Whats is
HSN Code - Harmonized System Code

HSN code-stands for “Harmonized System of Nomenclature”. This system was developed for the systematic classification of products or goods all around the world. The system nomenclature was developed by WCO (World Customs Organisation) and came into effect in 1988. A 6-digit uniform code acknowledged as HSN Code classifies more than 5000 goods and is endorsed worldwide.

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HS Codes List

The list contains all hs codes chapters with their description. Individual chapter details are present inside the links

Chapter codes Chapter Description
Chapter 1 Live animals
Chapter 2 Meat and edible meat offal
Chapter 3 Fish, crustaceans, molluscs, aquatic invertebrates ne
Chapter 4 Dairy products, eggs, honey, edible animal product ne
Chapter 5 Products of animal origin, nes
Chapter 6 Live trees, plants, bulbs, roots, cut flowers etc
Chapter 7 Edible vegetables and certain ro...
Chapter 8 Edible fruit, nuts, peel of citr...
Chapter 9 Coffee, tea, mate and spices
Chapter 10 Cereals
Chapter 11 Milling products, malt, starches, inulin, wheat glute
Chapter 12 Oil seed, oleagic fruits, grain, seed, fruit, etc, ne
Chapter 13 Lac, gums, resins, vegetable saps and extracts nes
Chapter 14 Vegetable plaiting materials, vegetable products nes
Chapter 15 Animal,vegetable fats and oils, cleavage products, et
Chapter 16 Meat, fish and seafood food preparations nes
Chapter 17 Sugars and sugar confectionery
Chapter 18 Cocoa and cocoa preparations
Chapter 19 Cereal, flour, starch, milk preparations and products
Chapter 20 Vegetable, fruit, nut, etc food preparations
Chapter 21 Miscellaneous edible preparations
Chapter 22 Beverages, spirits and vinegar
Chapter 23 Residues, wastes of food industr...
Chapter 24 Tobacco and manufactured tobacco substitutes
Chapter 25 Salt, sulphur, earth, stone, plaster, lime and cement
Chapter 26 Ores, slag and ash
Chapter 27 Mineral fuels, oils, distillation products, etc
Chapter 28 Inorganic chemicals, precious metal compound, isotope
Chapter 29 Organic chemicals
Chapter 30 Pharmaceutical products
Chapter 31 Fertilizers
Chapter 32 Tanning, dyeing extracts, tannins, derivs,pigments et
Chapter 33 Essential oils, perfumes, cosmetics, toileteries
Chapter 34 Soaps, lubricants, waxes, candles, modelling pastes
Chapter 35 Albuminoids, modified starches, glues, enzymes
Chapter 36 Explosives, pyrotechnics, matches, pyrophorics, etc
Chapter 37 Photographic or cinematographic goods
Chapter 38 Miscellaneous chemical products
Chapter 39 Plastics and articles thereof
Chapter 40 Rubber and articles thereof
Chapter 41 Raw hides and skins (other than furskins) and leather
Chapter 42 Articles of leather, animal gut, harness, travel good
Chapter 43 Furskins and artificial fur, manufactures thereof
Chapter 44 Wood and articles of wood, wood ...
Chapter 45 Cork and articles of cork
Chapter 46 Manufactures of plaiting material, basketwork, etc.
Chapter 47 Pulp of wood, fibrous cellulosic material, waste etc
Chapter 48 Paper and paperboard, articles of pulp, paper and board
Chapter 49 Printed books, newspapers, pictures etc
Chapter 50 Silk
Chapter 51 Wool, animal hair, horsehair yarn and fabric thereof
Chapter 52 Cotton
Chapter 53 Vegetable textile fibres nes, paper yarn, woven fabri
Chapter 54 manmade filaments
Chapter 55 manmade staple fibres
Chapter 56 Wadding, felt, nonwovens, yarns, twine, cordage, etc
Chapter 57 Carpets and other textile floor ...
Chapter 58 Special woven or tufted fabric, lace, tapestry etc
Chapter 59 Impregnated, coated or laminated textile fabric
Chapter 60 Knitted or crocheted fabric
Chapter 61 Articles of apparel, accessories, knit or crochet
Chapter 62 Articles of apparel, accessories...
Chapter 63 Other made textile articles, sets, worn clothing etc
Chapter 64 Footwear, gaiters and the like, parts thereof
Chapter 65 Headgear and parts thereof
Chapter 66 Umbrellas, walking sticks, seat sticks, whips, etc
Chapter 67 Bird skin, feathers, artificial flowers, human hair
Chapter 68 Stone, plaster, cement, asbestos, mica, etc articles
Chapter 69 Ceramic products
Chapter 70 Glass and glassware
Chapter 71 Pearls, precious stones, metals, coins, etc
Chapter 72 Iron and steel
Chapter 73 Articles of iron or steel
Chapter 74 Copper and articles thereof
Chapter 75 Nickel and articles thereof
Chapter 76 Aluminium and articles thereof
Chapter 78 Lead and articles thereof
Chapter 79 Zinc and articles thereof
Chapter 80 Tin and articles thereof
Chapter 81 Other base metals, cermets, articles thereof
Chapter 82 Tools, implements, cutlery, etc of base metal
Chapter 83 Miscellaneous articles of base metal
Chapter 84 Nuclear reactors, boilers, machi...
Chapter 85 Electrical, electronic equipment
Chapter 86 Railway, tramway locomotives, rolling stock, equipmen
Chapter 87 Vehicles other than railway, tramway
Chapter 88 Aircraft, spacecraft, and parts thereof
Chapter 89 Ships, boats and other floating ...
Chapter 90 Optical, photo, technical, medical, etc apparatus
Chapter 91 Clocks and watches and parts thereof
Chapter 92 Musical instruments, parts and accessories
Chapter 93 Arms and ammunition, parts and accessories thereof
Chapter 94 Furniture, lighting, signs, prefabricated buildings
Chapter 95 Toys, games, sports requisites
Chapter 96 Miscellaneous manufactured articles
Chapter 97 Works of art, collectors pieces and antiques
Chapter 99 Commodities not specified according to kind

How does HSN code work?

HSN Code consists of about 5,000 commodity groups and each of them is identified by a six-digit code, that has been arranged in a legal and logical structure. Well- defined set of rules acts as a sole support in order to achieve uniform classification. HSN code was developed and widely classified for taxation purposes. It helps in the identification of the rate of tax applicable to a specific product in a country that is under review. Apart from that, it can also be used in the calculations involved in claiming benefits. You can download the list of hs codes from here

Why is HSN important?

The sole purpose of HSN Code is to classify goods systematic and logical manner from all over the world. It is highly important for bringing a uniform classification of goods and to facilitate international trade.

Why is HSN important under GST? (GST HSN code)

The purpose of HSN codes under GST is to make GST highly systematic and globally accepted. HSN codes came with the removal of the need of uploading the detailed description of the goods. This resulted in saving time along with making the filing procedure easier as GST returns are automated. A dealer/trader or a service provider have to provide a summary of sales as per HSN/SAC in the GSTR-1 if the annual turnover falls in above mentioned slabs.

What is UQC in GST?

As per the CGST Rules, any sort of tax invoice, credit note, debit note must consist of UQC or quantity unit description. For example: 500 metres of fabric

For minimizing errors while filing GST returns, it is highly important to know the right HSN code of the product.

Use HSN Calculator in order to find out the HSN code for your product. You just need to select the product which you want to sell for once in the code calculator and then the related HSN code will be automatically generated.

How can I find my product in HSN list and its relevant HSN Code? (HSN code finder)

You can visit our handy HSN finder or we can say hsn code finder in order to find out HSN codes of goods and services of your requirement.

HSN Worldwide

The HSN full form-Harmonized System of Nomenclature is a system which is used by 200+ countries and economies for the following reasons:

  • Uniform classification
  • As a base for the Customs tariffs
  • For the collection of international trade statistics

Almost 98% of the overall merchandise within the international trade is classified using HSN terms.

HSN number or code for each product have been accepted by most countries. Additionally, HSN number used in certain countries may vary a little, based upon the nature of products being classified.

The mass adoption of the HSN code system internationally authenticates how beneficial role it plays in classifying the items.

HSN in India

Since 1971, India is a member of the World Customs Organization (WCO). Originally India was using 6-digit HSN codes for classifying goods for Customs and Central Excise. Later on, Customs and Central Excise decided to add two more digits for making the codes more precise and this resulted in an 8-digit classification.

Even Goods and Services Tax (GST) has adopted the HSN Code system for classifying the goods and this resulted as GST HST code.

Understanding the HSN Code

The HSN code structure consists of 21 sections, having 99 Chapters, about 1,244 headings, along with 5,224 subheadings.

  • Every Section is further divided within Chapters. Each Chapter is categorised into Headings. Each and every Heading is divided within Sub Headings.

  • Section and Chapter titles are used to describe broad categories of goods, whereas the headings and subheadings are used to describe products in detail.

Application of HSN code in India

HSN depends on a number of things mentioned below:

  • No HSN code is required for the businesses who are having annual turnover less than 1.5 crore INR-Any company with turnover within the range 1.5 crore INR- 5 crores INR.

  • 2-digit HSN code will be required in the case any business is having an annual turnover of more than INR 5 crores.

  • Any business involved in export and import or international trade, irrespective of turnover must use 8 digit HSN code.

Where should the HSN/SAC code be mentioned?

HSN Code and SAC code should be mentioned at the time when you register for GST, for your invoices, as well as on your GST returns that further needs to be uploaded on the GST Portal.

What type of businesses are not required to use HSN code while selling their goods?

Businesses having an annual turnover of less than R1.5 Crores falls in the category where they don’t require to use HSN codes for selling their goods. In addition, we can say businesses being registered under the composition scheme are the ones which are not required to mention HSN codes-on the invoices.

How many codes are businesses required to mention on the invoice?

  • 2-digit codes: Businesses having an annual turnover of the range Rs. 1.5 crores to 5 crores will require 2-digit codes.

  • 4-digit codes: Businesses having an annual turnover of Rs. 5 crores or more will be requiring 4-digit codes.

  • 8-digit codes: This has been considered as the worldwide standard. This has been made compulsory in the case of import/export of goods or we can say international trade.

How are products classified under HSN code?

Under HSN Code products are classified under-sections, chapters, headings, as well as subheadings. For example, while exporting fresh-bananas, you will find related HSN code under

Section 02: Vegetable Products;
Chapter 08: Edible fruits and nuts; peel of citrus fruits or melons;
Heading 03: Bananas including Plantains;
Subheading 9010: Bananas, fresh.
0803 will be the required HSN code and for exporting bananas,

the eight-digit HSN code will be 08 03 9010.

HSC Code illustration [XX] - chapter, [XX] - heading, [XXXX] subheading

Why is it necessary to follow the HSN code?

HSN code was introduced for the sole purpose of providing standardization along with the global acceptance of the products. Under GST regime all the businesses on which HSN system is applicable are supposed to get HSN code in order to levy the proper-rate of taxes applicable on their businesses which has been set by the concerned authorities of India.

Is it compulsory for all the business to get the HSN code?

Well the answer is No, HSN codes do not apply to all businesses and industries. The businesses which has been excluded from this are - Any business having annual turnover less than 1.5 crore INR in other words businesses being registered under GST composition scheme.

Is HSN code is required while GST Return filing?

Yes, because it is quite difficult for the business to enlist every detail of the importer or dealer. Thus, businesses can easily opt for HSN code that helps them in better time management. But businesses are advised to carefully choose the HSN code during the filing of details in the GST Return. Additionally, for an expert advice regarding the Search HSN Code, Connect2India trade experts are here to help.

What is SAC?

Service Accounting Code (SAC) is a unique code which is quite similar to the International HSN codes in a number of ways. SACs are typically issued by Central Board of Indirect Tax in order to classify each service for identifying the applicable rate of tax over the respective services. These SACs are usually used while generating invoices for the services being rendered.

What is UQC?

UQC stands for Unique Quantity Code. It is globally accepted unit of measurement for trading such as 1 kilogramme of rice, 1 litre of oil etc.

Why is it necessary to follow HSN Codes and SAC Codes?

HSN code is globally recognized system of classifying as well as codifying products from all over the World. It makes GST compliant to meet with international standards and to ensure the proper levy of taxes. HSN Codes provides a systematic and logical way of classification of goods, thereby decreasing the chances of any kind of misinterpretation. Moreover, a common structure allows the governments of countries for collaborating the data of purchases and sales of products and in analysing the same. Post to such an analysis, they can eventually decide over macroeconomic policies which are relatable to important goods.

Has the Government notified HSN Codes and Service Accounting Codes?

Yes, HSN Codes and SAC can be accessed from the Ministry websites too. These codes are efficiently controlled by the ACES website, which in the past was used by the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) for their operations.