Quick Answer: AB Group Shipping's HS code lookup finds the Harmonized System code of a product from a plain-words description. An AI reads the description and picks the matching line from the official US tariff schedule, so every result is a real code: the 6-digit HS code used on customs forms in more than 200 countries, the 10-digit US HTS code for imports and the 10-digit Schedule B code for US exports.
- The first six digits are the same in every country that uses the Harmonized System: more than 200 countries and economies, and over 98% of world merchandise trade (World Customs Organization).
- Countries add their own digits after those six. The United States uses 10 digits for imports (HTS) and 10 for exports (Schedule B); Mexico uses an 8-digit fracción arancelaria plus a 2-digit NICO.
- Every code the lookup shows comes from an official list: the US International Trade Commission's tariff schedule and the Census Bureau's Schedule B edition used from July 1, 2026. The AI chooses among those lines; it cannot invent one.
- US exports: the Electronic Export Information filed in AES accepts the Schedule B or the HTS number, and is not needed for a line worth $2,500 or less, except where the export regulations require it, for example when a license is needed.
- Classification is a decision with consequences. For goods of high value or regulated goods, confirm the code with a licensed customs broker.
Most people need an HS code at the moment a form asks for it: the customs declaration of a package, a commercial invoice, an export filing. The lookup above answers that question in one search and gives the three codes side by side, each with a copy button, so you can take the one the form needs.
Importing into the United States?
The HTS code lookup shows the 10-digit import code with its US duty by country of origin.
Open the HTS code lookup →Which Code Do You Need?
Quick Answer: A package or invoice going abroad needs the 6-digit HS code. A US export filing needs Schedule B (or the HTS). A US import needs the 10-digit HTS code. Another country's customs uses its own national code, which starts with the same six digits.
| What you are doing | Code | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|
| Sending a package abroad (USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL) | HS code, 6 digits | Each item line of the customs declaration or commercial invoice |
| Exporting goods from the United States | Schedule B or the HTS, 10 digits | The Electronic Export Information (EEI) filed in AES, when the export regulations require it |
| Importing into the United States | HTS, 10 digits | The customs entry; it sets the duty |
| Importing into Mexico | Fracción arancelaria (8 digits) + NICO (2) | The Mexican customs declaration (pedimento); the first six digits are the HS code |
| Importing into another Latin American country | That country's tariff code, usually 8 to 10 digits | Its customs declaration; it starts with the same six HS digits |
How the Lookup Works
- Describe the product in your own words: what it is, what it is made of and what it is used for. English or Spanish both work.
- The AI names the headings a customs broker would open for that product, then reads every line under them from the official US tariff schedule.
- It picks up to three lines from that list, the most likely first. A code that is not in the official list is discarded.
- Each result shows three codes: the 6-digit HS code, the US HTS code for imports and the Schedule B code for exports, taken from the Census Bureau's list. When several Schedule B lines share the same six digits, you choose the one that fits.
Add the country of origin and the value of the goods if you also want the US import duty: the same tool works it out from the HTS code.
Examples: One Product, Three Codes
These are the lookup's own answers on October 16, 2026:
| Product | HS (6 digits) | US import (HTS) | US export (Schedule B) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wooden dining table | 9403.60 | 9403.60.80.40 | 9403.60.00.00 |
| Men's printed cotton T-shirt | 6109.10 | 6109.10.00.12 | 6109.10.00.13 |
| Smartphone | 8517.13 | 8517.13.00.00 | 8517.13.00.00 |
| Used car tires | 4012.20 | 4012.20.60.00 | 4012.20.00.00 |
The six HS digits match across the row. The last four digits of the import and export codes often differ, because the two lists are kept by different agencies for different purposes.
How to Describe a Product So the Lookup Finds It
- Name it the way a seller would: "men's cotton T-shirt" finds a line; "clothes" does not.
- Say what it is made of. Material often decides the chapter: a wooden chair and a metal chair sit in different subheadings.
- Say what it is for when the same object has several uses, such as a battery for a car or for a laptop.
- Say whether it is finished, a part or a kit. Parts often have their own lines.
- Avoid words that describe why you ship, not what you ship, such as "gift", "sample" or "personal items". They have no code.
Exporting from the United States: Schedule B and the EEI
An export from the United States is reported to the government through the Electronic Export Information, filed in the Automated Export System (AES). The filing carries a 10-digit commodity code for each line. The Foreign Trade Regulations accept the Schedule B number or the HTS number in its place, except where the HTS headnotes say otherwise (15 CFR 30.6).
The EEI is not required when the goods under one Schedule B or HTS number, from one exporter to one consignee on one shipment, are worth $2,500 or less (15 CFR 30.37). The exemption does not apply where the regulations require a filing anyway, for example when the goods need an export license. If you ship with AB Group Shipping, give us the codes when you book.
Shipping to Latin America
The six HS digits the lookup shows are the start of the tariff code at your destination's customs, in Mexico and across Latin America. The full national code, and the duty it pays there, is set by that country's tariff.
When to Ask a Customs Broker
A tariff code is a legal classification, and the importer is responsible for it. Ask a licensed customs broker when the goods are of high value, when a government agency regulates them (food, medicines, chemicals, electronics that transmit), or when the product could fit more than one heading. In the United States you can also request a binding ruling from US Customs and Border Protection for a product you import often.
Frequently Asked Questions
An HS code is the 6-digit number the Harmonized System gives a product. The World Customs Organization maintains the system, and more than 200 countries and economies use it as the basis of their customs tariffs and trade statistics. The first two digits are the chapter, the first four the heading and all six the subheading.
The first six digits are. Each country then adds its own digits for its tariff and statistics: the United States uses 10 digits for imports (the HTS) and 10 for exports (Schedule B), and Mexico uses an 8-digit fracción arancelaria followed by a 2-digit NICO. So the 6-digit HS code of a product is the same in Miami, Mexico City and Bogotá, while the full national code is not.
Describe the product in the lookup at the top of this page: what it is, what it is made of and what it is used for. It returns up to three lines from the official US tariff schedule, each with its 6-digit HS code, US import code and US export code. For goods of high value or goods that a government agency regulates, confirm the classification with a licensed customs broker.
Customs declarations for international shipments carry an HS code for each item, and the customs office at the destination uses it. When you fill in the customs form online at USPS, USPS assigns the code from your item descriptions. Couriers and freight forwarders usually ask for it on the commercial invoice of a commercial shipment.
Both are 10-digit US codes that start with the same six HS digits. The HTS, published by the US International Trade Commission, classifies imports and sets their duty. Schedule B, published by the Census Bureau, classifies exports. The Electronic Export Information filed in AES accepts either number, except where the HTS headnotes say otherwise.