HS Code: The First Number We Check Before Quoting an Import

A product description is not enough

Two products can look similar on a supplier catalogue and still fall under different tariff classifications. That classification can affect duty, import policy and the compliance authorities involved. This is why we do not like quoting a serious import only from a photograph and a CBM figure. ## What the HS/CTH code can influence Depending on the product, classification can affect the applicable customs duty, preferential or anti-dumping treatment, import policy and the Partner Government Agencies or compliance requirements connected with the tariff line. ICEGATE’s Trade Guide is designed around this logic. It allows a search by CTH, product description and country of origin and displays duty and policy information. ## Do not blindly copy the supplier’s HS code A Chinese export code or a code printed on a supplier document should not automatically be treated as the final Indian import classification. India maintains its own tariff and ITC(HS) structure at the national level. The correct classification should be reviewed against the actual product description, composition, function and applicable tariff entries.

Why our calculator starts here

A useful landed-cost calculator should not simply multiply the RMB value by a generic factor. It should begin with the product and HS/CTH, show the applicable duty components, and then add freight and other commercial costs. That gives the importer something far more useful than a headline number: a calculation they can understand. > [!TIP] > **Action Step**: Have a product or PI from China? Share it with us and we can help identify the information needed for a proper landed-cost review. ## Helpful Resources & Official Links - ICEGATE Import Trade Guide - ICEGATE Customs Duty Calculator - LCL Global Sourcing & Import Services