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International Trade vocabulary · Customs and Tariffs

HS code

Meaning in international trade, with examples

nounCore term

In international trade, HS code means: A number that classifies a product in the Harmonized System used by customs worldwide; the first six digits are the same in every country.

In Turkish: GTİP, gümrük tarife kodu, armonize sistem kodu

How it is used

Also called tariff code, HS number or commodity code. Countries add extra digits: the EU uses 8-digit CN codes and Turkey uses 12-digit GTİP codes. The HS code decides the duty rate, so buyers often ask for it together with the quotation.

Example sentences

  1. Can you confirm the HS code for the stainless steel valves?

  2. Customs changed the HS code, and the duty rate went up from 2 to 6.5 percent.

Common collocations

  • six-digit HS code
  • classify under HS code
  • correct HS code
  • HS code for
  • tariffA tax charged by a government on imported goods, usually as a percentage of their value; also the official list of these rates.
  • customs dutyThe tax paid to customs on imported goods, calculated from their customs value, their HS code and sometimes their origin.
  • customs declarationThe official form, usually submitted electronically, in which a company tells customs what goods it is importing or exporting, with their value, origin and classification.
  • customs brokerA licensed professional or company that prepares customs declarations and handles clearance on behalf of importers and exporters.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Customs and Tariffs

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