HS Code (Harmonized System Code): Meaning, Structure & Lookup

An HS code is the number customs authorities around the world use to identify a product. HS stands for Harmonized System, and the full name is the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System. When a buyer, seller, freight forwarder or customs officer asks for the HS code for a product, they are asking for that product's place in one shared international list — the same list whether the goods are leaving Bangladesh, entering the European Union, or arriving in the United States or the United Kingdom.

This page is the hub for "What is an HS code?" — definition, structure digit by digit, HS vs HTS vs TARIC, and where to look a code up. It does not teach classification step by step; for that method, use our separate guide: How to classify your product and find its HS code.

What Is an HS Code? Definition and Meaning

An HS code — also called a Harmonized System code or harmonized system tariff code in some national tariff books — is a numeric code that describes a type of product for customs purposes. It is not a code for a single shipment, a single company or a single brand. It is a code for a category of goods.

The World Customs Organization (WCO), which developed and maintains the system, describes more than 5,000 commodity groups in the Harmonized System, each identified by a six-digit code. More than 200 countries and economies use the system as the basis for their customs tariffs and for collecting trade statistics. That shared foundation is the point of the system: a product described in one country can be recognised in another country from the first six digits of its code, even though each country may add its own extra digits and its own duty rules after those six digits.

People also say "harmonized system code," "harmonized system tariff code" and "HS number" for the same idea. National versions have their own names — HTS in the United States, TARIC in the European Union, commodity code in the United Kingdom — compared below.

An HS code appears at many points in an order: on a listing or quotation, on shipping documents, and on the import declaration. On Exportain, listings can show an HS code next to the category. Treat any listing or supplier code as a starting point — not a guaranteed classification for your destination.

Who Manages the Harmonized System?

The Harmonized System is managed by the World Customs Organization (WCO), the intergovernmental body that represents customs administrations worldwide. The WCO maintains the structure of the system, the wording of its headings and subheadings, and the explanatory material that helps customs authorities apply the same headings in the same way.

National authorities then build their own tariffs on that foundation — Bangladesh Customs, the European Commission, HM Revenue and Customs in the UK, and the U.S. International Trade Commission each add extra digits, duty rates, and notes on restrictions, licences or preferences.

That is why a code is both global and local: global in its first six digits, local in everything that follows. The WCO also describes advance rulings as legally binding decisions on classification given before goods are imported or exported — useful where a product is difficult to place.

The Structure of an HS Code: Chapters, Headings and Subheadings

The international HS code has six digits. They narrow in stages, from a broad family of goods to a specific product type — the key to reading any HS code.

The first 2 digits: the chapter

The first two digits identify the chapter. The Harmonized System is divided into sections and chapters that group goods by their nature and the industry they belong to. Chapter numbers run broadly across the whole world of traded goods — live animals and animal products at the start of the system, machinery, electronics and other manufactured goods further through, and so on. The chapter tells customs, at the broadest level, what kind of thing the product is.

The first 4 digits: the heading

The first four digits identify the heading. Within a chapter, headings split the broad family into more specific groups. If the chapter says, in effect, "articles of apparel and clothing accessories, knitted or crocheted," the heading narrows that down to a particular type of garment within that family. The heading is the four-digit level — the chapter digits plus two more.

All 6 digits: the subheading

All six digits together identify the subheading. The subheading is the internationally agreed level of detail. It adds the final two international digits to the heading and describes the product by the features the Harmonized System uses to distinguish it — for example its material, its construction, or its function, depending on the type of goods. When people talk about "the HS code" in an international sense, they usually mean this six-digit subheading.

A simple way to remember the structure is: 2 digits for the chapter, 4 digits for the heading, 6 digits for the subheading. Every longer code you see in a national tariff is built by adding digits to that six-digit base, never by replacing it.

From 6 Digits to 8 and 10 Digits: National Extensions

Countries extend the six digits because they need finer detail — for a duty rate, a preference, a restriction, statistics or a tax measure. Those extra digits are where national systems differ.

An 8-digit code adds two digits to the subheading — the EU's Combined Nomenclature uses 8-digit codes. A 10-digit code adds four digits — the UK Trade Tariff lists 10-digit commodity codes, and the U.S. HTS also works to 10 digits. Those last digits are national detail and do not mean the same thing in another country.

Consider one product through several systems. For a knitted cotton T-shirt, the international structure is Chapter 61, heading 61.09, and subheading 6109.10. The same product appears as 61091000 in Bangladesh Customs' operative tariff and as 6109100010 in the UK Trade Tariff. The numbers agree on the first six digits and differ after that. That example captures the whole idea of the system: read the first six digits to understand the product internationally, and read the full code in the tariff of the country where you are declaring it.

This is why UK guidance tells importers to check a supplier's code before relying on it: the destination may need different trailing digits or duty treatment.

HS vs HTS vs TARIC: What Is the Difference?

HS, HTS and TARIC are related, but they are not interchangeable names for the same book. HS is the international foundation. HTS and TARIC are systems built on that foundation for a specific customs territory.

| Term | Who uses it | How it relates to HS | Typical length |

| HS code | Worldwide, under the WCO Harmonized System | The international system itself | 6 digits |

| HTS code | United States | The Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, built on HS | 10 digits at the full national level |

| TARIC code | European Union | The EU's integrated tariff database, built on the Combined Nomenclature, which is built on HS | 10 digits, with further TARIC detail where measures require it |

| Commodity code | United Kingdom | The UK Trade Tariff code, built on HS | 10 digits |

HS code vs HTS code

HTS stands for Harmonized Tariff Schedule. The HTS is the tariff of the United States, maintained through the United States International Trade Commission and applied by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Every HTS line begins with the international HS structure, so the first six digits of a U.S. HTS code should align with the HS subheading for the same product. The digits after the first six, and the duty rates and notes attached to the line, are United States decisions. If you are importing into the United States, the code you need is the full HTS code — not only the six-digit HS code.

HS code vs TARIC code

TARIC is the integrated tariff database of the European Union. It brings together the EU's Combined Nomenclature — the EU's 8-digit extension of the HS — with the additional digits and measures that apply to imports into and exports from the EU, such as duty suspensions, preferences, and restrictions. If you are importing into an EU member state, the relevant lookup is in TARIC or the EU's official tariff tools, using the full EU code for the goods, not just the six-digit HS code on its own.

Why the distinction matters

Using the wrong name usually means using the wrong lookup tool. Only the destination country's official tariff can confirm the full code, its duty, and whether a licence, quota, anti-dumping measure or preferential rate applies. UK guidance makes the same point: the commodity code works out customs duty, import VAT and any preferential rate, and shows licence, anti-dumping and quota requirements.

Why HS Codes Matter for Importers, Exporters and Customs

Duty depends on the code — why HS codes matter commercially, not just administratively. Two similar-looking products can fall under different subheadings with different duty treatment. A wrong code can mean paying the wrong duty, missing an import requirement, or a shipment delayed while the classification is corrected.

Governments also use HS codes for trade statistics, and traders use them to describe goods precisely across languages. For a buyer sourcing from Bangladesh, ask for the HS code early — it affects landed cost — but verify the full code for your destination before treating that cost as final.

How to Look Up an HS Code

Looking up an HS code means finding, in an authoritative tariff source, the line that describes your product — ending with the full code for the country where the goods will be declared. This section explains where to look; it is not a classification method.

Start with the destination country's official tariff tool: the UK Trade Tariff for the United Kingdom, the official HTS for the United States, TARIC or EU tariff tools for the European Union, and Bangladesh Customs' operative tariff for goods leaving Bangladesh. Those sources show the current code, duty treatment and notes in force.

Commercial lookup sites and supplier listings can help you find a candidate six-digit subheading quickly, but they cannot replace the destination tariff. Always confirm the candidate in the official source before you declare it. If two plausible codes remain, ask a customs broker or apply for an advance ruling — that advice is cheap compared with a reassessed duty bill or a delayed shipment.

For the full method — how to work through a product description, compare headings, and test your choice — read: HS codes: how to classify your product.

HS Code Editions: HS 2022 and HS 2028

The WCO updates the system in editions, so new products can be described and obsolete categories removed. A code correct under an older edition may need checking when a new edition takes effect. HS 2022 took effect on 1 January 2022, and the WCO has announced HS 2028 for 1 January 2028. Always check a code in the current tariff, not in an old quotation or invoice.

Common Mistakes When Using an HS Code

First, copying a full 8-digit or 10-digit code from another country — only the first six digits are international. Second, treating a listing code as final: it may be approximate or chosen for a different destination. Third, starting from a loose product description: the HS describes what a product is — material, construction and function — not its marketing name. Fourth, forgetting the code after the first shipment: a new material, blend or use can move a product to a different subheading, so re-check when the specification, edition or destination changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does HS code mean?

HS code means Harmonized System code. It is the numeric code from the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System, maintained by the World Customs Organization, that identifies a category of product for customs tariffs and trade statistics. The international code has six digits.

What is a harmonized system code?

A harmonized system code is the same thing as an HS code. It is the six-digit international code for a commodity group in the Harmonized System, extended by individual countries with extra digits for their own tariffs — for example to 8 digits in the EU's Combined Nomenclature and to 10 digits in the UK Trade Tariff and the U.S. HTS.

What is a harmonized system tariff code?

"Harmonized system tariff code" is another name used for the code as it appears in a national tariff schedule. It refers to the HS-based code — international six digits plus any national extension — under which a product is listed, and duty is charged, in that country's tariff.

How many digits does an HS code have?

The international HS code has six digits: two for the chapter, four for the heading, and six for the subheading. National systems extend it — commonly to 8 digits, as in the EU's Combined Nomenclature, or to 10 digits, as in the UK and U.S. tariffs.

Is the HS code the same in every country?

The first six digits should be the same internationally for the same product, because they come from the shared WCO system. The full code is not the same everywhere, because countries add their own digits, duty rates and rules after the first six. Always confirm the full code in the destination country's tariff.

What is the difference between HS, HTS and TARIC?

HS is the international six-digit system maintained by the WCO. HTS is the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, built on HS and extending it for U.S. use. TARIC is the European Union's integrated tariff database, built on the EU's Combined Nomenclature, which is itself built on HS. Use the system — and the lookup tool — of the country where the goods will be declared.

Where can I look up an HS code?

Look it up in the official tariff of the destination country: the UK Trade Tariff for the United Kingdom, the official HTS for the United States, TARIC or EU tariff tools for the European Union, and Bangladesh Customs' operative tariff for exports from Bangladesh. Use commercial lookup sites only to find a candidate code, then confirm it in the official source.

Do I need an HS code to import from Bangladesh?

In practice, yes — the code goes on your import declaration in the destination country, and the duty and import requirements for your goods are worked out from it. Ask your supplier for the code they use, then verify the full destination-country version before you ship.

Sourcing from Bangladesh?

Post a request for quotation on Exportain and suppliers can send quotes directly, with the product details you need to confirm the right HS code before you buy.