HS code · 6-digit subheading
HS Code 8523.41 – Optical media; unrecorded, excluding products of Chapter 37
HS code 8523.41 is the 6-digit subheading for optical media, unrecorded, excluding products of Chapter 37. It is used for blank CD-R discs, blank DVD-R discs, blank Blu-ray BD-R discs, blank CD-RW discs and blank DVD+RW discs.
What HS 8523.41 covers
This HS code covers unrecorded optical media, which are blank discs designed for one-time or rewritable data storage using laser technology. This category includes blank CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs, which were once ubiquitous for consumer data storage, software distribution, and media archiving. While their use has somewhat declined with the rise of digital downloads and cloud storage, they remain important for specific applications like physical software distribution, data backup in certain industries, and media production. Importers are often distributors, software publishers, and media companies, while exporters are typically manufacturers with large-scale production capabilities, predominantly in Asia. Key trade considerations include manufacturing efficiency, intellectual property rights for disc formats, and the environmental impact of plastic disc production. The market for these unrecorded media is mature but still serves niche and bulk requirements globally.
- Covers
- Blank CD-R discs
- Blank DVD-R discs
- Blank Blu-ray BD-R discs
- Blank CD-RW discs
- Blank DVD+RW discs
- Blank BD-RE discs
- Mini CD-R discs
- Examples
- Verbatim CD-R
- Taiyo Yuden DVD-R
- Sony BD-R
- Maxell CD-RW
- TDK DVD+RW
Codes often confused with 8523.41
Common mistake. This code is specifically for *unrecorded* optical media and should not be confused with 852349 (Recorded optical media) which contains pre-existing data, or 852351 (Solid-state storage devices).
Top exporters and importers of HS code 852341, 2025
In 2025, the largest exporter of HS code 852341 in UN Comtrade data was Taiwan, with about 27% of world exports; the largest importer in UN Comtrade data was Thailand, with 79% 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 Taiwan* ~$100M 27% of world exports · partner records ↗
- 2 South Korea $64M 18% of world exports
- 3 Vietnam* ~$28M 7.6% of world exports · partner records ↗
World total: $363M Reported figures on UN Comtrade ↗
Top importers 2025 · share of world imports
- 1 Thailand $1.1B 79% of world imports
- 2 Japan $50M 3.6% of world imports
- 3 United States $32M 2.3% of world imports
World total: $1.4B 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 marked * did not, so their figures add up what other countries recorded trading with them, and their exports are valued at buyers' CIF prices. 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. UN Comtrade records Taiwan as "Other Asia, not elsewhere specified". Saudi Arabia's exports under that code are left out: they are far too large to be trade with Taiwan, so mostly undisclosed partners. 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.
Brazil NCM codes for 8523.41 2
Brazil splits HS 8523.41 into 2 NCM codes, Mercosur's 8-digit tariff lines.
- 8523.41.10 Blank write-once optical discsDiscos para sistema de leitura por raios laser com possibilidade de serem gravados uma única vez
- 8523.41.90 Other blank optical mediaOutros
All Brazil NCM codes in heading 85.23 →
Source: Siscomex NCM table, updated Oct 2026. The Portuguese text is official; the English is our translation.
Questions about HS 8523.41
What is HS code 852341?
HS code 852341 is a 6-digit subheading in the Harmonized System that covers: Optical media; unrecorded, excluding products of Chapter 37. This HS code covers unrecorded optical media, which are blank discs designed for one-time or rewritable data storage using laser technology. This category includes blank CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs, which were once ubiquitous for consumer data storage, software distribution, and media archiving. While their use has somewhat declined with the rise of digital downloads and cloud storage, they remain important for specific applications like physical software distribution, data backup in certain industries, and media production. Importers are often distributors, software publishers, and media companies, while exporters are typically manufacturers with large-scale production capabilities, predominantly in Asia. Key trade considerations include manufacturing efficiency, intellectual property rights for disc formats, and the environmental impact of plastic disc production. The market for these unrecorded media is mature but still serves niche and bulk requirements globally.
What products fall under HS code 852341?
Blank CD-R discs, Blank DVD-R discs, Blank Blu-ray BD-R discs, Blank CD-RW discs, Blank DVD+RW discs, Blank BD-RE discs, Mini CD-R discs
What are common misclassifications for HS code 852341?
This code is specifically for *unrecorded* optical media and should not be confused with 852349 (Recorded optical media) which contains pre-existing data, or 852351 (Solid-state storage devices).
Which countries are the top exporters of goods under HS code 852341?
In 2025, the top exporters of HS code 852341 in UN Comtrade data were Taiwan (about $100M, 27% of world exports), South Korea ($64M) and Vietnam (about $28M). World exports came to about $363M, 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 852341?
In 2025, the top importers of HS code 852341 in UN Comtrade data were Thailand ($1.1B, 79% of world imports), Japan ($50M) and the United States ($32M). World imports came to about $1.4B, 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 852341 structured?
HS code 852341 is a 6-digit subheading under the Harmonized System. The first 2 digits (85) identify the chapter, digits 3-4 (23) identify the heading, and digits 5-6 (41) specify the subheading. This code is standardized globally by the World Customs Organization.
What is the Brazil NCM code for HS code 852341?
Brazil splits HS code 852341 into 2 NCM codes: 8523.41.10 (Blank write-once optical discs), 8523.41.90 (Other blank optical media). The first 6 digits of each match the HS code.