HS Code Finder Guide – How to Classify, HTS Lookup Walkthrough

Every product crossing a US border needs a 10-digit HTS code. That code determines your duty rate, whether your shipment needs additional agency clearance, and whether you qualify for free trade agreement duty reductions. Get it wrong and CBP can audit your past entries for up to five years and assess penalties up to 100 percent of the shipment value.

This is the complete guide to finding, verifying, and applying the correct code for your products.

HS Code vs HTS Code – What the Difference Actually Means

These two terms are used interchangeably in most e-commerce content. They are not the same thing.

HS code: A 6-digit international classification code maintained by the World Customs Organization. Used by 200+ countries. The first 6 digits are standardized globally, meaning the same 6-digit HS code identifies the same product category in the United States, Germany, Japan, and Brazil.

HTS code: The US-specific 10-digit extension of the HS code used for imports. Maintained by the US International Trade Commission (USITC). The first 6 digits are the international HS code. Digits 7 and 8 identify the US subheading and determine the precise duty rate. Digits 9 and 10 are a statistical suffix.

Schedule B code: The US export classification number. Also 10 digits. The first 6 digits are the same HS code. Used for export paperwork and EEI filing in the Automated Export System.

For US e-commerce sellers importing products: you need the HTS code, not the HS code. The HTS code is what CBP uses to assess duty at the border. The HS code is the first 6 digits of the HTS code.

Example: Green tea in retail packs has HTS code 0902.10.90.15.

• 09: Chapter (Coffee, tea, mate and spices)
• 0902: Heading (Tea)
• 0902.10: Subheading (Green tea, not fermented)
• 0902.10.90: 8-digit level (duty rate)
• 0902.10.90.15: 10-digit statistical annotation

Step-by-Step HTS Lookup at USITC

The official and authoritative source for US HTS codes is the USITC database at hts.usitc.gov. It is free. It is updated annually with mid-year supplements. It is the reference CBP uses.

**Step 1: Go to hts.usitc.gov**
The site has a search bar at the top. Enter a plain English description of your product. Start broad: “cotton t-shirt” rather than “100% cotton men’s crew neck short sleeve graphic t-shirt.”

Step 2: Review the search results
The search returns a list of potential headings. Each result shows the heading number, description, and duty rate. Click through to the heading that best describes your product.

Step 3: Read the chapter notes before selecting a subheading
This is the step most sellers skip. Every chapter and section in the HTS contains legal notes that define what is and is not included. These notes can completely override the plain text description. A product that looks like it belongs in Chapter 85 (electrical machinery) may be explicitly excluded by a chapter note and belong in a different chapter entirely.

Read the notes for your chapter before finalizing the subheading. They are displayed at the top of each chapter in the USITC database.

Step 4: Navigate from heading to subheading
Once you have the right heading, click through to the subheading level. Subheadings progressively narrow the classification. A heading for “woven fabrics of cotton” has subheadings for different fiber content percentages, weave types, and bleaching treatments. Select the subheading that matches your product’s specific material, function, and construction.

Step 5: Record the 10-digit code
The final 10-digit code is what goes on your customs entry. Record it along with the applicable duty rate and any trade program notes (USMCA eligibility, Section 301 tariffs, antidumping duties) shown alongside the code.

The HS Duty Estimator uses the HTS code to calculate estimated landed cost including duty, MPF, and HMF on your shipment.

The Supplier Code Problem – Why You Cannot Trust What They Send You

Most importers receive an HS or HTS code from their overseas supplier. Most of those codes are wrong for US imports.

Here is why: overseas suppliers classify products for their country’s export tariff schedule, not for the US import HTS. At the 6-digit level, the codes are harmonized internationally, so the first 6 digits may be correct. But at the 7- to 10-digit level, the codes diverge by country. A Chinese supplier’s export classification code is not the same as the US HTS import code for the same product.