Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS)

The Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS, or HTSUS) is the legal schedule under which every product imported into the US is classified and its duty set. The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) maintains and publishes it (19 U.S.C. 1202) and issues a new revision whenever it changes; 2026 Revision 19 was current when this page was reviewed in September 2026. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) applies it at entry.

How an HTS number is built

• First 6 digits: the international Harmonized System of the World Customs Organization, which more than 200 countries and economies use as the basis of their customs tariffs
• 8 digits: the US tariff subheading that carries the rate of duty
• 10 digits: the 8-digit subheading plus a 2-digit statistical suffix. This statistical reporting number is what goes on the entry; the schedule's own example is 0106.00.5010 for live monkeys
• Headings are grouped into chapters and sections, and the section and chapter notes are part of the legal text; the statistical suffixes and notes are not

The General Rules of Interpretation

Classification is not a keyword search. Under GRI 1, the titles of sections and chapters are for reference only; for legal purposes classification follows the terms of the headings and any section or chapter notes. The later rules deal with incomplete or unassembled articles, mixtures and composite goods, goods that could fall under two headings, and sets. They are applied in order.

The rate of duty columns

• Column 1 General: the normal trade relations rate that applies to most countries
• Column 1 Special: reduced rates under trade agreements and preference programs, shown with program symbols. The goods must meet every requirement of the program, for example a free trade agreement's rules of origin
• Column 2: higher statutory rates, currently for products of Belarus, Cuba, North Korea and Russia

Chapter 99: additional duties

Chapter 99 holds temporary legislation, temporary modifications made under trade laws and additional import duties and restrictions. When a Chapter 99 heading applies, the importer reports it in addition to the regular 10-digit number from chapters 1 to 97, and its duty is added on top: heading 9903.88.01, for example, imposes an additional 25 percent on listed products of China. Airlift's guides explain the Section 301 and Section 232 duties that work this way.

Binding rulings and reasonable care

Under 19 U.S.C. 1484 the importer of record must use reasonable care in making entry, and that includes the classification. If the classification is uncertain, the importer can ask CBP for a ruling letter under 19 CFR part 177; a ruling letter binds all CBP personnel for the transaction it describes until it is modified or revoked (19 CFR 177.9). Oral advice from CBP is not binding. Published rulings can be searched in CBP's Customs Rulings Online Search System (CROSS).

HTS vs Schedule B

The HTS is the import schedule. US exports are reported with a 10-digit Schedule B number, the Census Bureau's Statistical Classification of Domestic and Foreign Commodities Exported from the United States; the 10-digit HTS number may be reported instead, except where the HTS headnotes say otherwise (15 CFR 30.6). Look up export codes in the Schedule B finder.

Finding your code with Airlift

Start from a product description in the HTS code finder, then enter the code and country of origin in the tariff simulator to estimate the duty. Airlift is not a licensed customs broker; the classification on your entry is confirmed and filed through our licensed customs-broker network (customs clearance).