB.census.gov.

Don't know your HTS code?

If you have a product but don't know its correct HTS code, the lookup tool can't help directly — you need classification, not a lookup. TariffClassify's AI classifier analyzes your product description and photos, applies the General Rules of Interpretation (GRI), asks targeted clarifying questions, and returns the precise 10-digit HTS code with full reasoning and duty rate.

Reading chapter and section notes

The HTSUS is organized into 21 sections and 99 chapters, each beginning with legally binding notes that govern how the headings in that chapter are applied. A section note can exclude an item that otherwise appears to fit a heading; a chapter note can define a term (e.g., what counts as “parts of general use”) and override the apparent reading of individual headings.

Notes are not optional context. The General Rules of Interpretation explicitly require classification according to the terms of the headings and any relative section or chapter notes (GRI 1). When two HTS codes look plausible, the notes are almost always where the answer lies. The lookup result on this page shows the chapter and heading breakdown so you can quickly cross-reference the relevant notes in the official HTSUS.

When the lookup returns several plausible codes

A 6-digit prefix or vague description can match many 10-digit codes. The GRI ranking applies: prefer the more specific description over the more general (GRI 3(a)); for composite or mixed-material goods, classify by the component that gives the article its essential character (GRI 3(b)); and if neither rule resolves the tie, classify under the heading that appears last in numerical order among the equally specific candidates (GRI 3(c)).

For products where the duty difference between candidate codes is large, consider filing a CBP binding ruling under 19 CFR Part 177 before your first shipment. The ruling typically takes 30 days for a New York office determination and binds CBP prospectively. It is the strongest defense if CBP later issues a CF-28 request for information or a CF-29 notice of action proposing reclassification.

How duty rates are read in the HTSUS

Each HTS line has up to three duty rates: Column 1 General (the most-favored-nation MFN rate that applies to most trading partners), Column 1 Special (preferential rates for FTA partners like USMCA, Korea, Singapore, Australia, and others — identified by program codes such as MX, CA, KR, SG, AU), and Column 2 (the much higher rate that applies to countries without normal trade relations, currently a small set including Cuba and North Korea). The lookup above returns the General rate by default — your shipment's actual rate may be lower if it qualifies for a Special program and proper documentation is filed at entry.