Find the right HS-kod for your goods
Describe the goods in English or Swedish, or upload the invoice. The tool matches against the commodity codes in the Swedish customs tariff and suggests the HS code, CN code and Taric code with an assessed confidence. No account, no registration.
Start with a short product description. The more you say about material and use, the more reliable the suggestions.
The search did not go through
We could not read the goods automatically
Describe them manually in the search field, or contact us and a customs specialist helps you directly.
The duty rate depends on the country of origin. Calculate duty and VAT in the duty calculator.
HS code, commodity code or tariff number? The same thing, different names
All the terms point to the same system: a numeric code that tells customs exactly which goods you bring into or out of the country. The difference lies in how many digits are used and where the code applies. Here is how they fit together.
6 DIGITS · THE WHOLE WORLD
HS-kod
The Harmonized System, developed by the World Customs Organization (WCO) and used by over 200 countries. The first six digits are identical everywhere. That is the code that belongs on a commercial invoice or proforma invoice.
8 DIGITS · THE EU
CN code
The Combined Nomenclature is the EU’s two-digit extension of the HS code. The CN code is used for exports from Sweden and in Intrastat reporting. Updated at every turn of the year.
10 DIGITS · EU IMPORTS
Taric code
The EU’s integrated tariff adds another two digits, sometimes with four-character additional codes. It is the Taric code that goes into an import declaration to Swedish Customs.
Varukod, tullnummer, tariffnummer, varunummer …
In everyday Swedish, a range of synonyms is used, and all refer to the same numeric code in different lengths. Varukod is Swedish Customs’ own word. Tulltaxenummer and statistiskt nummer appear in older trade documents. In English it is called HS code, commodity code or tariff code, and in Norway tolltariffnummer or varenummer.
varukod tullnummer tariffnummer varunummer commodity code HS code tulltaxenummer statistiskt nummer tolltariffnummerHow to read an HS code, digit by digit
The customs tariff is built like a tree: 21 sections, 97 chapters and thousands of subheadings. Each pair of digits narrows the description. Here is a laptop as an example, from chapter to full Taric code.
84
Chapter
71
HS heading
30
Subheading
00
KN
00
Taric
Chapter
84
Machinery and appliances
Two digits. The tariff’s 97 chapters are grouped into 21 sections, for example textiles, metals or machinery.
HS heading
8471
Computers and their units
Four digits. Sometimes called the tariff heading, and the level most duty rates in free trade agreements refer to.
HS subheading
8471 30
Portable computers, at most 10 kg
Six digits. This is the international HS code that is the same in every country and belongs on the invoice.
CN code
8471 30 00
Exports and Intrastat
Eight digits. The EU’s subdivision. Enough for export declarations from Sweden.
Taric code
8471 30 00 00
Imports to the EU
Ten digits. Required in the import declaration and governs duty rate, anti-dumping, permits and additional codes.
How many digits do you need? It depends on what the code will be used for.
SITUATION
DIGITS
LEVEL
Imports to Sweden (import declaration)
10
Taric code, sometimes with an additional code
Exports from Sweden (export declaration)
8
CN code
Commercial invoice and proforma invoice
6
HS code (preferably 8 if you know it)
Intrastat (trade within the EU)
8
CN code
Imports to Norway (tolldeklarasjon)
8
Norwegian tariff, same first six digits
Imports to the USA or the UK
10
HTS and UK Tariff respectively, same first six digits
The HS code decides more than the duty rate
Many think the commodity code only decides how much duty is paid. In practice it is the key to the entire customs process. Six things governed directly by which HS code you state:
The duty rate
From 0% on computers and furniture to 12% on t-shirts and 14% on bicycles. Two goods that look the same can land in different subheadings with completely different duty. Calculate the duty in the duty calculator or see what duty costs in Sweden (in Swedish), or check EORI numbers and VAT numbers.
The import VAT
The VAT rate follows the nature of the goods: 25% for most goods, 6% for books and print, and for food temporarily 6% until 31 December 2027. Read more about import VAT in Sweden (in Swedish).
Anti-dumping and additional duties
The EU’s protective duties are tied to specific Taric codes and countries of origin. Bicycles, ceramics, fasteners and tyres from China are typical examples. The right code decides whether the additional duty kicks in or not.
Permits, licences and restrictions
The code tells you whether the goods require CE documentation, an import licence, veterinary control, chemicals registration, or carry export restrictions. The tariff lists the requirements per commodity code.
Origin rules and free trade
Whether the goods can get 0% duty under a free trade agreement is decided by the origin rule for that specific HS heading. The wrong code can therefore cost you the duty-free treatment. Read about proofs of origin and EUR.1.
Statistics and control selection
The commodity code underpins trade statistics, Intrastat and Swedish Customs’ risk analysis. Deviating codes in a flow are a common reason shipments are picked out for control.
Common goods and their HS codes
The table shows the CN code and the EU’s ordinary duty rate for some goods Swedish companies often import. Click a row to search further in the HS code tool.
Goods
CN code
Duty rate (third country)
The duty rates are the EU’s ordinary third-country duty under the tariff, excluding anti-dumping duty, preferential treatment and VAT. The rates change, so always check the current rate in the tariff, or let us do it. The material, the function and even the packaging can move goods to a different code.
Ask us what applies to your goodsHow to find the right HS code in five steps
Classification is an assessment, not a lookup. This is how our customs specialists work, and how you can do it yourself for simpler goods.
Describe the goods carefully
What is it made of, what is it used for, how is it processed and how is it packaged? A “steel part” can be a pipe, a screw or a machine part with completely different codes.
Search in the HS code tool
Type the description in English or Swedish. You get the most likely candidates from the tariff with a confidence assessment, so you quickly see whether several codes are possible.
Check in the tariff
Look up the candidate in Swedish Customs’ Tulltaxan. There you see the duty rate per country of origin, additional codes, anti-dumping and which permits are required.
Apply the interpretation rules
The tariff’s six general interpretation rules decide the hard cases: incomplete goods, mixtures, sets, packaging and goods fitting under two codes. This is where most errors arise.
Confirm the code
Have a customs specialist verify the assessment. For recurring goods, you can also apply for Binding Tariff Information (BTI) from Swedish Customs. It is free and valid for three years across the EU.
Six common mistakes when choosing an HS code
Almost no errors are deliberate. They arise from shortcuts. These are the mistakes we correct most often.
The supplier’s code is copied straight off
The supplier’s code follows the export country’s tariff and is often only six digits. From the seventh digit onwards, the EU’s subdivision can look completely different.
The code is chosen for the lowest duty rate
Choosing the code that gives the lowest duty, instead of the one that describes the goods, is the most common cause of retroactive billing and customs surcharges.
Parts are classified as the whole product
Spare parts, components and accessories often have their own codes. An engine for a machine is rarely the same code as the machine.
The material decides, but is forgotten
The same product in plastic, steel or wood lands in three different chapters. Composite materials are classified by what gives the goods their essential character.
Old codes are reused
The CN codes change at every turn of the year and the HS system is revised every five years. Codes from a 2021 declaration can be invalid today.
Sets and kits are classified piece by piece
A product bundle intended for retail can be classified as one unit by the item that gives the bundle its character, or as separate goods. The interpretation rules decide.
The responsibility for the code is always yours, even when someone else declared
It is the importer or exporter who answers for the details in the declaration. Swedish Customs can reassess and retroactively charge duty and VAT several years later, and add customs surcharges on top.
3 years
the usual limit for post-clearance demands
20 %
customs surcharge on duty withheld through wrong details
SEK 0
is what it costs to let us confirm the code before you declare
Unsure about a code? Call +46 31 755 77 76 or email info@easytull.com. We reply within 10 minutes.
When the right commodity code became money in the bank
Classification sounds like administration. Counted in kronor, it is often the single biggest decision in an import.
110 00SEK 0
saved for the customer
When the new tyre rules arrived in July 2026, our customer was not aware of them. We caught it before the order was placed, checked the commodity code against the anti-dumping rules and saved the customer SEK 110,000. How to import from China.
SEK 36,453
saved for the customer
Stretch film with commodity code 3920 10 89 imported from Turkey. With the right code and an A.TR certificate in place, the duty became 0% instead of the ordinary rate. How to import from Turkey.
Unsure about the code? Send us the goods, and we confirm it.
A customs specialist goes through material, function and use, sets the right HS code and calculates duty and VAT. A reply within 10 minutes, or the declaration is on us.
Does the same HS code apply in Norway, the USA and the UK?
The first six digits, yes. After that, each country or customs union has its own extension, and that is what governs the duty rate in the destination country.
When exporting from Sweden, you declare with the eight-digit CN code. Your customer in Norway declares the same goods with the Norwegian tariff’s eight digits, in the USA with ten digits under the HTS and in the UK with ten digits under the UK Tariff. So always state at least six digits on the invoice, and the recipient can build on from there.
Why companies let EasyTull set the commodity code
The tool gives you the candidates. We give you a classification that holds up at a control, and take the whole declaration if you want.
Your own customs specialist
Send a description, a product sheet or the invoice. We reply within 10 minutes, every day 07:00 to 23:00.
A classification that holds
We start from how Swedish Customs actually assesses goods: function, material, processing and the interpretation rules. Not from what gives the lowest duty.
The whole declaration if you want
The right code, the right customs value, the right proof of origin and a finished import declaration or export declaration within two hours.
No lock-in
Pay per declaration or per classification. A regular customs broker who gets to know your goods, with no contract or hidden fees.
Want to know more about how we work with classification as a service? Read about commodity classification in Sweden.
Questions and answers about HS codes
Can’t find the answer? Ask us, and a customs specialist replies.
Ask your questionWhat is an HS code?
An HS code is a six-digit code from the Harmonized System, an international system for classifying goods used by over 200 countries. The code describes what the goods are and governs duty rate, VAT, permits and statistics. Within the EU it is extended to an eight-digit CN code, and at import to a ten-digit Taric code.
Are HS code, commodity code and tariff number the same thing?
Yes, in practice. Varukod is Swedish Customs’ word, HS code is the international term, and tariff number, customs number and similar are everyday synonyms. The difference that matters is the number of digits: six for HS, eight for the CN code and ten for the Taric code.
How many digits does an HS code have?
The international HS code has six digits. For exports from Sweden, eight digits are used (the CN code) and for imports to Sweden ten digits (the Taric code), sometimes with a four-character additional code for, for example, anti-dumping duty.
Where do I find the HS code for my product?
Start in the HS code tool at the top of this page, which matches your description against the commodity codes in the Swedish customs tariff. Then check the candidate in Tulltaxan at tullverket.se, where you see the duty rate, additional codes and permit requirements. If you are unsure, we confirm the code free of charge within 10 minutes.
What is the difference between an HS code, a CN code and a Taric code?
They are three levels of the same code. The HS code is the first six digits and is common to the whole world. The CN code adds two digits for the EU’s needs and is used at export and in Intrastat. The Taric code adds another two digits and is used at import to the EU, where it governs duty rate, anti-dumping and permits.
What is the customs tariff?
The customs tariff is the list of all commodity codes with their duty rates, restrictions and additional codes. The EU’s tariff is called Taric. Swedish Customs publishes the Swedish version in the Tulltaxan search service, where you can look up codes, see the duty rate per country of origin and calculate charges.
Does the HS code have to be on the invoice?
There is no general legal requirement, but it is strong practice and many destination countries and forwarders require it. State at least six digits per line on the commercial invoice. It speeds up clearance at both ends and reduces the risk of the recipient classifying the goods wrongly.
What happens if I use the wrong HS code?
If you have paid too little duty, Swedish Customs can retroactively charge duty and VAT several years back and add a customs surcharge of 20 per cent of the withheld amount. If you have paid too much, you can request a reassessment and get money back. The wrong code can also get the shipment stopped for control, or cost you duty-free treatment under free trade agreements.
Can I use the HS code my supplier states?
As a starting point, yes. The first six digits should be right. But the supplier’s code follows the export country’s tariff, and the digits after that can differ from the EU’s. The responsibility for the code in the Swedish declaration always lies with you as the importer, whoever suggested it.
What is Binding Tariff Information (BTI)?
A written decision from Swedish Customs on which commodity code a specific product should have. The decision is free, valid for three years and binding on the customs authorities across the EU. It is worth applying for goods you import regularly or where the classification is disputed. We help you with the application.
Is the HS code tool free and how reliable is it?
The tool is free and requires no account. It matches your description against Swedish Customs’ commodity codes and ranks the candidates with an assessed confidence. The suggestions are indicative. The final classification should always be confirmed by a customs specialist before you declare, which we do free of charge.
What does help with classification cost?
Having a code confirmed by us costs nothing. If you need a full classification investigation, a BTI application or the whole declaration, we give a fixed price in advance, with no lock-in. Call +46 31 755 77 76 or email info@easytull.com.
The right HS code from the start. We handle the rest.
Search for the code above, or send us the goods directly. We classify, declare and calculate duty and VAT, so your goods never stand still unnecessarily.
Reply within 10 min
Declaration within 2 hours
No lock-in
Call +46 31 755 77 76 or email info@easytull.com
Sources: Swedish Customs (Tulltaxan, Binding Tariff Information, customs surcharges), the European Commission (Taric and the Combined Nomenclature), the World Customs Organization WCO (Harmonized System). Page updated September 2026.
