HS code for stainless pipes: 730640 and 730661
A stainless pipe gets its HS code from group 7306 — other tubes and hollow profiles, including welded ones. A round welded pipe falls under code 730640, a profile welded pipe under 730661.
The decisive feature is one: whether the pipe has a round cross-section or not. The grade and diameter do not change the heading within these codes.
How the codes differ
The difference between 730640 and 730661 rests on the shape of the cross-section. A round pipe is 730640, a square and rectangular one is 730661. Within each code the dimensions are specified: the outer diameter and the wall for a round pipe, the side dimensions and the wall for a profile pipe.
| Code | Cross-section | What it specifies | GCX product range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 730640 | Round | Outer diameter and wall thickness | Round pipe, 24 items, ⌀16–108 mm |
| 730661 | Not round: square, rectangular | Cross-section dimensions and wall thickness | Profile pipe, 12 items: square 20×20–50×50, rectangular 40×20 and 60×40 |
Both codes relate to welded stainless steel pipes. The word "welded" is right in the name of the code, and this is not a formality: the production method separates one group of pipes from another more strongly than size does.
Why this matters for money. Duty is calculated by code and country of origin, so an error in the cross-section is not a typo but a different payment regime. If a round pipe is declared as a profile one, the discrepancy will be discovered during inspection, and you will have to deal with customs. Declare what is actually in the batch and confirm the dimensions with documents.
Welded and seamless
Group 7306 covers tubes and hollow profiles, including welded ones. A welded pipe has a longitudinal or spiral seam, and it is this seam that is visible in the certificate and at the end of the product. Seamless pipes are placed in a different group of chapter 73, and their code is not from this set. In the GCX catalogue all pipe is welded, so 730640 and 730661 apply to the exchange's items.
Hence a practical rule. Do not transfer the code of a welded pipe to a seamless one automatically, even if the diameter and wall are the same. If a batch contains both, the codes will be different, and they cannot be combined into one line of the specification.
How to distinguish them at acceptance: a welded pipe has a visible seam, a seamless one does not. But a visual inspection does not replace documents, because the seam may have been cleaned. The production method is recorded in the quality certificate, and the same document confirms the steel grade.
How to declare
The order and the specification must describe the pipe so that it cannot be confused with a neighbouring item. What to state, step by step.
A table of features for the two types of pipe.
| Feature | Round pipe | Profile pipe |
|---|---|---|
| Type of product | Welded pipe | Welded pipe, hollow profile |
| Cross-section shape | Circle | Square or rectangle |
| Dimensions | Outer diameter and wall | Cross-section sides and wall |
| Grade | AISI 201, 304, 316L, 430 | AISI 201, 304, 316L, 430 |
| Surface | 2B, BA, mirror, №4, brushed | 2B, BA, mirror, №4 |
| Length | Fixed or random | Fixed or random |
In the specification, state three things in plain words: welded pipe, cross-section shape, dimensions. The wording "stainless pipe 40×20" without the word "profile" and without the wall leaves the code open.
Common mistakes
The first mistake is calling any pipe of a non-standard appearance a profile pipe. A profile pipe is a pipe of non-round cross-section. A round pipe with a thick wall remains round and falls under 730640.
The second is specifying only the inner diameter. The code and the order use the outer diameter, while the wall is specified separately. The outer diameter can be derived arithmetically from the inner one, but in documents this gives an extra reason for a discrepancy. Write both figures: the outer diameter and the wall.
The third is confusing the wall with the thickness of a sheet or a flange. For a pipe, the wall thickness is a parameter in its own right, and it is measured at the end.
The fourth is not specifying the production method. "Pipe 57×3, stainless" does not say whether it is welded or seamless, and the code group depends on that.
The fifth is pulling the code from a previous delivery when the cross-section has changed. A square 40×40 and a rectangle 60×40 are both item 730661, but a round pipe of the same metal is already 730640.
Frequently asked questions
What HS code does a stainless pipe have
A round welded pipe — 730640, a profile welded pipe of non-round cross-section — 730661. Both items belong to group 7306. Within the code it is the cross-section dimensions and the wall that are specified, not the steel grade.
What is HS code 730640
This is the heading for round welded stainless steel pipes. It covers pipes of various outer diameters and walls, including the GCX range from ⌀16 to 108 mm. The steel grade is not visible within the heading and is confirmed by a certificate.
What is HS code 730661
This is the heading for welded pipes and hollow profiles of non-round cross-section: square, rectangular. In the GCX catalogue this includes square 20×20–50×50 and rectangular 40×20 and 60×40.
What code does a 40×20 profile pipe have
A 40×20 profile pipe is a rectangular cross-section, so the code is 730661. The side dimensions and the wall are stated in the specification, but they do not change the heading itself.
How does 730640 differ from 730661
Only in the shape of the cross-section. A round pipe falls under 730640, a square and rectangular one under 730661. Both codes describe welded stainless steel pipes, so they can only be confused through a careless description of the goods.
What code does a seamless pipe have
Seamless pipes are assigned to a different group of chapter 73, not to 7306. The code of a welded pipe is not transferred to them. If the batch is mixed, split it into lines by production method and clarify the classification before shipment.
Does the pipe diameter affect the code
Within 730640 and 730661 the diameter and cross-section dimensions do not change the code: they are specified at a lower level of classification and in the specification. The full code is confirmed against the current tariff.
What to do next
- HS codes — codes by types of rolled steel from the catalogue.
- Stainless round pipe — 24 items from ⌀16 to 108 mm.
- Stainless profile pipe — square and rectangular, 12 items.
- HS codes for stainless rolled steel: all codes — how groups 7306, 7219 and 7222 are structured.
- Open an account — registration is free, state the cross-section and wall in the order.