Customs Classification
Customs Tariff Number
The customs tariff number is a numeric code used to classify goods in the customs tariff; it sets the duty rate, import charges, and any prohibitions and restrictions. It builds on the six-digit HS code. TariffPilot determines it with AI and traceable reasoning.
Also known as: Commodity code, Goods code, Statistical commodity code, Tariff number
How many digits does a customs tariff number have?
The number of digits depends on the purpose. It always builds on the internationally standardized, six-digit HS code.
- 6 digits: the HS code of the World Customs Organization, identical worldwide
- 8 digits: the EU Combined Nomenclature (CN), decisive for exports and trade statistics
- 11 digits: the code number for imports into Germany (TARIC plus national keys in EZT-Online)
What is the customs tariff number used for?
The correct customs tariff number is the basis of every customs declaration. It governs, among other things:
- the level of the duty rate and import charges
- applicable prohibitions, restrictions, and licensing requirements
- statistical recording in cross-border trade
Commodity code, code number, tariff number: what is the difference?
In practice these terms refer to the same code but emphasize different contexts. “Commodity code” comes from trade statistics, “code number” is the EZT-Online term for the eleven-digit import number, and “tariff number” is the colloquial term.
The customs tariff number at TariffPilot
TariffPilot determines the matching customs tariff number from a product description, a data sheet, or an image, from the heading down to the full code number. Every suggestion includes a PilotMemo with reasoning, reviewed alternatives, and an exclusion process, so the classification stays traceable and audit-proof. See how it works on the customs tariff classification page.