Direct comparison
HS Code vs Schedule B for US Exports
HS code vs Schedule B: six digits vs ten, who maintains each, and which number 15 CFR 30.6(a)(12) asks for on a US export filing (EEI).
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How do HS code (WCO), Schedule B (US Census) compare side by side?
The table below compares HS code (WCO), Schedule B (US Census) across 11 procurement-relevant dimensions, from who maintains it through source.
Side-by-side comparison
| Dimension | HS code (WCO) | Schedule B (US Census) |
|---|---|---|
| Who maintains it | World Customs Organization (WCO), through its Harmonized System Committee. | U.S. Census Bureau, which publishes it as a statistical classification of exports. |
| What it is | A multipurpose international product nomenclature; each commodity group has a six-digit code. | The U.S. export commodity classification, based on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System. |
| Digits | Six digits (the international level). | Ten digits (15 CFR 30.6(a)(12) refers to the 10-digit commodity classification number). |
| Scope of use | Used by more than 200 countries and economies as the basis for customs tariffs and trade statistics. | Used for U.S. export data; Census compiles export statistics under approximately 10,000 Schedule B classifications. |
| Import or export | Both: it is the common base that national import and export schedules build on. | Exports from the United States. U.S. import data use the HTSUSA, the U.S. import version of the Harmonized System. |
| What the Foreign Trade Regulations ask for on the EEI | 15 CFR 30.6(a)(12) does not ask for a six-digit HS code as a separate EEI element for ordinary shipments. | Report the 10-digit commodity classification number as provided in Schedule B; the HTSUSA number may be reported in lieu of it except as noted in the HTSUSA headnotes. |
| Formatting on the filing | Not applicable to the EEI element. | Decimals are omitted when reporting the Schedule B or HTSUSA number. |
| Description that must go with it | Not applicable to the EEI element. | The goods are described in English in sufficient detail to permit verification of the number; if a license is required, the description conforms with the license. A correct number does not replace a complete and accurate description. |
| Where to look it up | WCO Harmonized System pages (international structure). | Census Schedule B Commodity Search Tool and the yearly Schedule B editions on the Census Schedule B page (check back periodically for the most recent files). |
| When to pick each | Use the six-digit HS level when discussing the international classification of goods with a foreign buyer, customs authority or supplier. | Use the Schedule B number (or the HTSUSA number where the headnotes allow) for the U.S. export filing itself; use the HTSUSA number for U.S. imports. |
| Source | WCO, What is the Harmonized System (wcoomd.org), read 2026-11-01. | Census Guide to Foreign Trade Statistics (census.gov/foreign-trade/guide/sec2.html), Census Schedule B page (census.gov/foreign-trade/schedules/b/index.html) and 15 CFR 30.6 (law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/15/30.6), read 2026-11-01. |
Common questions
Common questions about HS code (WCO) vs Schedule B (US Census)
Is Schedule B the same as an HS code?
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No. The HS code is the six-digit international nomenclature maintained by the WCO. Schedule B is a Census Bureau publication for U.S. exports that is based on the Harmonized System and is reported at ten digits.
How many digits does a Schedule B number have?
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Ten. 15 CFR 30.6(a)(12) directs filers to report the 10-digit commodity classification number as provided in Schedule B, with decimals omitted.
Can I use an HTS number on an export filing?
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Under 15 CFR 30.6(a)(12), the 10-digit HTSUSA number may be reported in lieu of the Schedule B number, except as noted in the headnotes of the HTSUSA.
Where do I look up a Schedule B number?
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The U.S. Census Bureau provides a Schedule B Commodity Search Tool and publishes yearly editions of Schedule B on its Schedule B page. Census advises checking back periodically for the most recent files.
What must the goods description say on the EEI?
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It must be in English and detailed enough to permit verification of the Schedule B or HTSUSA number, and where a license is required it must conform with the license (15 CFR 30.6(a)(13)).
Going deeper
