HS vs HTS vs Schedule B: Which Code Goes Where

HS vs HTS vs Schedule B is one of the first questions a new importer or exporter runs into, because all three look alike and share the same first six digits. The short answer: the HS code is the six-digit international code, the HTS code is the 10-digit US import code built on it, and the Schedule B number is the 10-digit US export code built on it.

This article is for US importers, exporters, customs brokers and online sellers who need to know which number goes on which document. It compares the three side by side, explains when one can stand in for another, and lists the mistakes that cause rejected filings.

Key takeaways

• HS code: six digits, maintained by the World Customs Organization, shared by more than 200 countries and economies.
• HTS code: ten digits, published by the US International Trade Commission (USITC), used to classify imports into the United States and to set their duty.
• Schedule B number: ten digits, maintained by the US Census Bureau, used to report exports from the United States.
• The first six digits of all three are the same for the same product. The last four can differ.
• For most export filings the 10-digit HTS number can replace the Schedule B number, with exceptions listed in the HTS.

The three codes side by side

The HS code is the common trunk. Each national schedule grows its own branches from the sixth digit onward, which is why a US code and a Chinese code for the same blender differ after 8509.40, as USITC's FAQ points out. For a fuller explanation of the six digits, see what is an HS code.

HS code: the international base

The Harmonized System is the WCO's product nomenclature. The WCO describes it as more than 5,000 commodity groups, each with a six-digit code, used by more than 200 countries and economies as the basis for customs tariffs and trade statistics.

On its own, a six-digit HS code is not enough to clear goods in the United States. It tells you the product family and subheading, but it does not carry a US duty rate or the statistical detail that US entries require. Treat it as the starting point that every national code shares.

HTS code: the US import code

The Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS, usually called the HTS) is the legal schedule for goods entering the US. USITC publishes and maintains it; US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) applies it at the border and issues classification rulings.

The HTS adds four digits to the HS code:

• Digits 7 and 8 create the US tariff line. USITC explains that the legal text of the HTS ends at the 8-digit level, which is where duty rates are assigned.
• Digits 9 and 10 are the statistical suffix. Together with the 8 digits they form the statistical reporting number, which must be used on the entry.

So for a men's cotton T-shirt, 6109.10.00 sets the duty (16.5% general rate in HTS 2026 Revision 20) and 6109.10.00.12 is the number you declare. To read the columns and rates that sit next to each code, see how to read the HTS.

The HTS also has two chapters with no counterpart in the HS: Chapter 98 (special classification provisions) and Chapter 99 (temporary legislation and additional duties). Those numbers are reported alongside a Chapter 1 to 97 code, never instead of it.

Schedule B: the US export code

Schedule B is the US Census Bureau's classification for goods leaving the United States. Like the HTS, it is a 10-digit system built on the six-digit HS code, but its extra digits serve export statistics rather than duty. USITC notes that the United States does not assess tariffs on US exports.

Exporters report the Schedule B number (or an accepted HTS number) in the Electronic Export Information (EEI) filed through the Automated Export System. Under the Foreign Trade Regulations in 15 CFR Part 30, EEI is generally required when the value of goods classified under a single Schedule B or HTSUSA number is over $2,500, and in other cases such as shipments that need an export licence. Shipments under one number valued at $2,500 or less are exempt from that value-based requirement, unless another rule requires filing.

Can you use the HTS code for exports?

Usually, yes. The Foreign Trade Regulations state that the 10-digit HTSUSA number may be reported in lieu of the Schedule B number, except as noted in the headnotes of the HTS. USITC adds that the HTS general statistical notes and its notice to exporters list the cases where the two schedules differ; for those, Schedule B must be used.

Two practical limits apply:

1. Chapter 99 numbers cannot be used for exports. The HTS notice in Chapter 99 says its statistical reporting numbers apply only to imports and may not be reported on export declarations.
2. Decimals are dropped. 15 CFR Part 30 says that when the Schedule B or HTSUSA number is reported, the decimals are omitted.

Whichever number you use, the commodity description still has to be complete. The regulations require a description detailed enough to verify the number.

One product, three codes: a worked example

Follow a men's T-shirt, 100% cotton, knitted, through all three systems.

• HS code: 6109.10. Chapter 61 (knitted apparel), heading 6109 (T-shirts, singlets, tank tops and similar garments), subheading 6109.10 (of cotton). A buyer in Japan, a supplier in Vietnam and a broker in Mexico all read these six digits the same way.
• HTS code: 6109.10.00.12. The US adds 00 to make the tariff line 6109.10.00, which carries the 16.5% general rate, and suffix 12 for "men's" under "other T-shirts". This is the number on the US import entry.
• Export reporting. If the same T-shirt is later exported from the United States, the exporter reports a Schedule B number starting with 6109.10, or the HTS number 6109100012 without decimals where the HTS allows it in place of Schedule B.

The first six digits never change. What changes is who uses the remaining four and for what purpose: duty and statistics on the way in, statistics on the way out.

Which code do you need?

Common mistakes

• Declaring a foreign country's code. A supplier's invoice may show the export country's 8 or 10-digit code. Only the first six digits carry over.
• Assuming the HTS and Schedule B numbers always match. They often do, but the match is not guaranteed past six digits.
• Reporting a Chapter 99 number as the main classification. It is an add-on that sits next to the Chapter 1 to 97 code.
• Stopping at the HS code. A six-digit code has no US duty rate and will not pass as an entry line.

Getting the import code right

For imports into the United States or the European Union, HTS Pilot starts from your product description and proposes a full 10-digit code from the current US HTS release or the EU TARIC extraction, always one market and one tariff version at a time. Each result shows the six-digit HS code and the national extension separately, the reasons for and against each candidate, linked official sources and a confidence score, and unclear cases go to a reviewer. Treat its output as a suggestion for reference, not an official classification decision; the importer of record and CBP decide.

Summary

The HS code is the shared six-digit base, the HTS code is the 10-digit US import number that carries the duty, and Schedule B is the 10-digit US export number for statistics. When you need to work out the import code itself, follow our guide on how to find HTS code numbers step by step, and confirm the result against the current schedule.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between an HS code and an HTS code?

The HS code is the six-digit international code set by the World Customs Organization. The HTS code is the US version: the same six digits plus two for the US tariff line and two for statistics, ten digits in all. The HS code alone has no US duty rate; the 8-digit HTS line carries it.

Can I use an HTS code instead of a Schedule B number for exports?

Usually yes. The Foreign Trade Regulations allow the 10-digit HTSUSA number to be reported in place of the Schedule B number, except where the headnotes of the HTS say otherwise. Chapter 99 numbers apply only to imports and may not be reported on export filings. Check the HTS notice to exporters for the listed exceptions.

Do I need a Schedule B number for every export?

Not for every shipment. Under the Foreign Trade Regulations, Electronic Export Information is generally required when the value of goods under one Schedule B or HTSUSA number exceeds $2,500, or when other conditions apply, such as a licence requirement. Below that, many shipments are exempt from filing, but the classification still matters for licensing and destination rules.

Is a Schedule B number the same as an HS code?

Its first six digits are the HS code, so they match the international code for the same product. The last four digits are set by the US Census Bureau for export statistics and may differ from the HTS import number. Matching full codes happen often, but USITC notes that the two schedules diverge in listed cases.

Sources

The official texts and pages this article relies on. Check them for the current version before you act.

1. FAQs about tariff classification and the HTS - U.S. International Trade Commission usitc.gov
2. 15 CFR Part 30, Foreign Trade Regulations - govinfo govinfo.gov
3. What is the Harmonized System (HS)? - World Customs Organization wcoomd.org
4. HTS Chapter 99, 2026 Revision 20 - USITC hts.usitc.gov
5. HTS Search - USITC hts.usitc.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.