What is an HS code and how do I find the right one for my product?
The short answer
An HS (Harmonized System) code is the universal 6-digit product classification customs authorities use worldwide; India's ITC-HS adds two more digits for an 8-digit code that determines your duty rate and whether your shipment gets flagged. Look it up on the DGFT's own ITC-HS portal or a free tool like Wise's or SEAIR's search by product description, get it wrong and you either overpay duty or get held at customs for reclassification. When in doubt, get a customs broker or your courier partner to confirm it before your first shipment, not your fiftieth.
A quick summary to orient you. The real value is below: the resources worth your time, from people who've actually done it, not us.
Here are the resources
Hand-picked from around the web, each with a note on why it earns your time. India-specific ones carry a badge.
Why we picked it
A fintech-written explainer that connects HS codes to the GST and payment side of exporting, which most pure customs guides skip, useful for seeing the whole compliance chain in one place.
Why we picked it
The government's own HS/ITC-HS classification lookup, the most authoritative place to confirm your product's code before third-party tools, since your duty rate and export policy depend on getting it right.
Why we picked it
A fast, filterable search tool for finding your ITC-HS code by chapter or product description when you want a quicker cross-check than the government portal's interface.
Why we picked it
A free search-by-product-name tool that's often faster than the government portal for a rough first lookup, cross-verify whatever it returns against the DGFT source before filing.
