Schedule B Search: Find Your Schedule B Number
Exporting from the United States? You report a 10-digit Schedule B number, or in most cases the matching HTS number, in your Electronic Export Information (EEI). This page explains what a Schedule B number is, how to search for yours with the Census Bureau’s free tool, how it differs from an HTS import code, and when an export needs EEI at all.
Schedule B vs HTS: the short answer
- Exporting from the US: a 10-digit Schedule B number from the Census Bureau goes in the EEI filed in AES. A 10-digit HTS number can usually be reported instead.
- Importing into the US: a 10-digit HTS code from the USITC goes on the import entry and decides the duty.
- Both: the first six digits are the international HS code, the same for a given product in both systems.
What is a Schedule B number?
A Schedule B number is the 10-digit code that classifies a physical good exported from the United States. It comes from the Schedule B, Statistical Classification of Domestic and Foreign Commodities Exported from the United States, which the U.S. Census Bureau publishes and uses to compile US export statistics. The first six digits are the international Harmonized System (HS) subheading; the last four add US export detail.
The number goes in the Electronic Export Information (EEI) filed in the Automated Export System (AES), one line per commodity. It is reported as ten digits without the dots (15 CFR 30.6(a)(12)). It is a statistical code and sets no duty. The duty your buyer pays is set by the destination country’s own tariff, which starts from the same six HS digits.
How to find your Schedule B number
- Search the Census Bureau’s Schedule B tool. The Schedule B search tool takes a plain product description and walks you to the 10-digit number. It is free and run by the Census Bureau.
- Or browse the schedule by chapter. Census publishes the full Schedule B by chapter and updates it at least twice a year, usually in January and July. Check the current edition before you rely on an old code.
- Start from the HTS code if you already have it. If you or your buyer know the product’s import code, its first six digits are the HS subheading. Find that subheading in the Schedule B and pick the 10-digit line under it that describes your product. Not sure of the HTS code? Look it up with the HTS code lookup.
- Reporting the HTS number instead? 15 CFR 30.6(a)(12) allows the 10-digit HTS number in place of the Schedule B number, except where the HTS headnotes say otherwise. Census keeps a list of HTS numbers that are not valid in AES; check it, or use the Schedule B number, if AES rejects the code.
Classification is the exporter’s responsibility: the US Principal Party in Interest (USPPI) stays responsible for the accuracy of the EEI even when a forwarder files it.
Schedule B vs HTS: which code do you need?
The Schedule B and the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) are both built on the Harmonized System. They differ in who publishes them, what they are for, and where they are reported.
| Attribute | Schedule B | HTS (HTSUS) | HS code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Used for | US exports | US imports | The shared international base for both |
| Published by | U.S. Census Bureau | U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) | World Customs Organization |
| Digits | 10 | 10 (8 set the duty rate, 2 are statistical) | 6 |
| Where it is reported | Electronic Export Information (EEI) filed in AES | The import entry filed with CBP | Customs declarations worldwide, extended by each country |
| Sets a duty rate? | No. It is used for export statistics | Yes. It decides the US import duty | No. Each country sets duty on its own longer code |
| Official lookup | Census Schedule B search tool | USITC HTS search, or the HTS code lookup on this site | Either of them, first six digits |
Why the last four digits can differ: the Schedule B splits products the way export statistics need, and the HTS splits them the way import duty needs. The Census Bureau converts HTS numbers reported on export filings into Schedule B numbers for its statistics, but it cannot accept every HTS line, because some import lines lack the detail the Schedule B requires.
When a US exporter needs a Schedule B number
You need the code whenever the shipment needs Electronic Export Information. Under the Foreign Trade Regulations (15 CFR Part 30), EEI must be filed in the Automated Export System (AES) when:
- the goods classified under a single Schedule B or HTS number, shipped by one exporter to one consignee on one conveyance, are worth more than $2,500 (15 CFR 30.37(a));
- an export license is required, whatever the value, including licenses from BIS under the Export Administration Regulations and from the State Department under ITAR (15 CFR 30.2(a)(1)(iv));
- the shipment is one of a few special cases that need EEI at any value, such as used self-propelled vehicles and rough diamonds (same section).
The $2,500 test is applied line by line: a shipment worth more in total can still be exempt if no single Schedule B number exceeds it. Exempt shipments carry the legend NOEEI 30.37(a) instead of an ITN. When EEI is filed, AES returns an Internal Transaction Number (ITN), and the exporter or its authorized agent annotates it on the first page of the bill of lading or air waybill (15 CFR 30.7). Goods of US origin and foreign goods under the same Schedule B number are reported separately, and EEI is required when either is over $2,500.
When to file. For most exports the EEI must be filed before the goods leave: for vessel cargo, at least 24 hours before the cargo is loaded at the US port; for air cargo, at least 2 hours before the aircraft’s scheduled departure (15 CFR 30.4(b)). Have the Schedule B number settled before you book, not at the documents cut-off.
Shipments whose final destination is Canada are generally exempt from EEI, unless the goods are going on to a third country or need a license (15 CFR 30.36). There is no such exemption for India or any other destination.
Exporting from the USA to India
Shipments to India need EEI whenever a Schedule B line is worth more than $2,500 or an export license applies. The first six digits of your Schedule B number are also the base of the Indian tariff line your consignee declares on the Bill of Entry, so agree the classification with your buyer before you ship.
Airlift is an FMC-licensed NVOCC (license 016162). On the shipments it moves, its US office can file the EEI as your authorized agent and send you the ITN before the documents cut-off, and its India office coordinates the destination side. The USA to India shipping guide covers ports, transit ranges, export compliance and Indian import duties.
Shipping US exports with Airlift
Once the Schedule B number and the EEI are settled, the lane guides cover ports, schedule-dependent transit ranges and the paperwork at destination:
Importing as well as exporting? Look up the import code in the HTS code lookup and estimate the US duty with the import duty calculator.
Terms on this page:Automated Export System (AES)Internal Transaction Number (ITN)Harmonized System Code (HS Code)Export LicenseHarmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS)
Schedule B number questions
What is a Schedule B number?
A Schedule B number is the 10-digit code that classifies a product exported from the United States. The Census Bureau publishes the Schedule B and updates it at least twice a year. Exporters report the number in the Electronic Export Information (EEI) filed in the Automated Export System (AES), and the Census Bureau uses it to compile US export statistics.
How many digits is a Schedule B number, and do I include the dots?
Ten digits. The first six are the international Harmonized System (HS) subheading; the last four are the US export detail. Printed schedules usually show it with dots after the fourth and sixth digits, but 15 CFR 30.6(a)(12) requires the number to be reported in the EEI without the decimals.
Where can I do a Schedule B search?
On the Census Bureau’s own Schedule B search tool, which is free and takes a plain product description. Census also publishes the full Schedule B by chapter on census.gov. Other websites may carry copies of the schedule, but the Census tool is the authoritative source and reflects the current edition.
Is a Schedule B number the same as an HTS code?
Not always. Both are 10 digits, and the first six digits, the international Harmonized System (HS) code, are always the same for a given product. The last four digits can differ, because the Schedule B is built for export statistics and the HTS for import duty. An HS code on its own is only six digits.
Can I use an HTS code instead of a Schedule B number on my export filing?
Usually, yes. 15 CFR 30.6(a)(12) allows the 10-digit HTS number to be reported in the EEI in place of the Schedule B number, except where the HTS headnotes say otherwise. The Census Bureau keeps a list of HTS numbers that are not valid in AES, because some import lines lack the detail export statistics need.
When do I need to file EEI with a Schedule B number?
Under 15 CFR 30.2 and 30.37(a), EEI is required when the goods under a single Schedule B or HTS number, from one exporter to one consignee on one conveyance, are worth more than $2,500. It is also required whatever the value when an export license is needed, and for a few other cases such as used self-propelled vehicles and rough diamonds. Most shipments to Canada are exempt under 30.36.
How do I find the Schedule B number for my product?
Search the Census Bureau’s Schedule B search tool by product description, or browse the Schedule B by chapter on census.gov. If you already know the product’s HTS code, its first six digits point to the right Schedule B subheading; pick the 10-digit line under it that matches your product.
Do I need a Schedule B number to ship to India?
Yes, whenever EEI must be filed: if any Schedule B line in the shipment is worth more than $2,500, or an export license applies. India has no exemption like Canada’s. The first six digits of the code are also the base of the Indian tariff line your consignee declares on the Bill of Entry, so agree the classification with your buyer before you ship.
Does Airlift file the EEI for my export?
Airlift is an FMC-licensed NVOCC (license 016162). On shipments it moves, its US office can file the EEI in AES as your authorized agent and send you the ITN before the documents cut-off. You, as the US exporter (USPPI), still provide the product details, the Schedule B or HTS number and the value, and stay responsible for their accuracy.
Exporting from the US? Get a quote
Tell us the origin, the destination, the cargo and the container size or weight. We reply with the rate, the routing and what the rate includes, and can file the EEI on shipments we move.
Sources
- Schedule B: Statistical Classification of Domestic and Foreign Commodities Exported from the United States. U.S. Census Bureau.
- Schedule B Commodity Search Tool. U.S. Census Bureau.
- Exporting With Import Classification Numbers. U.S. Census Bureau, Global Reach blog, July 2018.
- 15 CFR 30.2, General requirements for filing Electronic Export Information. eCFR.
- 15 CFR 30.6(a)(12), Commodity classification number. eCFR.
- 15 CFR 30.4(b), Time and place for filing EEI. eCFR.
- 15 CFR 30.7, Annotating the bill of lading, air waybill or other commercial loading documents. eCFR.
- 15 CFR 30.36, Exemption for shipments destined to Canada. eCFR.
- 15 CFR 30.37, Miscellaneous exemptions. eCFR.
- Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States. U.S. International Trade Commission.
- Harmonized System (HS) Codes. International Trade Administration.
This page explains the rules in general terms. It is not legal advice or a binding classification; for a ruling on a specific product, contact the Census Bureau’s trade classification team or a licensed customs broker.