HS code classification FAQ on accuracy, rulings, cost and how AI HTS classification works
HS code classification raises fair questions before anyone pays for it: what an AI answer is worth, whether it counts as a ruling, what happens to your data, what it costs per product. Straight answers below, and the classifier on the right so you can check them against a real SKU.
Plans from $59 a month · 10-digit HTSUS with GRI reasoning · A recommendation for your review, not a CBP ruling
Customs declaration · AI classifier
FORM TW-01
The short answer
HS code classification is the process of assigning a product the 6-digit Harmonized System code, extended to 10 digits in the US Harmonized Tariff Schedule, that customs uses to set its duty rate and its Section 301 and 232 treatment. AI classification software does the first pass in seconds from a plain-English description and writes out the reasoning; you or your broker confirm it before filing, and the saved record is your evidence of reasonable care. On TariffWise that costs $59 a month for 100 classifications, and the questions below cover what a buyer usually wants settled before signing up.
No. Every TariffWise result is an AI best-effort classification for guidance and speed, not a binding ruling. You, or your customs broker, confirm the code before filing. That honesty is deliberate: the paid product exists to make the confirmation easy, with saved, reviewable, auditable classifications your team can stand behind in an audit.
Treat them as estimates built on the classified code and your origin and destination lane. The arithmetic itself is computed exactly, but the duty rate is the AI's best reading of the tariff schedule and can miss origin-specific surcharges or specific-rate lines. Verify rates before you file. We publish no accuracy percentages because we will not invent one.
Yes. The classifier demo on the homepage is real, free, and needs no signup. Create your account for the full workspace, with saved history, bulk CSV runs and team seats, on any plan from the pricing page.
TariffWise is $59 a month for 100 classifications on Starter, $199 for 1,000 on Growth $499 for 10,000 on Business and $998 for 20,000 on Enterprise, which works out to about 20 cents per classification on Growth. Yearly billing halves each price. All of it is listed on the pricing page. There is no free plan: the live demo is the no-card way to test the engine on your own products before you pay.
For a US-only importer who needs 10-digit HTSUS codes with reasoning attached, TariffWise is built for exactly that and publishes its price. Avalara Tariff Code Classification and Descartes CustomsInfo fit multi-country catalogs and large trade departments that buy a full compliance suite, Gaia Dynamics sells yearly credit plans, and SimplyDuty suits occasional prepaid lookups. The best HS code classification software roundup compares them line by line.
Demo descriptions are sent to the AI service to produce your classification and a cached copy of the result is kept so repeated queries stay fast. We do not sell your data, build marketing profiles from it, or claim ownership of it. Your data stays yours. The privacy policy spells this out in plain English.
Team seats are part of every plan (1 on Starter, 5 on Growth, 20 on Business, 50 on Enterprise). Invite teammates by email from the Team page of your workspace; they sign in with their own email and password or a one-time email code. The owner manages billing and the team, members classify. Single sign-on (SSO) and SCIM provisioning are not offered.
A broker charges per line and takes days, and stays the right choice for genuinely contested classifications. Avalara-class enterprise suites are powerful but sales-led, slow to onboard and priced for Fortune 500 trade departments. Zonos-style widgets solve checkout totals, not classification. TariffWise is the self-serve middle: AI classification with a written rationale, duty and landed cost on one screen, at team pricing.
A Harmonized System code is the 6-digit number that tells customs what your product is; countries extend it to 8 or 10 digits for their own tariffs, like the 10-digit US HTS. The code decides your duty rate, so the wrong one means overpaying, penalties or holds. The plain-English guide on the blog covers how the digits nest.
The demo currently offers twelve common origins and ten destinations, including the United States, the United Kingdom, the EU's largest markets, Canada, Australia, the UAE and Japan. The HS system itself is global, and destination coverage grows with every release.