HS Codes, HTS Codes and Schedule B Codes: What's the Difference?

Think of HS Codes, HTS Codes, and Schedule B Codes like labels on your backpack, they help people know what’s inside so they can take care of it properly.

Imagine you have a big toy box with all sorts of toys: cars, blocks, balls, and puzzles. Each toy is labeled so that when you go to play, you know exactly where to find them. That's like HS Codes, the basic labels for what’s in your box (or in trade around the world).

Now think about the label on your backpack at school: it has a special number that helps the teacher know which group you're in during lunch. That's similar to HTS Codes, which are more specific than HS Codes and help customs officers know exactly how much tax to charge when toys (or other goods) come into a country.

Schedule B Codes are like labels on your favorite snack bag, they're used by the United States to count how many snacks you've brought in for the whole school. These codes help track what comes into the country and from where.

All three systems use numbers, but each has its own special job, just like your backpack label, toy box label, and snack bag label all help keep things organized!