Guides
Three things that decide what you actually pay: how the code is structured, which code system you are holding, and what is charged on top of the rate.
How to read an HTS code, digit by digit
A 10-digit HTS number carries four layers of meaning. Here is what each block of digits controls, and which ones you can change without changing your duty rate.
6 min read · 2026-11-12HTS vs HS code vs Schedule B: what actually differs
Three code systems show up on the same shipping documents and are routinely confused. One is international, one is for US imports, one is for US exports, and mixing them up causes real delays.
5 min read · 2026-11-12Why a 0% duty rate still costs you money at the border
Roughly a third of US tariff lines are duty-free under the general rate. Importers still pay at the border. Here is what sits on top of the HTS columns, and how much it adds.
6 min read · 2026-11-12