HS code by category
HS code for bags: HTS 4202 codes and duty for handbags, luggage and backpacks
Bags classify in Chapter 42 under heading 4202, and this is one of the widest duty ranges in the whole tariff: the same handbag can be 4.5 percent or 17.6 percent depending on its outer material. Describe your bag on the right and the AI returns the HS/HTS code, the US duty rate and its reasoning.
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Customs declaration · AI classifier
FORM TW-01
The short answer
Bags classify in Chapter 42, heading 4202, which covers trunks, suitcases, handbags, wallets, backpacks, sports bags and similar containers. The 6-digit subheading is set by the outer surface material, not the contents: leather handbags fall in 4202.21, plastic-sheeting handbags in 4202.22, and travel bags and backpacks in 4202.91 (leather) or 4202.92 (plastic or textile). Duty swings hard with that material. A leather handbag runs about 9 percent, a plastic-sided one about 16 percent, and a man-made-fiber textile bag about 17.6 percent, while a leather suitcase can be as low as 4.5 percent. Get the outer material right and most of the classification follows.
Anatomy of a code: a leather handbag over $20
4202.21
- 42
- Chapter: articles of leather; saddlery; travel goods, handbags and similar containers. Where carrying goods live.
- 4202
- Heading: trunks, suitcases, vanity cases, briefcases, handbags, wallets, backpacks and similar containers, of leather, plastic sheeting, textile or other listed surfaces.
- 4202.21
- Subheading: handbags, whether or not with shoulder strap, with outer surface of leather or composition leather.
- .9000
- National digits: the US Harmonized Tariff Schedule splits leather handbags by value, with those valued over $20 each at roughly 9 percent.
Where common bags classify
A starting map, not a ruling. Rates below are typical general (MFN) duty and move with the outer material and value. Origin-based tariffs still stack on top. Confirm your exact item with the classifier above before you file.
4202.21
Leather handbags
Outer surface of leather. Roughly 10% at or under $20 each, 9% over $20.
4202.22
Plastic-sheeting handbags
Outer surface of plastic sheeting. Around 16%.
4202.22
Textile handbags
By fiber: man-made fiber about 17.6%, cotton about 6.3%, other vegetable fiber about 5.7%.
4202.31
Wallets & small leather goods
Articles carried in the pocket or handbag, split again by outer material.
4202.92
Backpacks & travel bags (textile)
Man-made fiber runs about 17.6%, cotton about 6.3%. Most nylon backpacks land here.
4202.91
Suitcases & luggage (leather)
Leather-surfaced travel bags and suitcases, often around 4.5%.
4202.11
Briefcases & attache cases
Leather (4202.11) or plastic/textile (4202.12) outer surface.
4202.92
Sports & duffel bags
Grouped with travel bags, classified by outer material and fiber.
4202.99
Camera, instrument & tool cases
Specially shaped or fitted cases, and containers of other materials.
How to find the HS code for a bag
Answer three questions in order. First, what kind of container is it: a handbag, a wallet or small pocket article, a backpack or travel bag, a briefcase, or a fitted case? That sets the second pair of digits inside 4202. Second, what is the outer surface material: leather or composition leather, sheeting of plastics, textile, or something else? That usually sets the 6-digit subheading. Third, for textile bags, what is the fiber, because man-made fibers, cotton and other vegetable fibers each carry a different rate. Only after those three answers do you reach the US 10-digit line and its exact duty. For the general method that applies to any product, see the Harmonized System code guide.
Outer surface material decides, and coated textile is still textile
The most expensive mistake in Chapter 42 is calling a textile bag a plastic bag. A nylon backpack with a thin plastic coating over the fabric is still classified by its textile, because the plastic must be actual sheeting of plastics forming the outer surface, not a coating on cloth, to move the code. That single distinction can be the difference between the 16 percent plastic line and the 17.6 percent man-made-fiber line, or between either of those and a lower cotton rate. When two materials share the outer surface, the material that makes up the greatest external area generally governs. Read the construction, not the marketing copy.
Value breaks and stacked tariffs
Some 4202 lines split by unit value, so a leather handbag priced at $19 and one at $21 can sit on different tariff lines. On top of the general rate, trade actions such as Section 301 tariffs on Chinese-origin goods, and any current reciprocal or country-specific duty, add to the base rate rather than replacing it. Because bag margins are thin and volumes are high, a wrong subheading multiplies fast. Get the code for the duty, then run the declared value through the import duty calculator to see the landed cost before you commit a purchase order.
Bag HS code questions, answered
What is the HS code for a bag?
Almost every bag classifies in Chapter 42 under heading 4202, which covers trunks, suitcases, handbags, wallets, backpacks, sports bags and similar containers. The 6-digit subheading depends on the type of bag and its outer surface material: leather handbags are 4202.21, plastic-sheeting handbags 4202.22, and travel bags and backpacks 4202.91 for leather or 4202.92 for plastic or textile. The material, not the contents, drives the code.
What is the HS code for a handbag?
A handbag with an outer surface of leather or composition leather classifies in subheading 4202.21, and the US splits it by value, with bags over $20 each at roughly 9 percent and those at or under $20 at about 10 percent. A handbag with an outer surface of plastic sheeting or textile falls in 4202.22 instead, at a different rate, so the outer material has to be confirmed before you pick the line.
What is the import duty on bags into the US?
Duty on bags spans a wide range because heading 4202 splits by material. A leather suitcase can be as low as about 4.5 percent, a leather handbag around 9 percent, a plastic-sheeting bag near 16 percent, and a man-made-fiber textile bag about 17.6 percent, while cotton bags are lower at roughly 6.3 percent. Origin-based tariffs, such as Section 301 on Chinese goods, add on top of these general rates.
What is the HS code for a backpack?
A backpack is a travel bag under heading 4202. With an outer surface of textile it classifies in 4202.92, where man-made fibers such as nylon and polyester run about 17.6 percent and cotton about 6.3 percent. A leather backpack falls in 4202.91 at a lower rate. Most mass-market backpacks are man-made-fiber and land on the higher line, so confirm the fabric.
Does the outer material or the lining decide the bag HS code?
The outer surface material decides, not the lining or the contents. If a bag has a textile exterior coated with a thin layer of plastic, it is still classified as textile, because the plastic must be genuine sheeting of plastics forming the outer surface to change the code. When two materials share the exterior, the one covering the greatest external surface area generally governs the classification.
Classify your bag now, keep the rationale for your entry file.
Related: HS code lookup by product, HS code for footwear.