HS codes in UPS Global Checkout

Understand how HS codes impact duty and tax calculations and how to use them within the Global Checkout API.

Harmonized System (HS) codes are critical for accurate landed cost calculations, helping determine duties, taxes, and fees owed for cross-border shipments. The UPS® Global Checkout API supports multiple methods of providing or generating HS codes to ensure your customers receive accurate landed cost quotes.

Landed cost HS code options 

UPS highly recommends using product-specific HS codes to ensure the most accurate landed cost calculations. HS codes can either be provided directly in the request or generated automatically during landed cost calculations.

Provided HS codes

If you know your items' HS codes, pass the hsCode for each item during the itemCreateWorkflow. You can provide as many digits as you have—UPS will validate and complete the HS code as long as you provide at least the first 2 digits. Validation happens in real time based on the shipment’s destination country. If the HS code is invalid or not recognized, UPS will reclassify the item and use a newly generated, valid HS code for the calculation.

itemCreateWorkflow(
input: [
{ amount: 60.5, currencyCode: GBP, productId: "34341", quantity: 1, hsCode: "6110.20.2010" }
]
) {
id
hsCode
countryOfOrigin
productId
}

Generated HS codes

If an HS code is not provided, UPS will classify the item automatically using the description and category fields provided in the itemCreateWorkflow. If the product details are not sufficient for classification based on UPS’s internal confidence scoring, your store's default HS code will be used instead.

itemCreateWorkflow(
  input: [
    {
      amount: 120,
      currencyCode: USD,
      productId: "SKU-TIE-01",
      quantity: 1,
      description: "Men’s silk necktie",
      category: "Apparel > Accessories > Ties"
    }
  ]
) {
  id
  hsCode
  productId
  classificationConfidence
}

HS code sources 

For an exhaustive list of HS code sources and their descriptions, view the API reference.