HS codes for stainless rolled steel: all the codes
The HS code for stainless rolled steel answers three questions: what kind of product it is, how it was produced and what its thickness or cross-section is.
In the GCX catalogue the breakdown is as follows: welded pipes — 730640 and 730661, sheet — 721922, 721923, 721932, 721933 and 721934, round bar — 722211 and 722220, angle — 722240. The duty, the volume of customs formalities and the set of documents depend on the code, so the code is fixed before shipment, not retroactively.
Why the code is needed
Customs does not work with the name "stainless steel" but with a classification code. The code is the language in which the goods are described for the state: the duty is calculated by it, it is used to check whether the batch falls under restrictions and special regimes, and foreign trade statistics run by it as well. If the code in the documents does not match the actual goods, the dispute is not about the quality of the metal but about classification, and it ends with an additional assessment of charges and a delay of the cargo.
The classification of stainless steel is built on three levels. First the material: stainless steel, not carbon and not galvanised. Then the type of product: flat rolled steel, pipe or long rolled steel. Then the technology and size: hot or cold rolling, a welded or seamless product, the thickness of the sheet, the shape and size of the cross-section.
Three groups cover almost the whole catalogue of the exchange.
- 7219 — flat rolled steel. Sheet and coil of stainless steel with a width from 600 mm. Within the group the code depends on the rolling method and the thickness.
- 7222 — long rolled steel. Bars, that is round bar, as well as angles and shaped profiles. The code distinguishes the method of producing the bar and the shape of the cross-section.
- 7306 — other pipes and hollow profiles, including welded ones. Here are round welded pipes and welded pipes of non-circular cross-section — square and rectangular.
The same grade may fall into different codes, and that is normal. The code describes not the steel but the product.
How the code is connected with the type of product
The code is chosen by the shape of the goods and the method of producing it, not by the grade. Flat rolled steel with a width from 600 mm is group 7219. It cannot be moved into 7222 or 7306, even if the grade and thickness match those of a pipe or round bar. Long rolled steel — bars, angles, shaped profiles — goes under group 7222. Pipes and hollow profiles, including welded ones, under group 7306, and within it round and non-circular cross-sections are separated into different codes.
The practical conclusion is simple. The first question in classification is not "which grade" but "what kind of product is this". Until the type of product is determined, clarifications about thickness and diameter are pointless: they choose the code within the group, not the group. Grade 304 is not visible in the code at all — it is confirmed by the quality certificate, and it is not expressed by the HS digits. That is why the phrase "I have 304, give me the code" has no single answer: a 2 mm sheet, a ⌀20 round bar and a 40×20 profile pipe will have three different codes.
How the code is connected with thickness
Within group 7219 the sheet thickness works as a switch of the subheading. Hot-rolled sheet 4.75–10 mm thick is 721922, the same sheet 3–4.75 mm thick is 721923. Cold-rolled sheet breaks down into 721932, 721933 and 721934 by ranges. Formally the difference is only in the code digits, in practice — in the duty and in the set of documents.
That is why the thickness in the documents is stated as it is measured: the actual one, not the nominal "per the data sheet". A discrepancy of fractions of a millimetre at the boundary of a range moves the batch into the neighbouring subheading, and the inspector has the right to rely on the measurement, not on the rounding in the invoice. For a pipe and a round bar the same role is played not by thickness but by the cross-section and the method of production.
Why the duty depends on the code
The rate in the customs tariff is tied not to the word "stainless steel" but to a specific subheading. The code changes — the rate changes. The second multiplier is the country of origin: it determines whether the base rate, a preference under a trade agreement or a special duty applies. The same sheet from different countries may be taxed differently, while its code is one.
That is why the specification fixes both characteristics: the code and the country of origin. The exact rate is looked up in the current tariff on the date of declaration. The exchange does not publish or calculate rates: the calculation of charges is the work of the declarant and the customs representative.
Table of codes from the GCX catalogue
The main table is by types of rolled steel. The second column shows what exactly the code classifies, the third — which characteristic refines the item within the group.
| Type of rolled steel | HS code | What it classifies | What the code refines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round welded pipe | 730640 | Pipes of circular cross-section, welded, of stainless steel | Outside diameter and wall |
| Welded profile pipe | 730661 | Pipes and hollow profiles of non-circular cross-section, welded | Shape and dimensions of the cross-section: square, rectangle |
| Hot-rolled sheet | 721922, 721923 | Flat rolled steel with a width from 600 mm, hot-rolled, not in coils | Thickness |
| Cold-rolled sheet | 721932, 721933, 721934 | Flat rolled steel with a width from 600 mm, cold-rolled | Thickness |
| Round bar | 722211, 722220 | Bars of circular cross-section of stainless steel | Method of production: hot rolling or cold finishing |
| Angle | 722240 | Angles and shaped profiles of stainless steel | Leg size and thickness |
For sheet the decisive characteristic is thickness. The GCX catalogue carries sheet from 0.8 to 10 mm, and this range breaks down by code as follows.
| Code | Rolling method | Thickness | Example from the catalogue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 721922 | Hot-rolled, in sheets | 4.75–10 mm | Sheet 6 and 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 table shows the logic, it does not replace the tariff. The ninth and tenth digits of the code depend on the national nomenclature and may add a refinement that is not in the six-digit heading. So before shipment the code is checked against the current tariff, not against the table from the article.
Let us go through the catalogue item by item. Round pipe — 24 items from ⌀16 to 108 mm, all welded, hence 730640. Profile pipe — 12 items: square 20×20–50×50 and rectangular 40×20 and 60×40, hence 730661. Sheet — 20 items from 0.8 to 10 mm in formats 1250×2500 and 1500×3000; the width is more than 600 mm, so the whole item goes into 7219. Round bar — 10 items ⌀10–60 mm, codes 722211 and 722220 depending on how the bar is produced and supplied. Angle — 2 items, 40×40×4 and 50×50×5, code 722240.
Note: one catalogue item may correspond to two codes. This is normal for round bar, where the code depends on the method of production, and for sheet, where it depends on thickness. So in the specification it is not enough to write "round bar 304 ⌀20": you must state whether it is hot-rolled or calibrated, otherwise the code remains undetermined.
How to check
The code is determined by the actual characteristics of the goods, not by the name in correspondence. The order is as follows.
- Determine the type of product: flat rolled steel, pipe, long rolled steel.
- Within the type, determine the method of production: hot or cold rolling for sheet, a welded or seamless pipe, a hot-rolled or cold-finished bar.
- Refine the size: the thickness of the sheet, the outside diameter and wall of the pipe, the dimensions and thickness of the profile, the diameter of the round bar.
- Compare the resulting item with the current tariff and the explanatory notes to the nomenclature.
- Fix the code in the specification, the invoice and the packing documents with a single wording.
- Check that the description of the goods matches in the invoice, the packing list, the quality certificate and the certificate of origin.
The characteristics that most often change the code are collected in the table.
| Characteristic | How it affects the code | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Width of flat rolled steel | Separates sheet and coil from narrow strip | Formats 1250×2500 and 1500×3000 go into 7219 |
| Rolling method of sheet | Moves the item from hot-rolled to cold-rolled | 721923 versus 721933 at a thickness of 3–4.75 mm |
| Sheet thickness | Chooses the subheading within the group | 0.8 mm — 721934, 2 mm — 721933 |
| Cross-sectional shape of pipe | Separates round and profile pipe | 730640 versus 730661 |
| Method of producing the pipe | Welded and seamless pipes belong to different groups | In the GCX catalogue only welded ones |
| Method of producing the bar | Distinguishes hot rolling and cold finishing | 722211 versus 722220 |
| Type of profile | Angle and shaped profile go as a separate item | 722240 |
Frequent mistakes in classification
Typical discrepancies look mundane. The invoice says "stainless pipe" without a cross-section, and a profile pipe goes under the code for a round one. Sheet is called cold-rolled when it is hot-rolled. The thickness is stated as "2 mm", while the tariff operates with ranges, and the inspector begins to calculate from the actual measurement. A round bar is called a rod or wire rod without specifying the method of production. Every such discrepancy is a reason for reclassification, and therefore for idle time and additional charges.
A separate mistake is to pull the code from a previous delivery. If even one characteristic has changed, from thickness to the shape of the cross-section, the code is reviewed anew. Another is to think that the exchange or the supplier "attaches" the code to the goods automatically. The code is declared by the declarant, and responsibility for it rests with him.
How to confirm a disputed code
If the batch is expensive or the classification is not obvious, the code is confirmed in advance: through a customs representative or a specialist broker. This is cheaper than proving one's case after release. It is useful to keep at hand a quality certificate with the grade and heat: it confirms the material, whereas the code confirms the product, and one does not replace the other.
Another practical thing is unity of description. One batch, one code, one wording in all documents. As soon as one document says "hot-rolled sheet" and another "stainless sheet 4 mm", customs gets a legitimate reason to ask questions.
Frequently asked questions
What is the HS code for stainless rolled steel
It is the classification number of the goods in the foreign economic nomenclature. For stainless steel it is built from the type of product: flat rolled steel goes under group 7219, long rolled steel under 7222, welded pipes under 7306. Within the group the code is refined by the method of production and the size.
What is the HS code for stainless steel
There is no single code. Stainless steel as a material is not classified separately from the product: a specific rolled product receives the code. Sheet, pipe, round bar and angle of the same grade 304 will have different codes, because what differs is not the steel but the shape and the method of production.
How does the HS code differ from the EAEU HS code
The commodity nomenclature of foreign economic activity of the EAEU is built on the harmonised system and coincides with it at the level of the first six digits. After that come national and union refinements. That is why the six-digit heading is the same in international practice, while the full ten-digit code is checked against the current EAEU tariff.
Does the code affect the duty
Yes. The rate is tied to the subheading, and the country of origin determines the regime: the base rate, a preference under a trade agreement or a special duty. The exact rate is looked up in the tariff on the date of declaration; the exchange does not publish or calculate rates.
Is an HS code needed for a trade inside Russia
For a delivery inside the country no customs declaration is made, but the code is still useful: it removes discrepancies in the specification and allows offers from different suppliers to be compared. For export and import trades the code is mandatory.
Who determines the HS code
Responsibility for the declared code rests with the declarant. A customs representative or a specialist broker helps to prepare the classification, and disputed cases are confirmed officially, before shipment. A reference to "the code from the supplier" does not remove responsibility.
Can the code change for the same grade
Yes, if the product changes. The same 304 sheet 0.8 mm thick is 721934, and 6 mm thick is 721922. The same 304 round bar, hot-rolled and calibrated, falls into different items of 7222. The code is tied to the goods, not to the grade.
What to do if the code in the supplier's documents does not match yours
Do not ship until it is clarified. Check the actual characteristics: the type of product, the method of production, the size. If the discrepancy remains, confirm the classification with a customs representative and bring all the documents to a single wording.
What next
- HS codes for stainless pipes: 730640 and 730661 — an analysis of round and profile pipes.
- HS code for stainless sheet: group 7219 — codes by thickness and rolling method.
- HS code for round bar and angle: group 7222 — long rolled steel.
- HS codes — a summary page on the exchange's range.
- Open an account — registration is free, place an order with the required code in the specification.