An HS code is the number customs use to classify a product under the Harmonized System, run by the World Customs Organization. The first six digits are the same in every member country. Each country then adds its own digits, often to eight or ten, to set duty rates and controls.
To find the right one, start with the product's description and form, look it up in your national tariff, and confirm it with your customs broker. If there is doubt, you can ask customs for a binding ruling.
The code should be settled before you sign the contract, because it drives the duty and the controls that apply. Changing it after shipment can mean amended declarations and questions from customs.
Where common agri products sit
- Chapter 09 covers coffee, tea, maté and spices. Pepper and dried capsicum, including chilli, are in heading 0904.
- Heading 0909 covers seeds of anise, badian, fennel, coriander, cumin and caraway, and juniper berries.
- Heading 0910 covers ginger, saffron, turmeric, thyme, bay leaves, curry and other spices.
- Heading 0712 covers dried vegetables, including dehydrated onion.
- Chapter 12 covers oil seeds and some plants used in medicine. Sesame and groundnuts sit here.
Things that change the code
- Whole, crushed or ground. Many spice headings split these.
- Single spice or a mixture. Mixtures may fall under a different heading or a seasoning code.
- Further processing. Oils, extracts and oleoresins are classified away from the raw spice.
- Use. Some plant products are classified by their main use.
Why the right code matters
The code sets your duty rate, any preference, any official food controls and sometimes licence requirements. A wrong code can mean paying the wrong duty, a penalty later or a hold at the border. It should match on the supplier's invoice, the Indian shipping bill and your import declaration.
Indian exporters use the Indian tariff code on their shipping bill. The first six digits should match your code, but the later digits may differ. That is normal.
How to confirm it
- Read the heading and section notes in your tariff, not just the short description.
- Ask your customs broker to confirm before your first shipment.
- For certainty, apply for a binding ruling: Binding Tariff Information in the EU, an Advance Tariff Ruling in the UK, or a binding ruling from US Customs and Border Protection.
- Keep the code the same across shipments of the same product, and record why you chose it.
How we help
We agree the product description and code with the supplier before shipment, so the invoice and certificates line up with your import declaration. Your broker makes the final call. See what import duties apply to Indian spices, or ask for a free sourcing review.