HS Code for Spice Mixes: Classification Guide for Importers

Quick answer: indicative HS heading

Spice mixes point indicatively to heading 0910 — verify this heading for your product and destination before you declare it. Heading 0910 covers "Ginger, saffron, turmeric (curcuma), thyme, bay leaves, curry and other spices."¹ The reason is Chapter 9 Note 1: mixtures of products of different headings from 0904 to 0910 are classified in heading 0910.¹

No full national code is stated here; confirm each national line on the entry date.

How HS codes are structured (2-4-6 digits)

The Harmonized System is a multipurpose international product nomenclature developed by the World Customs Organization (WCO). It comprises more than 5,000 commodity groups, each identified by a six-digit code, and it is used by more than 200 countries and economies as the basis for their customs tariffs.² The first six digits are the international part; everything after them is national detail, and only the first six digits are used worldwide.³

Chapter 09 is "Coffee, tea, maté and spices": 09 is the chapter, 0910 the heading, and 0910.91 the subheading for mixtures referred to in Note 1(b). National tariffs extend the six digits: the EU Combined Nomenclature adds digits seven and eight, and TARIC adds digits nine and ten.⁴

Factors that decide the code for spice mixes

Work through Chapter 9 Note 1 in order, answering each branch from the written specification.

1. List every component, then find each component heading

Each spice needs its own heading before any mixture question can be answered. Coriander seed and cumin seed sit in heading 0909, cardamom in heading 0908, chili fruit in heading 0904, and turmeric, ginger, thyme, and bay leaves in heading 0910 itself.¹ A blend described only as "mixed spices" cannot be classified, because the note turns on which headings the components come from. Get the full recipe by ingredient in writing.

2. Same heading or different headings

Note 1(a) says mixtures of two or more products of the same heading are classified in that heading, and Note 1(b) says mixtures of two or more products of different headings are classified in heading 0910.¹ A blend of two cumin varieties stays in its own heading; a blend pairing cumin with cardamom crosses headings and points to 0910 — verify. The note contains no predominant-ingredient test, so do not classify a blend under its largest ingredient by weight.

3. Added substances and the essential-character test

The note continues: adding other substances to Chapter 9 products or to their mixtures does not affect classification provided the resulting mixture retains the essential character of the goods of those headings; otherwise the mixture is not classified in Chapter 9, and a mixture constituting a mixed condiment or mixed seasoning is classified in heading 2103.¹ Salt, garlic, oil, water, starch, and flavourings are the usual substances to test. The question is whether the product still reads as a Chapter 9 spice mixture: a dry blend with a little salt may, while a wet paste built around oil and water may not.

4. Ground, crushed, whole, or paste

Form matters twice. First, the U.S. Chapter 9 notes state that, except as otherwise indicated, the chapter covers the named products whole or in crushed or powdered form.¹ A dry ground blend and a whole-seed blend both start inside Chapter 9 but can land on different subheading lines, so state the form of each ingredient. Second, grinding changes particle size, while adding liquid changes the product itself.

A mixtures decision tree to run on every blend

Run these questions in order:

1. All components from one Chapter 9 heading? That heading is the candidate — verify.

2. Components from two or more headings? Heading 0910 is the candidate — verify.

3. Anything outside Chapter 9 added? If the blend keeps Chapter 9 character, stay; if not, test heading 2103 — verify.

4. Dry mix or wet paste? For a paste, treat the 2103 question as open until a broker or ruling closes it — verify.

5. Form of each component on arrival? Read the matching subheading line — verify.

Worked examples as classification questions

Each example is a question to confirm, not a settled classification — verify every line before declaring.

1. Mixed curry powder. Dry ground blend of coriander, cumin, turmeric, chili, and cardamom, from headings 0909, 0910, 0904, and 0908. Note 1(b) points to heading 0910, mixtures line 0910.91 — verify.

2. Garam-masala-style blend. Dry ground blend of coriander and cumin with cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves, crossing headings 0909, 0908, 0906, and 0907. Note 1(b) points to heading 0910, mixtures line 0910.91 — verify.

3. Chili-based blend as a boundary question. Chili with cumin, coriander, and added salt, sold as a table seasoning. Chili sits in 0904 and cumin and coriander in 0909, so Note 1(b) points to 0910 — verify. If it reads as a mixed seasoning, heading 2103 is the line to test — verify.

4. Dry mix versus paste as a boundary question. The same blend sold two ways: dry ground powder and wet paste with oil and water. The dry pack is tested under Note 1(b) — verify. The paste must also pass the essential-character test, and a ready seasoning may leave Chapter 9 for heading 2103 — verify.

5. The single-spice contrast. By contrast, turmeric alone is a single spice, not a mixture, so the mixture rule does not move it.

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

The six digits are shared; the digits after them are not, and product-specific decisions are particular to each country.³ No settled 8–10 digit code is stated here; confirm each line on the entry date.

The word "curry" appears inside heading 0910 itself, so a product sold as curry powder invites a shortcut. Read it as a mixture first, under Note 1(b), then read the national curry or mixture lines.^{1 5}

This guide states no duty rate; read the rate in the destination tariff on the entry date.³

How to confirm the code officially

Work in this order, recording each step with its date.

1. Read heading 0910 and Chapter 9 Note 1 in the destination tariff. Start from those words, not from a supplier listing. For EU lines, the same note text appears in the Combined Nomenclature chapter notes.⁵

2. Look up the national line. Use the Harmonized Tariff Schedule for the United States, the TARIC consultation for the European Union, and the UK Trade Tariff tool for the United Kingdom.³

3. Search published rulings for similar goods. In the United States, CBP gives full and careful consideration to written ruling requests on a specifically described transaction, requestable under Part 177 of the CBP Regulations.⁶ They show how customs reasons, not a decision about your goods.

4. Apply for a binding decision before you ship, if the answer is doubtful. In the United Kingdom, apply for an Advance Tariff Ruling before all customs procedures have been completed, since decisions cannot be retrospective; HMRC replies in 30 to 120 days.⁷ For Northern Ireland or EU goods, a Binding Tariff Information decision is the equivalent route.⁷ In the United States, a ruling request goes to CBP by letter or through the eRulings template.⁶

Common classification mistakes

• Copying a supplier's full code. A supplier code is a starting point for the first six digits only; later digits may mean something different in your country.³

• Classifying by the largest ingredient. Note 1 contains no predominant-ingredient test; one crossing ingredient changes the question.

• Declaring a paste under the dry-mix code. A wet paste must pass the essential-character test on its own.

• Treating added salt as irrelevant. Any substance outside Chapter 9 triggers the essential-character question, even in a small amount.

• Reading "curry" as a code. Curry is a word inside heading 0910, not a shortcut past Note 1; test the blend as a mixture first.

• Declaring from an old tariff. The WCO updates the Harmonized System every 5 to 6 years, and national tariffs are revised in between.²

Related duties and documents

The code is entered on the import declaration, and the destination tariff shows what follows from it: duty and tax treatment, whether a licence is needed, and whether measures such as tariff quotas or anti-dumping duties apply.³ Never state a duty rate from memory or a supplier quotation; read the rate and measures on the destination line.

Keep a classification file per blend: supplier recipe, the Note 1 branch relied on, the essential-character reasoning for any added substance, the national line and date read, and any ruling reference. If you hold a UK Advance Tariff Ruling, declare its reference in Box 44.⁷ Re-check the file on any recipe change, tariff update, or new destination.

FAQs

What is the HS code for spice mixes?

Spice mixes point indicatively to heading 0910 — verify this heading for your product and destination. Within it, a mixture of products from different Chapter 9 headings points to the mixtures line 0910.91 — verify. No full national code is stated here: read the 8–10 digit line in the destination tariff on the entry date first.

Is the HS code the same in every country?

The first six digits are shared internationally, because they come from the WCO system.² The full code is not the same everywhere: countries add their own digits, duty rates, and rules after them.³

How do I confirm the correct code?

Read heading 0910 and Chapter 9 Note 1 in the destination tariff, then the national line in the HTS, TARIC, or UK Trade Tariff on the entry date. If two readings remain plausible, apply for a binding decision before you ship.^{7 6}

What happens if I use the wrong code?

Customs can reclassify the goods, reassess duty and taxes, and delay clearance. An incorrect declaration may also lead to a penalty, a rejected declaration, and the loss of reliefs or simplifications.⁴

Next steps on Exportain

For the general system behind this guide, read HS Code (Harmonized System Code). For the classification method step by step, read How to Find an HS Code. When you are ready to source, browse Bangladeshi suppliers on Exportain and ask each supplier for the full written recipe.