Schedule B Number — The US Export Classification Code
A Schedule B number is the 10-digit code that classifies goods exported from the United States. It's maintained by the US Census Bureau, built on the international Harmonized System, and required on every export filing above $2,500. Here's what it is, how it differs from an HTS code, and how to find yours.
Schedule B vs HTS — the Difference That Trips Up Exporters
They look identical (both 10 digits, same first 6) but point in opposite directions of trade.
| HTS Code | Schedule B | |
|---|---|---|
| Used for | Imports INTO the US | Exports FROM the US |
| Administered by | US International Trade Commission (USITC) | US Census Bureau |
| Digits | 10 (8 HS + 2 US) | 10 (6 HS + 4 US) |
| First 6 digits | Global HS code | Global HS code (same root) |
| Filed on | CBP Form 7501 / entry summary | Electronic Export Information (EEI) via AES |
| Determines | Import duty rate | Export statistics + licence requirements |
| Lookup tool | hts.usitc.gov | uscensus.gov / Schedule B Search Engine |
Rule of thumb: an HTS number is accepted on an export filing, but a Schedule B is NOT accepted on an import entry. When exporting, the Schedule B is the safe choice.
How to Find Your Schedule B Number
- 1. Identify material + function. Classification follows what the product IS and what it DOES — e.g. "cotton knitted t-shirt" not just "shirt".
- 2. Find the HS chapter (2-digit). Chapter 61 = knitted apparel, 84 = machinery, 85 = electronics, etc.
- 3. Narrow to heading + subheading (6-digit HS). This is the internationally shared root.
- 4. Select the full 10-digit Schedule B using the Census Bureau's official Schedule B Search Engine at uscensus.gov.
- 5. Screen for export controls. Cross-check the code against the EAR Commerce Control List — some products need a BIS licence regardless of value.
Common Schedule B Codes (Reference)
A starting-point sample. Always verify the full 10 digits for your exact product on the official tool.
| Schedule B | Product |
|---|---|
| 8471.30.0100 | Portable computers / laptops (< 10 kg) |
| 8517.13.0000 | Smartphones |
| 6109.10.0012 | T-shirts, cotton, men's/boys' knit |
| 9403.60.8081 | Wooden furniture (other) |
| 8708.29.5060 | Motor vehicle body parts |
| 3004.90.9228 | Medicaments, packaged for retail |
| 2204.21.5030 | Wine, ≤ 2 liters |
| 9018.90.7580 | Medical/surgical instruments |
Schedule B is an export-control checkpoint, not just paperwork
The classification determines whether your export needs a licence under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) or ITAR. Get it wrong and mask a licensable item, and penalties reach the greater of $364,992 or twice the transaction value per violation, plus potential criminal exposure. Treat the Schedule B as the first line of export compliance, and screen every code against the Commerce Control List.
Need the destination duty for that HS root?
The first 6 digits of your Schedule B are the global HS code your buyer's customs authority uses to set import duty. Look up the landed cost and duty rate for that code in any destination country — free, no signup.
Open the free tariff calculator →Frequently Asked Questions
A Schedule B number is a 10-digit code used to classify physical goods EXPORTED from the United States. It's administered by the US Census Bureau's Foreign Trade Division and is based on the international Harmonized System (HS) — the first 6 digits are the global HS code, and the last 4 are US export-specific. Every export shipment valued over $2,500 (per Schedule B line) must report a Schedule B number on the Electronic Export Information (EEI) filed through the Automated Export System (AES).
Both are 10-digit and share the same first 6 HS digits, but they serve opposite directions of trade. HTS (Harmonized Tariff Schedule) codes classify goods IMPORTED into the US and determine the duty rate — administered by the USITC. Schedule B codes classify goods EXPORTED from the US and are used for trade statistics and export-control screening — administered by the Census Bureau. You cannot use an HTS code in place of a Schedule B on an export filing, though for many products the two codes are identical. When in doubt, an HTS number is also accepted on export declarations, but a Schedule B is not accepted on an import entry.
Use the Census Bureau's official Schedule B Search Engine (uscensus.gov) — enter a plain-English product description and it walks you through the classification tree. Steps: (1) identify the material and function of your product; (2) find the correct HS chapter (2-digit); (3) narrow to the heading and subheading; (4) select the full 10-digit Schedule B. For complex or high-value products, an AI classification tool or a licensed customs broker reduces the risk of a costly misclassification. The correct 6-digit HS root is the same one used for import duty, so a landed-cost lookup gives you the starting point.
A Schedule B (or HTS) number and an EEI filing in AES are required when the value of the goods under a single Schedule B line exceeds $2,500, or when the export requires a licence regardless of value (controlled items under the EAR or ITAR). Shipments to Canada are generally exempt from EEI unless licensable. Even when EEI isn't required, carriers and freight forwarders usually still ask for the Schedule B number for their own documentation.
Misclassification on an export filing can trigger: rejected or delayed AES submissions, incorrect trade statistics, and — most seriously — failure to catch an export-control requirement. If a product needed a BIS licence (Export Administration Regulations) and the wrong Schedule B masked that, the exporter faces civil penalties up to the greater of $364,992 or twice the transaction value per violation, and potential criminal liability. Accurate classification is the first line of export-compliance defense, not a clerical formality.
Not directly — Schedule B is a US export code. But its first 6 digits (the HS root) are recognized worldwide, so the destination country's customs authority uses that same HS-6 as the basis for their own 8–10 digit import classification and duty rate. In practice, getting the HS-6 right on the Schedule B means the importer on the other side starts from the correct duty basis. Use a landed-cost calculator to see the destination duty for that HS code.