HS Code Chapters List: 21 Sections and 97 Chapters
HS code chapters list: all 21 sections with their chapter ranges, the US-only chapters 98 and 99, and the chapters importers and online sellers use most.
An HS code chapters list is the map of the Harmonized System: 21 sections that group 97 chapters, from live animals in chapter 1 to works of art in chapter 97. The first two digits of every HS code are its chapter, so knowing the map tells you where to start reading. This page lists every section with its chapter range, adds the two chapters that exist only in the US schedule, and highlights the chapters importers and online sellers meet most often.
It is written for importers, brokers and e-commerce teams who want to orient themselves before searching for a code. Titles below are taken from the US Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS), 2026 Revision 20, current as of October 2026, and shortened where they are long.
Key takeaways
- The HS has 21 sections and 97 chapters. Chapter 77 is reserved for future use and holds no goods.
- The US HTS adds Section XXII with chapters 98 and 99: special classification provisions, temporary legislation and additional duties.
- The first two digits of a code are the chapter; the chapter narrows the search but does not decide the code.
- Section and chapter titles are for reference only. Legal notes, often at section level, move products between chapters.
- A handful of chapters (39, 42, 61 to 64, 69, 70, 73, 84, 85, 94, 95, 96) cover most consumer goods.
The 21 sections and their chapters
| Section | Chapters | Coverage (shortened from the HTS titles) |
|---|---|---|
| I | 1 to 5 | Live animals; animal products |
| II | 6 to 14 | Vegetable products |
| III | 15 | Animal, vegetable or microbial fats and oils; prepared edible fats; waxes |
| IV | 16 to 24 | Prepared foodstuffs; beverages, spirits and vinegar; tobacco and nicotine products |
| V | 25 to 27 | Mineral products |
| VI | 28 to 38 | Products of the chemical or allied industries |
| VII | 39 to 40 | Plastics and rubber, and articles thereof |
| VIII | 41 to 43 | Hides, skins, leather and furskins; travel goods, handbags and similar containers |
| IX | 44 to 46 | Wood, cork, straw and basketware |
| X | 47 to 49 | Pulp, paper and paperboard and articles thereof |
| XI | 50 to 63 | Textiles and textile articles |
| XII | 64 to 67 | Footwear, headgear, umbrellas, prepared feathers, artificial flowers |
| XIII | 68 to 70 | Articles of stone, plaster and cement; ceramic products; glass and glassware |
| XIV | 71 | Pearls, precious stones and metals; imitation jewelry; coin |
| XV | 72 to 83 | Base metals and articles of base metal |
| XVI | 84 to 85 | Machinery and mechanical appliances; electrical equipment; sound and image recorders |
| XVII | 86 to 89 | Vehicles, aircraft, vessels and associated transport equipment |
| XVIII | 90 to 92 | Optical, measuring, medical instruments; clocks and watches; musical instruments |
| XIX | 93 | Arms and ammunition |
| XX | 94 to 96 | Miscellaneous manufactured articles |
| XXI | 97 | Works of art, collectors' pieces and antiques |
| XXII (US only) | 98 to 99 | Special classification provisions; temporary legislation; additional duties and restrictions |
Sections I to XXI belong to the international Harmonized System, maintained by the World Customs Organization and shared by more than 200 countries and economies. Section XXII exists only in the US schedule. For how the six digits inside each chapter work, see what is an HS code.
Chapters 98 and 99: the US-only part
USITC notes that the provisions of chapters 98 and 99 do not appear in the schedules of other countries.
- Chapter 98 holds special classification provisions, such as US goods returned after repair or assembly abroad. Claims under it depend on conditions and documents set out in its notes.
- Chapter 99 holds temporary legislation, temporary modifications established under trade legislation and additional import restrictions. Additional duties, including Section 301 and Section 232 measures, are written here as 9903 headings.
A Chapter 99 number never replaces the product's own code. It is reported alongside the Chapter 1 to 97 number. Our guide to HTS Chapter 99 explains how those measures are read and combined.
The chapters online sellers use most
Most consumer products land in a small group of chapters. Titles below are from HTS Revision 20.
| Chapter | HTS title (shortened) | Typical products |
|---|---|---|
| 39 | Plastics and articles thereof | Plastic housewares, many phone cases, storage boxes |
| 42 | Articles of leather; travel goods, handbags and similar containers | Handbags, backpacks, wallets, tote bags |
| 61 | Apparel and clothing accessories, knitted or crocheted | T-shirts, leggings, sweatshirts |
| 62 | Apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted or crocheted | Woven shirts, jeans, woven dresses |
| 63 | Other made up textile articles; needlecraft sets; worn clothing | Bed linen, towels, curtains |
| 64 | Footwear, gaiters and the like; parts | Shoes, sandals, boots |
| 69 | Ceramic products | Ceramic mugs and tableware |
| 70 | Glass and glassware | Glass jars, drinking glasses |
| 73 | Articles of iron or steel | Steel kitchenware, fasteners |
| 84 | Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances | Computers, printers, pumps, industrial machines |
| 85 | Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof | Chargers, headphones, speakers, phones |
| 94 | Furniture; bedding; luminaires and lighting fittings | Chairs, mattresses, lamps |
| 95 | Toys, games and sports equipment | Toys, yoga mats, fitness gear |
| 96 | Miscellaneous manufactured articles | Pens, vacuum flasks, combs |
For worked examples inside these chapters, see HTS codes for e-commerce products.
Why the chapter title is not enough
The first General Rule of Interpretation says the titles of sections, chapters and sub-chapters are provided for ease of reference only. Three real cases show what happens when you trust a title.
Vacuum bottles are not "articles of steel". A stainless steel bottle looks like a chapter 73 product. But Section XV note 1(m) excludes articles of chapter 96 from the base metal chapters, and CBP classifies vacuum-insulated bottles in heading 9617, vacuum flasks and other vacuum vessels. CBP revoked its own earlier rulings to the contrary in 2021.
Earbuds moved between headings in chapter 85. For years, some CBP rulings placed wireless earbuds and headsets in 8517.62 as data transmission apparatus. In ruling H346387 (September 2025), CBP revoked those rulings and classified the goods in 8518.30.20, headphones and earphones. The chapter was right; the heading was not.
Phone cases are often not "cases". Heading 4202 lists many kinds of cases and containers, but CBP has repeatedly held that hard plastic cellphone cases fall in chapter 39 as other articles of plastics, most recently in ruling N363522 (August 2026).
The lesson: use the chapter list to find where to start reading, then read the section notes, chapter notes and headings. Our guide to the General Rules of Interpretation explains the order in which those texts apply.
Using the list to start a search
A practical way to use the chapter list when you have a new product:
- Name what the product is made of and what it does. "Knitted cotton top for men" is more useful here than "graphic tee".
- Pick the candidate sections. Materials point to sections such as VII (plastics), XI (textiles) or XV (base metals); functions point to sections such as XVI (machinery and electrical) or XX (miscellaneous manufactured articles).
- Read the section notes first. Section notes often exclude whole groups of goods, as Section XV note 1(m) does for chapter 96 articles.
- Then read the chapter notes of each candidate chapter, looking for exclusions and definitions.
- Only then read the headings. Compare the heading terms against your product, and keep a note of the headings you ruled out and why.
If two headings in different chapters both seem to fit, the General Rules of Interpretation decide, in order. Products made of several materials, such as a phone case with a plastic shell and a metal bezel, are the usual case where you will need GRI 3.
How the map changes
The chapter structure is stable, but not frozen. The WCO amends the HS every 5 to 6 years, and HS 2028 enters into force on 1 January 2028. Amendments usually add, split or delete headings and subheadings inside chapters rather than redraw the sections. When they take effect, the US schedule follows, and codes you rely on may change.
From the map to a 10-digit code
HTS Pilot uses the same structure to narrow a product description: it scores chapters and headings from the text, follows a short list of the most likely chapters down to six-digit subheadings, and only then compares national tariff lines. The code tree in its code search shows the official description at each level, so you can see where a proposed code sits. Proposed codes are suggestions for reference, not official classification decisions; the declarant and the customs authority decide.
Summary
The HS code chapters list gives you 21 sections and 97 chapters, plus the US-only chapters 98 and 99. Use it to find the right neighbourhood, never to settle the address: section notes, chapter notes and heading terms decide the code, and they regularly move products away from the chapter their name suggests.
Frequently asked questions
How many chapters are in the HS code?
The Harmonized System has 97 chapters grouped into 21 sections. Chapter 77 is reserved and holds no goods, so 96 chapters are in use. The US Harmonized Tariff Schedule adds chapters 98 and 99 in a Section XXII of its own for special classification provisions, temporary legislation and additional duties.
What do the first two digits of an HS code mean?
They are the chapter. Chapter 61, for example, covers apparel that is knitted or crocheted, and chapter 85 covers electrical machinery and equipment. The next two digits are the heading within that chapter and the two after that the subheading. The chapter narrows the search, but the notes and heading terms decide the code.
What is chapter 99 in the HTS?
Chapter 99 is a US-only chapter for temporary legislation, temporary modifications under trade laws and additional import restrictions. Additional duties such as Section 301 and Section 232 measures are set out there. A Chapter 99 number is reported in addition to the regular Chapter 1 to 97 code, never instead of it.
Are section and chapter titles legally binding?
No. The first General Rule of Interpretation says titles of sections, chapters and sub-chapters are provided for ease of reference only. Classification is decided by the terms of the headings and the section and chapter notes. A product can sit in a chapter whose title does not mention it, and a title can seem to cover goods that a note excludes.
Sources
The official texts and pages this article relies on. Check them for the current version before you act.
- What is the Harmonized System (HS)? - World Customs Organization wcoomd.org
- HTS Search and chapter files, 2026 Revision 20 - USITC hts.usitc.gov
- HTS Chapter 98, Section XXII, 2026 Revision 20 - USITC hts.usitc.gov
- FAQs about tariff classification and the HTS - U.S. International Trade Commission usitc.gov
- CBP ruling H346387: wireless headphones and earbuds, revocation of earlier rulings rulings.cbp.gov
This article is general information, not legal advice and not a classification decision. Tariff texts, rates and rulings change: check the current official sources, and ask the customs authority for a binding ruling where the answer matters.
