HS code · 2-digit chapter

HS Code 83 – Metal; miscellaneous products of base metal

What HS 83 covers

Chapter 83 of the Harmonized System (HS) is titled 'Miscellaneous articles of base metal,' serving as a crucial catch-all for a wide array of base metal products not specifically classified elsewhere in Section XV or other sections. This chapter acts as a residual category for manufactured articles primarily composed of base metal, encompassing items that don't fit into more specific chapters covering tools (Chapter 82), machinery (Chapters 84-85), or articles made of specific base metals like iron, steel, copper, or aluminum (Chapters 72-81). Its scope is defined by exclusion; if a base metal article has a more specific function or composition that places it in another chapter, it will be classified there. However, if it's a general base metal article, often a component or a standalone item with no complex mechanical or electrical function, Chapter 83 is its likely home. Key sub-categories within this chapter include locks and fittings (8301-8302), safes and strong-boxes (8303), office metal equipment (8304-8305), ornamental articles and bells (8306), flexible tubing (8307), clasps and buckles (8308), stoppers and caps (8309), sign-plates (8310), and welding/soldering consumables (8311). For trade compliance professionals, understanding Chapter 83 is paramount because its 'miscellaneous' nature means it frequently applies to small, yet essential, components across numerous industries, from construction and furniture to fashion and packaging. Incorrect classification can lead to miscalculated duties, trade barriers, and customs penalties, making a precise understanding of its boundaries vital for seamless international trade. Historically, this chapter reflects the vast and diverse applications of base metals in everyday manufactured goods, highlighting the continued importance of these fundamental materials in global commerce.

Covers
  • Padlocks
  • Door locks
  • Keys for locks
  • Window hinges
  • Furniture castors
  • Drawer pulls
  • Base metal strong-boxes
  • Armored doors
  • Metal filing cabinets
  • Paper trays
  • Loose-leaf binder fittings
  • Letter clips
  • Staples for staplers
  • Decorative metal bells
  • Metal statuettes
  • Flexible metal conduits
  • Clothing buckles
  • Shoe eyelets
  • Metal bottle caps
  • Jar lids
  • Metal seals for containers
  • Engraved name-plates
  • Road signs
  • Metal house numbers
  • Welding electrodes
  • Brazing wire
  • Soldering rods
  • Curtain rods of base metal
  • Coat hooks of base metal
  • Towel rails of base metal.
Examples

A furniture manufacturer in Vietnam regularly imports various base metal fittings, such as hinges, drawer slides, and handles (all falling under 8302), from Chinese suppliers. These components are essential for assembling their wooden furniture exports. The trade typically involves sea freight from major Chinese ports like Shanghai or Shenzhen to Vietnamese ports such as Ho Chi Minh City or Haiphong. Another scenario involves a European automotive parts distributor in Germany importing specialized base metal clasps and buckles (8308) from Italy, destined for use in car seatbelts and interior trim. This intra-EU trade streamlines logistics, but accurate HS classification remains crucial for internal tracking and potential re-export documentation outside the EU. Furthermore, a construction firm in the United States sources large quantities of flexible metal tubing (8307) from Mexico for electrical conduit installations in commercial buildings, with goods transported via truck across the US-Mexico border, often leveraging USMCA trade agreement benefits. Lastly, an Indian beverage company imports advanced metal bottle caps and seals (8309) from South Korea for its high-speed bottling lines, with these goods typically shipped by sea from Busan to ports like Mumbai or Chennai.

Headings in chapter 83 11

83.01Padlocks and locks (key, combination, electrically operated) of base metal; clasps and frames with clasps incorporating locks, of base metal, keys for any or the foregoing articles, of base metal83.02Base metal mountings, fittings and similar articles for furniture, doors, staircases, windows, trunks, chests etc, castors with mountings of base metal, automatic door closers of base metal83.03Safes; armoured or reinforced, strong-boxes, doors and safe deposit lockers for strong-rooms, cash or deed boxes and the like, of base metal83.04Office equipment; filing cabinets, card-index cabinets, paper trays and rests, pen trays, office-stamp stands and the like, of base metal, other than office furniture of heading no. 940383.05Stationery; fittings for loose-leaf binders or files, letter clips, letter corners, paper clips, indexing tags and the like, staples in strips (for offices, upholstery, packaging), of base metal83.06Bells, gongs and the like; non-electric, statuettes, other ornaments, photograph, picture, similar frames, mirrors, of base metal83.07Tubing; flexible, with or without fittings, of base metal83.08Clasps, frames with clasps, buckles, buckle-clasps, hooks, eyes, eyelets etc for clothing & accessories, footwear, jewellery, wrist-watches, books, awnings, leather goods, travel goods, saddlery etc, tubular etc rivets, beads, spangles, of base metal83.09Stoppers, caps, lids (including crown corks, screw caps, pouring stoppers); capsules for bottles, threaded bungs, bung covers, seals and other packaging accessories, of base metal83.10Sign plates, name plates, address plates and similar plates, numbers, letters and other symbols, of base metal, excluding those of heading no. 940583.11Wires, rods, tubes, plates, electrodes of base metal or metal carbides; of a kind used for soldering, brazing, welding; wires and rods for metal spraying

39 Brazil NCM codes in chapter 83 →

Codes often confused with 83

Common mistake. Common misclassifications in Chapter 83 often arise due to its 'miscellaneous' nature. Traders frequently confuse articles described in Chapter 83 with those of Chapter 73 (Articles of iron or steel). For example, simple metal brackets or fasteners might be incorrectly placed in 73 when a more specific description in 83, such as 'fittings suitable for furniture' (8302), applies. The key is to remember that 83 often provides specific descriptions for manufactured articles of base metal that are not merely raw forms or general articles of a single base metal. Another common error involves Chapter 82 (Tools, implements, cutlery). While keys (8301) or specialized fittings might seem like tools, Chapter 82 is reserved for true hand tools, knives, and similar implements. Lastly, complex articles with a mechanical or electrical function, even if predominantly base metal, are often mistakenly placed in 83 instead of Chapters 84 (Machinery) or 85 (Electrical machinery). For instance, an automatic door closer with an integrated electrical motor belongs in 85, not 83, because its primary function is mechanical/electrical, not just a base metal fitting.

83.02Base metal mountings, fittings and similar articles for furniture, doors, staircases, windows, trunks, chests etc, castors with mountings of base metal, automatic door closers of base metal83.01Padlocks and locks (key, combination, electrically operated) of base metal; clasps and frames with clasps incorporating locks, of base metal, keys for any or the foregoing articles, of base metal

Top exporters and importers of HS code 83, 2025

In 2025, the largest exporter of HS code 83 in UN Comtrade data was China, with 30% of world exports; the largest importer in UN Comtrade data was the United States, with 17% of world imports. Countries that did not report 2025 data are estimated from partner records, which can understate them.

Top exporters 2025 · share of world exports

  1. 1 China $26.2B
  2. 2 Germany $9.0B
  3. 3 United States $5.7B

World total: $87.6B Reported figures on UN Comtrade ↗

Top importers 2025 · share of world imports

  1. 1 United States $15.1B
  2. 2 Germany $6.4B
  3. 3 France $3.8B

World total: $86.4B Reported figures on UN Comtrade ↗

How these figures are built

109 countries reported 2025 trade to UN Comtrade in HS 2022, and their own totals are used. Countries that did not report are estimated from what other countries recorded trading with them. Those estimates miss trade with other non-reporting countries, so they can be low, and a non-reporting country can rank higher than shown or be missing from the list. World totals add both and leave out trade between two non-reporting countries. Figures are in current US dollars; reported imports are mostly valued CIF and exports FOB, and exports include re-exports. The UN Comtrade links show the underlying records; they can also list a few reporters left out here (regional groups and older HS editions).

Source: UN Comtrade (United Nations Statistics Division), 2025 annual data.

Questions about HS 83

What is HS code 83?

HS code 83 is a 2-digit chapter in the Harmonized System that covers: Metal; miscellaneous products of base metal. Chapter 83 of the Harmonized System (HS) is titled 'Miscellaneous articles of base metal,' serving as a crucial catch-all for a wide array of base metal products not specifically classified elsewhere in Section XV or other sections. This chapter acts as a residual category for manufactured articles primarily composed of base metal, encompassing items that don't fit into more specific chapters covering tools (Chapter 82), machinery (Chapters 84-85), or articles made of specific base metals like iron, steel, copper, or aluminum (Chapters 72-81). Its scope is defined by exclusion; if a base metal article has a more specific function or composition that places it in another chapter, it will be classified there. However, if it's a general base metal article, often a component or a standalone item with no complex mechanical or electrical function, Chapter 83 is its likely home. Key sub-categories within this chapter include locks and fittings (8301-8302), safes and strong-boxes (8303), office metal equipment (8304-8305), ornamental articles and bells (8306), flexible tubing (8307), clasps and buckles (8308), stoppers and caps (8309), sign-plates (8310), and welding/soldering consumables (8311). For trade compliance professionals, understanding Chapter 83 is paramount because its 'miscellaneous' nature means it frequently applies to small, yet essential, components across numerous industries, from construction and furniture to fashion and packaging. Incorrect classification can lead to miscalculated duties, trade barriers, and customs penalties, making a precise understanding of its boundaries vital for seamless international trade. Historically, this chapter reflects the vast and diverse applications of base metals in everyday manufactured goods, highlighting the continued importance of these fundamental materials in global commerce.

What products fall under HS code 83?

Padlocks, door locks, keys for locks, window hinges, furniture castors, drawer pulls, base metal strong-boxes, armored doors, metal filing cabinets, paper trays, loose-leaf binder fittings, letter clips, staples for staplers, decorative metal bells, metal statuettes, flexible metal conduits, clothing buckles, shoe eyelets, metal bottle caps, jar lids, metal seals for containers, engraved name-plates, road signs, metal house numbers, welding electrodes, brazing wire, soldering rods, curtain rods of base metal, coat hooks of base metal, towel rails of base metal.

What are common misclassifications for HS code 83?

Common misclassifications in Chapter 83 often arise due to its 'miscellaneous' nature. Traders frequently confuse articles described in Chapter 83 with those of Chapter 73 (Articles of iron or steel). For example, simple metal brackets or fasteners might be incorrectly placed in 73 when a more specific description in 83, such as 'fittings suitable for furniture' (8302), applies. The key is to remember that 83 often provides specific descriptions for manufactured articles of base metal that are not merely raw forms or general articles of a single base metal. Another common error involves Chapter 82 (Tools, implements, cutlery). While keys (8301) or specialized fittings might seem like tools, Chapter 82 is reserved for true hand tools, knives, and similar implements. Lastly, complex articles with a mechanical or electrical function, even if predominantly base metal, are often mistakenly placed in 83 instead of Chapters 84 (Machinery) or 85 (Electrical machinery). For instance, an automatic door closer with an integrated electrical motor belongs in 85, not 83, because its primary function is mechanical/electrical, not just a base metal fitting.

Which countries are the top exporters of goods under HS code 83?

In 2025, the top exporters of HS code 83 in UN Comtrade data were China ($26.2B, 30% of world exports), Germany ($9.0B) and the United States ($5.7B). World exports came to about $87.6B, adding countries' reported figures and partner-based estimates for those that did not report (UN Comtrade data). Countries that did not report 2025 data are estimated from partner records, which can understate them.

Which countries are the top importers of goods under HS code 83?

In 2025, the top importers of HS code 83 in UN Comtrade data were the United States ($15.1B, 17% of world imports), Germany ($6.4B) and France ($3.8B). World imports came to about $86.4B, adding countries' reported figures and partner-based estimates for those that did not report (UN Comtrade data). Countries that did not report 2025 data are estimated from partner records, which can understate them.

How is HS code 83 structured?

HS code 83 is a 2-digit chapter code in the Harmonized System maintained by the World Customs Organization. It represents a broad category of goods and contains multiple 4-digit headings and 6-digit subheadings for more specific classifications.