What is HTS Coding? HTS Coding Review, Features

HTS is the abbreviation of Harmonized Tariff Schedule. HTS is established on the basis of HS. It is a comprehensive customs code for goods (The Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System) formulated by the World Customs Organization in January 1989. The commodity code is 4 or 6 digits, and then each country formulates detailed codes based on this code, such as 8 or 16 digits.

The difference between HTS code and HS code

1. HTS is the abbreviation of Harmonized Tariff Schedule. HTS is established on the basis of HS and is a comprehensive customs code for goods formulated by the World Customs Organization in January 1989.

2. HS uses 6-digit coding to divide all international trade goods into 22 categories. The HTS commodity code is 4 or 6 digits, and then each country formulates detailed codes based on this code, such as 8 or 16 digits.

3. HS is only for guidance and coordination, so it is called Harmonized System; while customs codes are used by customs to manage actual import and export operations. However, in actual operations, customs of various countries use HS as the basis and determine their own customs codes in accordance with the relevant principles of WCO. Therefore, within a certain range, especially in most operations, the two are called the same.

my country related

From January 1, 1992, my country's import and export tariffs adopted the World Customs Organization's "Commodity Description and Coding System" (HS for short). This system is a scientific and systematic classification system for international trade commodities. It uses six-digit codes and is applicable to tariffs, statistics, production, transportation, trade control, inspection and quarantine, etc. At present, more than 98% of global trade volume uses this catalog, which has become a standard language for international trade. my country's import and export tariffs use ten-digit codes, the first eight digits are equivalent to HS codes, and the last two digits are my country's sub-items. It is a two-digit code extended based on the HS classification principles and methods and the actual situation of my country's import and export commodities.

HS Code

1. Implementation HS was officially implemented on January 1, 1988, and is revised every four years. More than 200 countries in the world use HS, and more than 98% of the global trade volume is classified according to HS. The overall structure of HS consists of three parts: classification rules; notes on classes, chapters and subheadings; and sequentially arranged heading and subheading codes and clauses. These three parts are the legal provisions of HS, with strict legal effect and strict logic. HS first lists 6 general classification rules, which stipulate the classification principles and methods that must be followed when using HS to classify goods. Many classes and chapters of HS have notes (class notes, chapter notes or subheading notes) at the beginning, which strictly define the scope of goods included in the class or chapter, and explain the definition of special terms in HS or the technical standards and boundaries for distinguishing certain goods.

2. Content: HS uses six-digit codes to divide all international trade commodities into 22 categories and 98 chapters. Chapters are further divided into headings and subheadings. The first and second digits of the commodity code represent the "chapter", the third and fourth digits represent the "heading", and the fifth and sixth digits represent the "subheading". The first six digits are the HS international standard code. HS has 1241 four-digit tariff headings and 5113 six-digit subheadings. Some countries have divided the seventh, eighth, and ninth digits according to their own actual conditions.

use

For export, you should use your own country’s HS. After you find your country’s HS, you can sort it by major categories, and then go to the U.S. HS website to check.