Trade: Trade Classification Systems

All of the imports and export codes used by the United States are based on the international Harmonized System (HS). The HS assigns 6-digit codes for general categories. Countries which use the HTS are allowed to define commodities at a more detailed level than 6-digits, but all definitions must be within that 6-digit framework. The U.S. defines products using 10-digit HTS codes. Exports codes (which the U.S. calls Schedule B) are administered by the U.S. Census Bureau. Import codes (called HTSA) are administered by the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC).

• Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSA)
  U.S. Merchandise import codes.
• Schedule B Export Codes
  U.S. Merchandise export codes
• North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS)
  Developed by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, NAICS defines products and services. It replaced the SIC system below.
• Standard Industrial Classification (SIC)
• Standard International Trade Classification (SITC)
  International trade classification system.

Translating a HS code into its corresponding SITC & NAICS codes or NAICS & SITC codes into HS codes.

Correspondence between NAICS and SIC codes.

For more international economic and social classification systems, see the UN's Statistical Classifications.