The open archive of customs intelligence for global trade. Instantly classify HS codes and retrieve duty, VAT, rebate, and import restrictions across twelve jurisdictions.
Four foundational concepts every cross-border trade professional must understand.
The Harmonized System is an international product nomenclature developed by the World Customs Organization (WCO) since 1988, used by 200+ countries for customs declaration, duty assessment, and trade statistics. The first 6 digits are globally identical. Countries extend with national digits: US uses 10-digit HTS, China uses 10-digit tariff or 13-digit CIQ, most ASEAN nations use 8-digit.
MFN (Most-Favored-Nation) is the baseline WTO-member import tariff, applied by default to goods from fellow WTO members. Lower preferential rates under FTAs or GSP may supersede MFN. General rates (for non-MFN countries) are typically 2-3× MFN. Before export pricing, always verify whether an FTA exists between origin and destination.
Export rebate refunds indirect taxes (VAT, excise) paid during production on goods later exported — an incentive to boost exports. China's State Tax Administration publishes the Export Rebate Library by HS code, with common tiers at 0%, 6%, 9%, 10%, 13%. Rebate rate is strictly tied to HS classification — misclassification can cost rebates or trigger audits.
Import restrictions are destination-country measures beyond tariffs: licensing, quotas, SPS (sanitary/phytosanitary), TBT (technical barriers). Indonesia calls these Lartas, India publishes DGFT schedules, Malaysia's Customs Prohibition Order uses Schedules 1-4. Restrictions matter more than duty — duty is a cost question, restrictions determine whether goods can enter at all. Always verify before shipping.
Twelve major trading partners with complete HS schedules and customs policies.
10-digit schedule · MFN rate · Column 2 rate · Additional duties
8-digit schedule · Basic Customs Duty · IGST · SWS
8-digit schedule · Import duty · VAT · Luxury tax · +4 policy tables
10-digit schedule · Import duty · Export duty · Sales tax · +2 policy tables
8-digit schedule
11-digit schedule · Statutory rate · Specific duty
8-digit schedule · MFN rate · Preferential rate · VAT · +1 policy tables
9-digit schedule · General rate · Temporary rate · WTO rate · +1 policy tables
10-digit schedule · MFN rate · WTO bound rate
8-digit schedule · General rate
8-digit schedule · Import duty · IPI
8-digit schedule · Import duty · IGI · IGE
10-digit schedule · MFN rate · General rate · Import provisional · +2 policy tables
28 popular product categories with direct HS links.
China export rebate + 13-country import tariff + VAT + compliance in one view. Click to see smartphones example, or enter any 6-digit HS code.
Example: HS 8517.13 smartphones →Daily briefings on tariff adjustments, licensing, enforcement — with bilingual summaries.
Crawler pipeline will sync official gazettes 2× daily.
Crawler pipeline will sync official gazettes 2× daily.
Crawler pipeline will sync official gazettes 2× daily.
Essential reading before your first cross-border shipment.
The HS Code (Harmonized System) is an international product classification maintained by the World Customs Organization (WCO) since 1988, used by 200+ countries. The first 6 digits are globally identical (e.g. 8517.13 = smartphones), while digits 7+ are country-specific extensions: the US uses 10-digit HTS, China uses 10-digit tariff or 13-digit CIQ, most ASEAN countries use 8-digit. HS codes are the basis for customs declaration, duty calculation, and trade statistics.
The first 6 digits (chapter · heading · subheading) are globally standardized by WCO treaty. Digits 7-8 are national subheadings; most countries stop at 8. Digits 9-10 are customs statistical codes: the US HTS uses 10, China's tariff book uses 10. China additionally appends 3 CIQ inspection digits for a 13-digit declaration code.
Three steps: (1) identify the 6-digit international HS — use our AI classifier with a product description; (2) look up the 8-10 digit national tariff in the destination country to get MFN, general, and preferential (FTA) rates; (3) add VAT/GST, excise tax, anti-dumping duties as applicable. We cover 12 countries: US, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, Korea, Australia, Brazil, Mexico.
China's export rebate rates are published by the State Tax Administration in the Export Rebate Library, updated multiple times per year, covering all 13-digit HS codes. Common rebate tiers are 0%, 6%, 9%, 10%, 13%. Exporters reclaim VAT previously paid on production inputs. We are integrating China GAC and SAT data sources shortly.
Misclassification leads to wrong duty (under/overpayment), customs delays, cargo holds, and fines. Customs authorities retain post-clearance audit rights (3 years in China, 5 years in the US). Best practices: (1) build an HS archive for recurring SKUs; (2) cross-verify AI classifications; (3) for complex items, request advance rulings (binding pre-classification).
Because the first 6 digits are internationally harmonized, but each country's statistical and tariff needs drive 2-7 digit national extensions. E.g. "men's cotton T-shirts" → US 6109.10.00.04 (10-digit), India 6109.10.00 (8-digit), China 6109100000 (10-digit). When pricing exports, always use the destination country's full local HS.