What Are HS Codes and Does Your International Package Need Them?
When creating a shipping label for an international package, you are required to fill out a customs declaration form detailing the contents of the package. Sometimes these forms include a field or column labeled “HS Code”. What are HS codes, and do they apply to every international package?
HS stands for “Harmonized System”. The Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System, commonly shortened to the Harmonized System, is a nomenclature of goods maintained by the World Customs Organization. Customs authorities use it to identify goods for customs clearance, calculate duties and taxes, apply trade measures, collect statistics, and enforce import and export regulations.
The international HS consists of 21 sections, 97 chapters, more than 1,200 headings, and more than 5,600 subheadings. Each HS code consists of six digits determined by the chapter (the first two digits), the heading within the chapter (the next two digits), and the subheading within the heading (the final two digits). Sections are not reflected in HS codes. Their main purpose is to facilitate navigation by grouping similar categories of goods together, such as live animals and animal products, vegetable products, textiles and textile articles, etc.
For example, imagine that you are shipping a pair of women’s denim jeans. To find the corresponding HS code, refer to Section XI, entitled “Textiles and Textile Articles”. The relevant chapter is 62 (articles of apparel and clothing accessories not knitted or crocheted); the heading is 6204 (women’s or girls’ suits, ensembles, jackets, blazers, dresses, skirts, divided skirts, trousers, bib and brace overalls, breeches and shorts (other than swimwear)); and the subheading is 6204.62 (trousers, bib and brace overalls, breeches and shorts of cotton). Therefore, women’s cotton denim jeans are generally classified under HS code 6204.62.
Six-digit HS codes are internationally recognized. However, some countries use longer codes for more detailed classifications. Depending on the country, these codes may consist of eight, ten, or twelve digits. The first six digits are identical to the international HS codes, and the additional digits provide a more detailed national classification of the product, which is used to determine the applicable duties, taxes, and other import requirements. These longer national codes are often referred to as tariff codes or commodity codes, although they are based on the international HS.
Now that you know what HS codes are, it’s time to answer the second question in the title: Do your international shipments need them, even if they are non-commercial? Generally, the answer is “yes”. The use of HS codes is not limited to commercial packages. While some countries accept low-value, non-commercial shipments, such as gifts or personal belongings, without HS codes, including them can help your package clear customs more smoothly and reduce the likelihood of delays, provided the codes are correct. If the customs declaration form does not provide a separate HS code field, you may be able to include the codes alongside the item descriptions, depending on the shipping platform or postal service.
You can look up HS codes for items you’re shipping online. For example, the United States Postal Service has an HS code lookup tool that requires you to select the destination country and provide a detailed description of the item, including its use or material. When shipping clothing, you should specify whether the clothing is for men/boys or women/girls because this information is important.
The tool will return the HS code with a detailed description. Before using the HS code, verify that the description matches your item. If not, add more details to the item description to get the correct code. For instance, if you enter “jeans” and the tool returns a code for women’s jeans, but you’re shipping men’s jeans, add “men’s” to the item description and search again.
Should you use international six-digit codes or national tariff codes for non-commercial international shipments? For most postal non-commercial shipments, internationally recognized six-digit HS codes will generally suffice unless the destination country’s customs or postal operator specifically requires a longer national tariff code. If you use a longer national tariff code, it must be the code used by the destination country.