Find the HTS code for your product
Describe what you're importing and Kanon determines the 10-digit HTSUS code by applying the General Rules of Interpretation, then shows you exactly why that code is correct.
In short
- An HTS code lookup finds candidate codes by keyword. The correct code comes from applying the General Rules of Interpretation to your product's attributes.
- The code sets the duty rate, any Chapter 99 additional duties such as Section 301, and which agencies regulate the entry.
- Kanon walks the GRI against the full HTSUS and returns one code, with the reasoning recorded for audit defense.
Why a keyword lookup isn't enough
Searching the HTSUS for "valve" or "bag" returns dozens of lines across several chapters. The words in a heading are only the start: section and chapter notes exclude whole categories of goods, GRI 3 decides between headings that each describe part of a product, and subheadings are compared only with each other under GRI 6. A code that looks right on keyword match can still be wrong in law, and CBP evaluates the classification, not the search that produced it.
How to find the HTS code for your product
- Describe the product precisely: material and composition by weight or value, function, how it works, and how it is imported (complete, unassembled, in a set).
- Find candidate headings and read the section and chapter notes before the heading text; notes can include or exclude your product outright.
- Apply GRI 1 through 6 in order, stopping at the first rule that yields a single heading, then repeat at the subheading level.
- Check CBP rulings in CROSS for the same or similar merchandise.
- Add Chapter 99 overlays for the country of origin, such as Section 301, then estimate the landed duty.
The full walkthrough is in how to classify a product for U.S. customs.
What Kanon returns
One 10-digit HTSUS code, pinned to the HTSUS revision it was evaluated against, plus a Classification Support Package: every heading considered, the note or GRI that ruled each in or out, the product attributes that decided it, the general duty rate and applicable Chapter 99 overlays. The same attributes against the same HTSUS revision always produce the same code.
Frequently asked questions
How do I look up an HTS code?
Describe the product by material, function and form, then find the HTSUS heading whose terms and section and chapter notes describe it (GRI 1), and work down to the 8-digit rate line and 10-digit statistical suffix. The USITC's HTS search returns candidate codes by keyword; Kanon runs the full GRI sequence and records why one code wins.
Is there a free HTS code lookup?
Yes. The USITC publishes the full HTSUS with a keyword search at hts.usitc.gov, and CBP's CROSS database lets you search past binding rulings. You can also start a classification in Kanon free.
What is the difference between an HTS code lookup and classification?
A lookup finds codes whose wording resembles your search terms. Classification applies the General Rules of Interpretation and the legal notes to your product's actual attributes to reach the one correct code. CBP holds the importer to the classification, not the search result.
Who is responsible for the HTS code on an import entry?
The importer of record. Under 19 U.S.C. 1484 the importer must use reasonable care to classify merchandise, even when a customs broker prepares the entry.
How many digits does an HTS code have?
Ten on the entry summary: six international HS digits, two U.S. rate-line digits, and a two-digit statistical suffix. See HTS code examples for worked breakdowns.