Product Classification:
Have You Properly Classified All Your Products?
|
| A relatively small number of products
exported from the United States require an export
license from either the U.S. Department of Commerce
or another U.S. agency like the State Department.
Before you can determine whether or not your product
requires an export license, you must first investigate
whether or not your product has an Export
Control Classification Number (ECCN).
In
addition, before you can export or import a product,
you must first identify your product’s
proper Schedule
B (for exports) or Harmonized
Schedule (HS) (for imports) number. This
number must appear on both export and import
documentation that accompanies a shipment.
Our
Product Classification Tool provides several
search methods that make the product classification
process faster and easier than the traditional
method of pouring through volumes of printed
books and regulations. And because this information
is stored online on our secure web server,
you can be sure that you are accessing the
most current information available.
Subscribe
Online or call us toll free at at
1-800-641-0920 to subscribe to the
Product Classification Tool. |
| Export
Control Classification Number (ECCN) - How It Works |
Export
Control Classification Number - Click to Enlarge
|
To
help determine whether or not your product requires
an export license, you must first determine its
correct ECCN code.
The Online Product Classification Tool allows
you to search for the correct ECCN number for
your product by entering either the first part
of the ECCN number or a text description of your
product. This is how most subscribers use this
service. |
Export
Control Classification Number - Step 1 |
For example, you can search for
the proper ECCN code for your product by typing
in the search term “machine tool laser.” |
Export
Control Classification Number - Step 2 |
The double red arrows indicate that
the term “machine tool laser” is found
in Category 2. Clicking on the + symbol before
the category allows you to drill down to find your
complete ECCN code. |
|
Export
Control Classification Number - Step 3 |
Now that you
have identified the correct ECCN code for your
product, you can use that number to determine
if there are any export
controls based on your product and destination
country. |
| Schedule
B Classification - How It Works |
|
Schedule
B Classification |
Before you can export a product
from the United States, you must first determine
its correct 10-digit Schedule B Classification
Code. These codes are valid for only U.S. exports
and are maintained by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Online Product Classification Tool allows
you to search for a specific Schedule B number
either based on a partial code of at least the
first two digits or by entering a text description
of the product.
|
|
Schedule
B Classification - Example |
For example, you can enter the search
term “laser” to find a list of Schedule
B codes that include “laser” in the
description. |
|
Schedule
B Classification - Results |
The resulting list includes all
Schedule B codes that include the word “laser” and
allows you to select the code that best matches
your specific product.
|
| Harmonized
Schedule (HS) Classification - How It Works |
|
Harmonized
Schedule (HS) Classification |
The World Trade Organization has classified
all commodities with a number. This number is
called a Harmonized Schedule code and ranges
from six to 12 digits, depending on the country.
However, the first six digits of this number
are more or less uniform throughout the world.
Customs uses the HS number to determine the
import duties, taxes and import license requirements
for goods entering a country. This number is
required for filling in the Customs documentation.
The Online Product Classification Tool allows
you to search for the proper HS Number for your
products in several ways:
- HS Number Search allows you to enter a partial
HS number.
- Legal Tariff Search allows you to enter one
or more words that match the exact legal description
assigned to each HS Number.
- Common Tariff Search allows you to enter
one or more words that match all the exact
legal descriptions and common synonyms assigned
to each HS Number. This is the most useful
search method if you’re not sure what
the exact legal description of the product.
- HS Tree displays all the chapter headings
and allows you to drill down to specific numbers
by reviewing the descriptions of each chapter,
heading and ultimate tariff number.
Along with displaying HS numbers, the HS Classification Tool displays the default duty rate if there is one. |
|
Harmonized
Schedule (HS) Classification Tool |
To use the Common Tariff Search,
enter a search term such as “crude oil.” |
|
Harmonized
Schedule (HS) Classification Tool Results |
The search tool will display all
potential HS headings and descriptions that contain
the words you entered and all their synonyms. Click
on the appropriate heading, in this case “15,” to
search further. |
|
Harmonized
Schedule (HS) Classification Tool Results |
The resulting screen not only displays
potential HS number with 10 digits, it provides
the official product description and the default
duty rate for that particular HS code. For complete
information about your particular HS code, simply
click on the number. |
|
Harmonized
Schedule (HS) Classification Tool Final Results |
The final results screen displays
the complete HS number, the official description,
the default duty rate, and the correct unit of
measure. |
Subscribe
Online or call us toll free at at 1-800-641-0920
to subscribe to the Online Product Classification Tool.
One-Year Subscription Per User
Price : $1,000.00
|
|
|
