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Reference guide

HS code chapter finder

Type what you ship. We point you to the right HS chapter, so the conversation with your customs broker starts in the right place.

Type what you ship, such as rice, steel or medicines, and this free Safe & Secure Logistics finder points you to the right two digit HS chapter. It covers all 21 sections and 97 chapters of HS 2022 and explains how India builds its eight digit code, so your broker starts in the right place.

  1. 85Chapter
  2. 17Heading
  3. 13Subheading (world)
  4. 00Tariff item (India)

Example: 8517 13 00 is smartphones. The first six digits match in every country; the last two are India’s.

SECTION ILive animals and animal products

  • 01Live animalscattle goats sheep poultry horses live birds
  • 02Meat and edible meat offalmeat chicken mutton buffalo beef frozen meat
  • 03Fish, crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebratesfish shrimp prawns seafood crab squid frozen fish
  • 04Dairy produce; eggs; natural honey; other edible animal productsmilk cheese butter ghee paneer curd eggs honey milk powder
  • 05Other products of animal originhair bristles bones feathers casings

SECTION IIVegetable products

  • 06Live trees and plants; bulbs; cut flowers and foliageflowers plants saplings bulbs roses
  • 07Edible vegetables, roots and tubersonion potato vegetables garlic tomato pulses dal chana
  • 08Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruit or melonsfruit mango banana grapes cashew almonds dry fruit nuts
  • 09Coffee, tea, maté and spicestea coffee spices pepper cardamom turmeric chilli cumin
  • 10Cerealsrice wheat maize corn basmati millet barley
  • 11Products of the milling industry; malt; starchesflour atta maida besan starch malt
  • 12Oil seeds, oleaginous fruits; industrial or medicinal plants; straw and foddersoybean groundnut sesame mustard seeds castor fodder herbs
  • 13Lac; gums, resins and other vegetable saps and extractslac gum guar gum resin extracts
  • 14Vegetable plaiting materials; other vegetable productsbamboo rattan cane

SECTION IIIAnimal, vegetable or microbial fats and oils

  • 15Animal, vegetable or microbial fats and oils; prepared edible fats; waxesedible oil palm oil soybean oil vanaspati wax

SECTION IVPrepared foodstuffs; beverages; tobacco

  • 16Preparations of meat, fish or other aquatic invertebratessausages canned fish ready meat
  • 17Sugars and sugar confectionerysugar jaggery candy toffee confectionery
  • 18Cocoa and cocoa preparationschocolate cocoa
  • 19Preparations of cereals, flour, starch or milk; bakery productsbiscuits bread noodles pasta cakes baby food cereal
  • 20Preparations of vegetables, fruit, nuts or other parts of plantsjam pickles juice ketchup frozen vegetables
  • 21Miscellaneous edible preparationssauces soups instant mixes ice cream yeast
  • 22Beverages, spirits and vinegarwater soft drinks beer wine liquor
  • 23Residues from the food industries; prepared animal fodderoil cake de-oiled cake animal feed pet food
  • 24Tobacco and manufactured tobacco substitutestobacco cigarettes

SECTION VMineral products

  • 25Salt; sulphur; earths and stone; plastering materials, lime and cementcement salt sand stone marble granite lime gypsum
  • 26Ores, slag and ashiron ore bauxite manganese fly ash slag
  • 27Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation; bitumencoal petroleum diesel lubricants bitumen lpg

SECTION VIProducts of the chemical or allied industries

  • 28Inorganic chemicals; compounds of precious metals and rare earthsacids caustic soda inorganic chemicals
  • 29Organic chemicalsorganic chemicals solvents intermediates api
  • 30Pharmaceutical productsmedicines tablets pharma drugs vaccines
  • 31Fertilisersfertiliser urea dap potash
  • 32Tanning or dyeing extracts; dyes, pigments, paints and varnishes; inkspaint dyes pigments ink varnish
  • 33Essential oils and resinoids; perfumery, cosmetic or toilet preparationscosmetics perfume shampoo creams essential oils
  • 34Soap, washing and lubricating preparations, waxes, candlessoap detergent candles
  • 35Albuminoidal substances; modified starches; glues; enzymesglue adhesive enzymes gelatin
  • 36Explosives; pyrotechnic products; matchesexplosives fireworks matches
  • 37Photographic or cinematographic goodsphotographic film
  • 38Miscellaneous chemical productspesticides insecticides disinfectants chemical mixtures

SECTION VIIPlastics and rubber and articles thereof

  • 39Plastics and articles thereofplastic granules pvc polymer packaging bags pipes
  • 40Rubber and articles thereofrubber tyres tubes belts

SECTION VIIIRaw hides, skins, leather and travel goods

  • 41Raw hides and skins (other than furskins) and leatherleather hides skins
  • 42Articles of leather; saddlery; handbags and travel goodsbags handbags luggage wallets belts
  • 43Furskins and artificial furfur

SECTION IXWood, cork and plaiting materials

  • 44Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoalwood timber plywood pallets
  • 45Cork and articles of corkcork
  • 46Manufactures of straw or other plaiting materials; basketwarebaskets mats

SECTION XPulp, paper and paperboard

  • 47Pulp of wood or other fibrous cellulosic material; waste paperpulp waste paper
  • 48Paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulp, paper or paperboardpaper cartons corrugated boxes tissue
  • 49Printed books, newspapers, pictures and other printed matterbooks printed matter brochures

SECTION XITextiles and textile articles

  • 50Silksilk
  • 51Wool, fine or coarse animal hair; horsehair yarn and woven fabricwool
  • 52Cottoncotton yarn cotton fabric cotton bales
  • 53Other vegetable textile fibres; paper yarnjute linen coir
  • 54Man-made filamentspolyester filament nylon yarn
  • 55Man-made staple fibresviscose staple fibre
  • 56Wadding, felt and nonwovens; twine, cordage and ropesrope nonwoven felt
  • 57Carpets and other textile floor coveringscarpets rugs durries
  • 58Special woven fabrics; lace; tapestries; embroiderylace embroidery
  • 59Impregnated, coated or laminated textile fabricscoated fabric tarpaulin
  • 60Knitted or crocheted fabricsknitted fabric
  • 61Apparel and clothing accessories, knitted or crochetedt-shirts hosiery knitwear garments
  • 62Apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted or crochetedshirts trousers garments readymade clothes
  • 63Other made up textile articles; worn clothing; ragsbed linen towels curtains sacks

SECTION XIIFootwear, headgear, umbrellas and similar

  • 64Footwear, gaiters and the likeshoes footwear sandals
  • 65Headgear and parts thereofcaps helmets hats
  • 66Umbrellas, walking sticks, whipsumbrellas
  • 67Prepared feathers; artificial flowers; articles of human hairartificial flowers wigs human hair

SECTION XIIIArticles of stone, ceramic and glass

  • 68Articles of stone, plaster, cement, asbestos, mica or similarstone articles abrasives mica
  • 69Ceramic productstiles ceramic sanitaryware pottery
  • 70Glass and glasswareglass bottles glassware

SECTION XIVPearls, precious stones and metals; jewellery; coin

  • 71Natural or cultured pearls, precious stones, precious metals; jewelleryjewellery gold silver diamonds gems

SECTION XVBase metals and articles of base metal

  • 72Iron and steelsteel coils tmt bars sheets pig iron
  • 73Articles of iron or steelsteel pipes fasteners bolts structures
  • 74Copper and articles thereofcopper wire
  • 75Nickel and articles thereofnickel
  • 76Aluminium and articles thereofaluminium sheets foil
  • 77(Reserved for possible future use)
  • 78Lead and articles thereoflead
  • 79Zinc and articles thereofzinc
  • 80Tin and articles thereoftin
  • 81Other base metals; cermets; articles thereoftungsten titanium
  • 82Tools, implements, cutlery, spoons and forks, of base metalhand tools cutlery
  • 83Miscellaneous articles of base metallocks hinges

SECTION XVIMachinery and electrical equipment

  • 84Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; partsmachinery machines pumps engines computers laptops compressors
  • 85Electrical machinery and equipment; sound and TV equipment; partselectronics mobile phones cables transformers batteries motors

SECTION XVIIVehicles, aircraft, vessels and transport equipment

  • 86Railway or tramway locomotives, rolling stock and parts; containersrailway parts containers
  • 87Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock; partscars trucks tractors auto parts two wheelers
  • 88Aircraft, spacecraft and parts thereofaircraft parts drones
  • 89Ships, boats and floating structuresboats ships

SECTION XVIIIOptical, medical and precision instruments; clocks; musical instruments

  • 90Optical, photographic, measuring, checking, medical or surgical instrumentsmedical devices instruments optical lenses meters
  • 91Clocks and watches and parts thereofwatches clocks
  • 92Musical instruments; parts and accessoriesmusical instruments

SECTION XIXArms and ammunition

  • 93Arms and ammunition; parts and accessories thereofarms ammunition

SECTION XXMiscellaneous manufactured articles

  • 94Furniture; bedding, mattresses; lamps and lighting; prefabricated buildingsfurniture mattresses lights prefabricated
  • 95Toys, games and sports requisitestoys sports goods games
  • 96Miscellaneous manufactured articlespens brushes buttons zippers

SECTION XXIWorks of art, collectors' pieces and antiques

  • 97Works of art, collectors' pieces and antiquespaintings art antiques sculptures

SECTION Nat.National chapters (India only)

  • 98Project imports, laboratory chemicals, passengers' baggage and personal imports (India)project imports baggage

How it works

The method, and its limits

The list is the World Customs Organization’s Harmonized System, 2022 edition: 21 sections and 97 chapters, with the chapter headings shortened so they read easily. The grey words under each chapter are everyday terms we added to help you search. They are a finding aid, not a classification ruling.

A chapter is only the first two digits. To file a shipping bill or a bill of entry in India you need the full 8 digit tariff item, which depends on what the goods are made of, how they are processed and what they are used for. The Section and Chapter Notes in the tariff decide the hard cases. Confirm the final code with your customs broker, and check the DGFT schedule in case the item is restricted or needs a licence.

Sources

Where the figures come from

  1. World Customs Organization: HS Nomenclature 2022 edition
  2. CBIC: Customs Tariff of India
  3. DGFT: ITC (HS) based import and export policy schedules

Figures are general information, checked on 29 Sep 2026. Rules change; follow the source before acting.

Frequently asked questions

What is an HS code?
The Harmonized System code is the World Customs Organization’s numbering of traded goods. The first 2 digits are the chapter, 4 digits the heading and 6 digits the subheading, which are the same in every member country. India adds 2 more digits, so an Indian tariff item (ITC HS) has 8 digits.
How many chapters does the HS have?
There are 97 chapters in 21 sections. Chapter 77 is reserved and unused. India’s tariff also has a national Chapter 98 for project imports, laboratory chemicals, baggage and similar special cases.
Is the HS code the same as the HSN code on a GST invoice?
They come from the same system. HSN is the name used under GST. Businesses above the turnover limits print 4 or 6 digits of the HSN on tax invoices; exports and imports need the full 8 digit tariff item on the shipping bill or bill of entry.
Who decides the final HS code for my shipment?
The exporter or importer declares it and is responsible for it, usually with the help of a licensed customs broker. Customs can reassess it. A wrong code can change the duty, block an export incentive or hold the cargo, so confirm the 8 digit code before you ship.
Does the transporter need the HS code?
For road freight inside India the e-way bill carries the HSN code of the goods, so the invoice must have it. For export and import the code is on the customs documents that travel with the cargo.
Where do I check the official Indian tariff?
CBIC publishes the Customs Tariff of India and DGFT publishes the ITC (HS) schedules with import and export policy for each 8 digit item. The links are in the sources below.

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