Trade Classification System (Harmonized System)

Merchandise trade on this site are categorized by two trade classifications: the Harmonized System (HS) and the North American Industry Classifcation System (NAICS).

Harmonized System (HS)

The HS classification system is defined by the United States at the 2-, 4-, 6-, and 10-digit level for both imports and exports. (Codes are also frequently defined at the 8-digit level for U.S. imports.)

The first two-digits identify the commodity's "chapter". Let's say you were interested in hang gliders. This is in chapter 88 ("Aircraft, spacecraft, and parts thereof"). That includes aircraft, spacecraft, and a variety of other things. Hang gliders fall within 8801 ("Balloons and dirigibles; gliders, hang gliders and other non-powered aircraft"). Drilling down far enough, you'll find that the ten-digit import code for hang gliders is 8801.10.00.30.

On a six-digit basis, the same commodity codes are used throughout the world. Each country can, however, provide additional detail (8- and 10-digit) if they decide to. Typically, a country's detailed import codes will be different from their export codes although they'll be the same at the 6-digit level.

Import codes are used for a variety of tracking and tariff purposes so more detailed break-outs are done for import codes than exports. You'll find that there are a lot more import codes than export codes in use. There are about 9,000 different export HS codes while there are about 18,000 different import HS codes.

In the United States, the export classification system is called "Schedule B". The import side is called the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States Annotated (HTSA).

North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)

NAICS was developed jointly by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico to provide comparable business activity statistics across North America. It replaced the SIC system in 1997 as the official classification system to be used by U.S. statistical agencies. The NAICS codes are based on broad industry groups, subgroups, and detailed groups of firms in similar lines of business. They include 1,170 industries, of which approximately 565 are service based, broken down into 20 two-digit sectors.