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Customs and HS codes

HS codes for stainless steel sheet: heading 7219

  • 5 min read

Stainless steel sheet receives its HS code under heading 7219 — this is flat-rolled stainless steel products with a width of 600 mm or more.

Within the heading, the code depends on the rolling method and the thickness: hot-rolled sheet 4.75–10 mm — 721922, 3–4.75 mm — 721923, cold-rolled — 721932, 721933 and 721934. The GCX catalogue keeps sheet from 0.8 to 10 mm, so all five codes are involved.

Codes by thickness

The classification of sheet is built on two features: how the sheet has been rolled and what its thickness is. Width is no longer distinguished within heading 7219 — it must be 600 mm or more, and the catalogue formats 1250×2500 and 1500×3000 meet this condition with a margin.

Code Rolling Thickness Example from the catalogue
721922 Hot-rolled, in sheets 4.75–10 mm Sheet 6 mm, sheet 10 mm
721923 Hot-rolled, in sheets 3–4.75 mm Sheet 4 mm
721932 Cold-rolled 3–4.75 mm Sheet 3 mm
721933 Cold-rolled 1–3 mm Sheet 2 mm
721934 Cold-rolled 0.5–1 mm Sheet 0.8 mm

The range 3–4.75 mm occurs twice: both for hot-rolled and for cold-rolled sheet. Here thickness does not separate the codes — the rolling method separates them. Thin sheet, however, is unambiguous: cold-rolled 0.8 mm goes under 721934, because such a thickness is not obtained by hot rolling.

At the boundaries of the ranges, check the wording of the tariff. Sheet of exactly 3 mm or exactly 4.75 mm formally falls into the range whose boundary is described as "inclusive". If the thickness fluctuates at the boundary, it is reasonable to state the actual measurement in the documents and not to round it in your own favour.

Hot-rolled and cold-rolled

The rolling method is not a shade of quality but a production chain. Both the price and the surface and the accuracy of the geometry depend on it.

Feature Hot-rolled Cold-rolled
Typical thickness From 3 mm Up to 3 mm, thick items also occur
Surface Hot-rolled, with scale or after pickling 2B, BA, mirror, №4 ground
Accuracy Ordinary Higher, the edge is more even
Further processing Possible Often final
Code in the catalogue 721922, 721923 721932, 721933, 721934

A key practical point: the rolling method cannot be determined by shine. Cold-rolled sheet after matting looks like hot-rolled, and pickled hot-rolled is sometimes light. The rolling method is confirmed by the quality certificate, not by appearance. If there is no certificate, request it before shipment: the code will have to be declared, and guessing here is more expensive than asking.

How to choose the code

The procedure is short, but the steps should not be skipped.

  1. Make sure that what you have is stainless steel and not coated carbon steel.
  2. Check the width: from 600 mm the sheet goes into heading 7219.
  3. Establish the rolling method from the certificate or the supplier's document.
  4. Measure the actual thickness and find the range in the table.
  5. Check the resulting code against the current tariff: the last digits may be refined.
  6. Bring the wording of the goods to a single form in all documents.

Common mistakes look like this. The sheet is called "tin" or "strip" — both words describe other goods and drag along a different code. The thickness is written as "2 mm" without the rolling method, and with a hot-rolled delivery the code diverges from the fact. People expect the grade to change the code: 304 and 316 in the same item are classified identically, because the grade is not visible within the code.

Duties by code

The customs duty rate depends on the code and the country of origin. 721922 and 721934 are different subheadings, and the regime for them may differ. The country of origin adds a second multiplier: the base rate, a preference under a trade agreement or a special duty. The exact rate is taken from the current tariff on the date of declaration.

The exchange does not publish or calculate rates: that is the work of the declarant and the customs representative. But the exchange is useful in another way — it helps compare offers on one basis. When a supplier names a price, clarify two features: the code of the sheet and the country of origin. Sheet of the same thickness from different countries may cost differently at customs, and the difference becomes visible only after the codes are compared.

Frequently asked questions

What is the HS code for stainless steel sheet

It depends on the thickness and the rolling method. Hot-rolled sheet goes under 721922 and 721923, cold-rolled — under 721932, 721933 and 721934. The whole of heading 7219 describes flat-rolled stainless steel products with a width of 600 mm or more.

What is the HS code for 2 mm stainless steel sheet

Cold-rolled sheet 2 mm thick falls under 721933, the range from 1 to 3 mm. If the same sheet is produced by hot rolling, it goes under 721923, because the range 3–4.75 mm is described for hot-rolled steel. The rolling method is confirmed by the certificate.

What is the code for 3 mm sheet

There is no single answer: 3 mm falls both into the hot-rolled range 3–4.75 mm and into the cold-rolled one. Hot-rolled sheet — 721923, cold-rolled — 721932. Look at the production method, not at the thickness.

How does 721922 differ from 721923

Both codes describe hot-rolled sheet in sheets, but in different thickness ranges: 721922 — from 4.75 to 10 mm, 721923 — from 3 to 4.75 mm. 4 mm sheet goes under 721923, 6 mm sheet — under 721922.

Does the steel grade affect the code of the sheet

No. The grade is confirmed by the quality certificate, while the code describes the type of product, the rolling method and the thickness. 304 sheet and 316 sheet of the same thickness and the same rolling will be in the same subheading.

What to do if the supplier has stated 7219 without the last digits

Clarify the rolling method and the actual thickness with them, and then determine the full code. The six-digit heading 7219 on its own will not satisfy customs: it distinguishes neither the rolling method nor the thickness range.

Is the HS code needed when buying sheet within Russia

For domestic delivery, customs clearance is not carried out and the code is not mandatory. But it is useful in the specification: it removes discrepancies in thickness and rolling and allows offers from suppliers to be compared on equal terms.

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