HS Code for Cargo Pants: Classification Guide for Importers

If you import cargo pants, the hs code for cargo pants is the line your customs entry and duty calculation depend on. The Harmonised System is an international classification system developed by the World Customs Organization (WCO), organising approximately 5,000 six-digit product categories by sections, chapters, headings and sub-headings.¹ Cargo pants are woven trousers, usually recognised by their large patch pockets on the legs, so they fall in Chapter 62, and the wearer group and the fabric composition decide the six-digit line.

Quick answer: indicative headings 6203 and 6204

Men's or boys' cotton cargo pants sit under subheading 6203.42. The United Nations Statistics Division lists chapter 62 as apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted or crocheted, and subheading 620342 as "Trousers, bib and brace overalls, breeches and shorts; men's or boys', of cotton (not knitted or crocheted)".²

Women's or girls' cotton cargo pants sit under subheading 6204.62, listed as "Trousers, bib and brace overalls, breeches and shorts; women's or girls', of cotton (not knitted or crocheted)" under heading 6204.³

There is no six-digit subheading named for cargo pants, and no line named for cargo pockets. Both cotton lines cover trousers in any woven cotton fabric, cargo styles included. Treat 6203.42 and 6204.62 as the indicative six-digit answer and verify the full national code before filing an entry.

How HS codes are structured

Each pair of digits narrows the category, and the structure is supported by general rules for interpretation and explanatory notes.¹

The diagram below summarises the four levels.

Countries use the HS as the basis for customs tariffs and statistical data, and they subdivide the six-digit categories into national subheadings.¹ The current version is HS 2022.¹ New to the system? Read the 6-digit HS code guide and the harmonized system tariff code explainer.

Factors that decide the code for cargo pants

Classification follows the headings and chapter notes, not a retail listing or the word cargo on an invoice.

Woven construction, not knitted. Chapter 62 of the US Harmonized Tariff Schedule applies only to made up articles of any textile fabric other than wadding, excluding knitted or crocheted articles.⁴ Standard cargo pants are cut from woven cloth, so they belong in Chapter 62. A knitted trouser in a cargo style is outside it: the European Commission's textile guidance places trousers under heading codes 6103, 6104, 6203 or 6204 as appropriate, with the knitted headings first.⁵

The trousers test. Trousers cover each leg separately, cover the knees and usually reach down to or below the ankles.⁵ Shorts have the other features of trousers but do not cover the knee, and shorts are classified within the same group as trousers.⁵ A cargo short shares the six-digit cotton subheading,² as do bib and brace overalls.³

Cargo pockets do not create a line. What makes a cargo pant a cargo pant in a store is the set of large bellows or patch pockets on the legs. That feature does not appear in the subheading text: the cotton lines at 6203.42 and 6204.62 name the garment group and the fibre, not the pocket layout.^{2 3} Adding or removing a leg pocket does not change the line, as long as the garment stays a pair of woven trousers.

Fibre composition and blends. The six-digit split inside headings 6203 and 6204 is by textile material. Cotton cargo pants use 6203.42 or 6204.62,^{2 3} while neighbouring lines cover other materials, such as 6203.43 and 6204.63 for synthetic fibres.⁴ For a blend, the textile section notes classify a mixture as the single textile material that predominates by weight over any other single material.⁶ A stretch cargo pant in which cotton predominates by weight, with a small elastane share, stays on the cotton line; a cargo-style trouser in which polyester predominates moves to the synthetic fibres line. Record the exact fibre percentages by weight for every style.

Wearer group and closure. Headings 6203 and 6204 split by wearer group before material, men's or boys' in 6203² and women's or girls' in 6204.³ Chapter 62 note 9 in the US schedule adds the closure rule: a left over right front closure marks a men's or boys' garment and a right over left closure a women's or girls' garment, and a garment that cannot be identified as either goes to the women's or girls' headings.⁴ A unisex style with no clear wearer indication can land on the women's line by default.

National codes: US HTS, EU CN/TARIC, UK commodity code

United States: HTS, ten digits. The US schedule splits the cotton subheadings further at eight digits, separating lines such as bib and brace overalls from the other trousers lines under 6203.42 and 6204.62.⁴ For men's trousers under line 6203.42.45, the statistical suffixes name corduroy at suffix 06 and blue denim at suffix 11, with suffix 18 as "Other".⁴ A men's cotton cargo pant is neither corduroy nor denim, so it takes the residual suffix: 6203.42.4518. Women's trousers under line 6204.62.80 follow the same pattern, with corduroy at suffix 06, blue denim at suffix 11 and "Other" at suffix 18, so a women's cotton cargo pant reads 6204.62.8018.⁴ Unlike denim, cargo pants have no named suffix of their own in the US schedule; read the full ten-digit line for your garment type rather than copying a code from a similar style.

European Union: CN at eight digits, TARIC for measures. The Combined Nomenclature integrates the HS and adds EU subdivisions, producing eight-digit codes.¹ The denim split appears at that level, while a non-denim cotton trouser such as a cargo pant is carried on the residual line under subheading 6203.42 or 6204.62. Read that line in TARIC for the entry date and for origin Bangladesh, because preferential treatment depends on origin rules and proof of origin rather than on the code alone.

United Kingdom: commodity code. The UK builds its commodity code on the same first six digits and sets its own extension after them, in the same way other countries subdivide the six-digit categories into national subheadings.¹ Take the full code from the UK Trade Tariff for your garment and entry date, and never reuse a US code for a UK entry.

How to confirm the code officially

Use this sequence for each style, and keep evidence in the shipment file.

1. Write a precise description: woven construction, fibre percentages by weight, garment type, wearer group, pocket layout, and the front closure direction.

2. Start from the official tariff for the destination: the USITC HTS, TARIC or the UK Trade Tariff. Read the heading text and chapter notes, not only the search result line.

3. Check published rulings for similar garments. For the United States, the USITC advises traders to use the Customs Rulings Online Search Service (CROSS), because the correct classification of many items can be found there.⁷

4. For a borderline garment, such as a knitted cargo-look style or a blend near the cotton majority, apply for a binding decision before you ship. In the EU, a Binding Tariff Information (BTI) application needs a separate application for each type of product and a detailed description of the goods.⁸ In the United Kingdom, a legally binding decision is generally valid for 3 years, through an Advance Tariff Ruling.⁹ In the United States, if the merchandise is not described in any ruling on CROSS, you may request a binding ruling from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.⁷

5. Give your broker the description and the confirmed code, and use the same code on the invoice, packing list and declaration.

Common classification mistakes

Filing cargo pants on the blue denim suffix. In the US schedule the suffix names blue denim specifically, at suffix 11 under both cotton trousers lines, and cargo pants are not denim.⁴ Men's and women's cotton cargo pants both take suffix 18, "Other", under lines 6203.42.45 and 6204.62.80.⁴

Filing a knitted garment under 6203 or 6204. Chapter 62 excludes knitted or crocheted articles,⁴ and trousers fall under the knitted headings 6103 or 6104 when they are knitted or crocheted.⁵ A knitted cargo-style trouser is not a Chapter 62 cargo pant.

Using the men's code for a women's style. The wearer group is decided before the material: men's or boys' cotton trousers are 6203.42² and women's or girls' cotton trousers are 6204.62.³

Filing a synthetic-predominant blend as cotton. A mixture is classified as the material that predominates by weight.⁶ If polyester outweighs cotton in a stretch cargo pant, the line is 6203.43 or 6204.63,⁴ not the cotton line.

Copying a code from another country. A six-digit match does not mean the national code matches. The EU extends the six digits to eight in the Combined Nomenclature,¹ and the United States runs its cotton trousers lines to ten digits with fabric suffixes.⁴ Check the import line in the destination tariff before shipping.

Related duties and documents

The code decides which duty line and measures customs applies, so read the rate on the confirmed line for your entry. In the US schedule, the general rate on line 6203.42.45, the men's cotton trousers line that carries cargo pants at suffix 18, is 16.6%, and the general rate on line 6204.62.80, the women's line, is also 16.6%.⁴ These are schedule lines in the 2026 revision, indicative only for the entry date: read the rate beside your confirmed code for your origin and entry date. For EU and UK entries, read the rate in TARIC or the UK Trade Tariff rather than carrying the US figure across.

FAQs

What is the HS code for cargo pants?

Men's or boys' cotton cargo pants sit at subheading 6203.42, "Trousers, bib and brace overalls, breeches and shorts; men's or boys', of cotton (not knitted or crocheted)".² Women's or girls' cotton cargo pants sit at subheading 6204.62, on the same wording for women's or girls' garments.³ No HS line is named for cargo pants, so verify the full national code before use.

Is the HS code the same in every country?

Only the first six digits are harmonized. Beyond six digits, each country sets its own lines: eight digits in the EU Combined Nomenclature,¹ and ten digits in the United States, where men's cotton cargo pants take the residual suffix 18 under 6203.42.45 because the named suffixes cover corduroy and blue denim.⁴

How do I confirm the correct code?

Describe the garment precisely, look the code up in the destination tariff, and read the heading text and chapter notes. Check published rulings, such as CROSS for the United States.⁷ For a borderline garment, apply for a binding decision before shipping: a BTI in the EU,⁸ an Advance Tariff Ruling in the United Kingdom,⁹ or a binding ruling from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.⁷

What happens if I use the wrong code?

Duty, licensing and quota treatment are worked out from the code on the declaration, so a wrong code means those treatments come from the wrong line. GOV.UK notes that a binding decision helps calculate customs duties, licensing requirements, quotas and other restrictions in advance.⁹ Confirm the code before the first shipment rather than correcting entries afterwards.

Next steps on Exportain

Read how to import cargo pants from Bangladesh for the ordering steps, and compare the HS code for denim jeans if your range mixes both fabrics. Work through the cargo pants quality control checklist before approving a bulk order, browse Bangladeshi suppliers and post the confirmed code in your requirement.