HS code · 2-digit chapter

HS Code 96 – Miscellaneous manufactured articles

What HS 96 covers

Chapter 96, titled "Miscellaneous manufactured articles," serves as a comprehensive "catch-all" for a wide array of finished products that do not find a more specific home in other chapters of the Harmonized System. This chapter is incredibly diverse, encompassing items ranging from everyday consumer goods like pens and buttons to specialized articles like mannequins and certain personal hygiene products. The scope primarily covers manufactured articles that are often ready for end-use, distinguishing them from raw materials, intermediate goods, or articles falling under more specialized categories like machinery, textiles, or plastics (unless specifically provided for here). Key sub-categories include brushes and brooms (9603), writing and drawing instruments (9608, 9609), buttons and fasteners (9606, 9607), lighters and smoking requisites (9613, 9614), personal grooming articles like combs and scent sprays (9615, 9616), vacuum flasks (9617), and sanitary products (9619). This classification is paramount for trade compliance due to its residual nature. Misclassification can lead to significant customs delays, incorrect duty assessments, and potential penalties. Historically, as global manufacturing evolved and diversified, a dedicated chapter became necessary to categorize the vast and ever-growing array of consumer and industrial articles that didn't fit neatly into existing specialized chapters, reflecting the breadth of modern trade in finished goods. Understanding the specific headings within Chapter 96 is crucial for importers, exporters, and customs professionals to ensure accurate declarations and optimize trade operations.

Covers
  • Toothbrushes
  • Paintbrushes
  • Brooms
  • Mops
  • Feather dusters
  • Ballpoint pens
  • Felt-tip markers
  • Mechanical pencils
  • Fountain pens
  • Crayons
  • Buttons
  • Zippers
  • Cigarette lighters
  • Smoking pipes
  • Hair combs
  • Hair slides
  • Scent sprays
  • Powder puffs
  • Vacuum flasks
  • Mannequins
  • Baby diapers
  • Sanitary pads
  • Camera tripods
  • Worked bone carvings
  • Ink pads
Examples

A garment factory in Bangladesh imports a large consignment of plastic buttons (9606.20) and nylon zippers (9607.19) from a Chinese manufacturer, shipped from Shanghai to Dhaka, as essential components for their apparel production destined for European and North American markets. An office supply distributor in Germany imports a container of assorted ballpoint pens (9608.10), felt-tip markers (9608.20), and mechanical pencils (9608.40) from a major stationery producer in India, with the shipment traveling from Mumbai to Hamburg to supply retail chains across the EU. A multinational consumer goods corporation ships a bulk consignment of baby diapers (9619.00) from its manufacturing plant in Mexico to distribution centers across the United States and Canada, utilizing efficient cross-border trucking routes to meet high consumer demand. A specialized cleaning supply importer in the UK sources a variety of industrial brushes (9603.90) and commercial mops (9603.90) from a manufacturer in Poland, transported from Warsaw to Felixstowe, for distribution to hotels and cleaning services. A retailer in Australia imports a container load of stainless steel vacuum flasks (9617.00) from a factory in China, shipped from Ningbo to Sydney, to cater to the popular demand for outdoor and travel accessories.

Headings in chapter 96 20

96.01Ivory, bone, tortoise-shell, horn, antlers, coral, mother-of-pearl and other animal carving material and articles of these materials; worked, (including articles obtained by moulding)96.02Vegetable, mineral carving material and articles of these materials, moulded or carved articles of wax, stearin, natural gums, resins or modelling pastes, worked unhardened gelatin (not heading no. 3503)96.03Brooms, brushes (including parts of machines), hand operated floor sweepers, mops and feather dusters; knots and tufts for broom or brush making; paint pads and rollers; squeegees96.04Hand sieves and hand riddles96.05Travel sets; for personal toilet, sewing, shoe or clothes cleaning96.06Buttons, press-fasteners, snap-fasteners and press-studs, button moulds and other parts of these articles; button blanks96.07Slide fasteners and parts thereof96.08Pens; ball-point, felt tipped, other porous tipped pens; fountain pens, stylograph pens duplicating stylos, propelling or sliding pencils; parts of the foregoing, excluding those of heading no. 960996.09Pencils (not of heading no. 9608), crayons, pencil leads, pastels, drawing charcoals, writing or drawing chalks and tailors' chalks96.10Slates and boards, with writing or drawing surfaces, whether or not framed96.11Stamps; date, numbering, sealing stamps and the like (including devices for printing or embossing labels), designed for operating by hand; hand operated composing sticks and printing sets96.12Typewriter, similar ribbons, inked, otherwise prepared for giving impressions, whether or not on spools or in cartridges; ink pads, whether or not inked, with or without boxes96.13Cigarette lighters and other lighters, whether or not mechanical or electrical and parts thereof other than flints and wicks96.14Smoking pipes (including pipe bowls) and cigar or cigarette holders, and parts thereof96.15Combs, hair-slides and similar; hairpins, curling pins, curling grips and hair curlers and the like, other than those of heading no. 8516 and parts thereof96.16Scent sprays and similar toilet sprays and mounts and heads therefor; powder-puffs and pads for the application of cosmetics or toilet preparations96.17Vacuum flasks and other vacuum vessels, complete with cases; parts thereof other than glass inners96.18Tailors' dummies and other lay figures; automata and other animated displays used for shop window dressing96.19Sanitary towels (pads) and tampons, napkins (diapers), napkin liners and similar articles, of any material96.20Monopods, bipods, tripods and similar articles

55 Brazil NCM codes in chapter 96 →

Codes often confused with 96

Common mistake. Traders frequently misclassify products under Chapter 96 due to its "miscellaneous" nature, often defaulting to it without thoroughly checking more specific chapters. A common mistake is classifying plastic articles, such as plastic combs (9615) or plastic buttons (9606), under Chapter 39 (Plastics and articles thereof), particularly heading 3926, which is for 'Other articles of plastics.' However, if a plastic article has a specific function enumerated in Chapter 96, it should be classified there. Similarly, certain hand tools or implements with a brushing component might be confused with Chapter 82 (Tools, implements, cutlery), for example, specialized cleaning squeegees (9603) might be incorrectly placed in 8205. Another error can occur with writing surfaces; whiteboards or blackboards (9610) might be confused with paper products (Chapter 48) or printed matter (Chapter 49) if their primary function as a writing surface is overlooked, despite being distinct manufactured articles.

96.15Combs, hair-slides and similar; hairpins, curling pins, curling grips and hair curlers and the like, other than those of heading no. 8516 and parts thereof96.06Buttons, press-fasteners, snap-fasteners and press-studs, button moulds and other parts of these articles; button blanks39.26Articles of plastics and articles of other materials of heading no. 3901 to 3914, n.e.c. in chapter 3996.03Brooms, brushes (including parts of machines), hand operated floor sweepers, mops and feather dusters; knots and tufts for broom or brush making; paint pads and rollers; squeegees82.05Tools, hand; (including glaziers' diamonds) n.e.c.; blow lamps; vices, clamps etc, other than accessories for and parts of, machine-tools or water-jet cutting machines; anvils; portable forges; hand or pedal operated grinding wheels with frameworks96.10Slates and boards, with writing or drawing surfaces, whether or not framed

Top exporters and importers of HS code 96, 2025

In 2025, the largest exporter of HS code 96 in UN Comtrade data was China, with 42% of world exports; the largest importer in UN Comtrade data was the United States, with 13% 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 $27.8B
  2. 2 Germany $4.7B
  3. 3 United States $2.5B

World total: $65.4B Reported figures on UN Comtrade ↗

Top importers 2025 · share of world imports

  1. 1 United States $8.3B
  2. 2 Germany $4.2B
  3. 3 France $2.7B

World total: $62.8B 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 96

What is HS code 96?

HS code 96 is a 2-digit chapter in the Harmonized System that covers: Miscellaneous manufactured articles. Chapter 96, titled "Miscellaneous manufactured articles," serves as a comprehensive "catch-all" for a wide array of finished products that do not find a more specific home in other chapters of the Harmonized System. This chapter is incredibly diverse, encompassing items ranging from everyday consumer goods like pens and buttons to specialized articles like mannequins and certain personal hygiene products. The scope primarily covers manufactured articles that are often ready for end-use, distinguishing them from raw materials, intermediate goods, or articles falling under more specialized categories like machinery, textiles, or plastics (unless specifically provided for here). Key sub-categories include brushes and brooms (9603), writing and drawing instruments (9608, 9609), buttons and fasteners (9606, 9607), lighters and smoking requisites (9613, 9614), personal grooming articles like combs and scent sprays (9615, 9616), vacuum flasks (9617), and sanitary products (9619). This classification is paramount for trade compliance due to its residual nature. Misclassification can lead to significant customs delays, incorrect duty assessments, and potential penalties. Historically, as global manufacturing evolved and diversified, a dedicated chapter became necessary to categorize the vast and ever-growing array of consumer and industrial articles that didn't fit neatly into existing specialized chapters, reflecting the breadth of modern trade in finished goods. Understanding the specific headings within Chapter 96 is crucial for importers, exporters, and customs professionals to ensure accurate declarations and optimize trade operations.

What products fall under HS code 96?

Toothbrushes, paintbrushes, brooms, mops, feather dusters, ballpoint pens, felt-tip markers, mechanical pencils, fountain pens, crayons, buttons, zippers, cigarette lighters, smoking pipes, hair combs, hair slides, scent sprays, powder puffs, vacuum flasks, mannequins, baby diapers, sanitary pads, camera tripods, worked bone carvings, ink pads

What are common misclassifications for HS code 96?

Traders frequently misclassify products under Chapter 96 due to its "miscellaneous" nature, often defaulting to it without thoroughly checking more specific chapters. A common mistake is classifying plastic articles, such as plastic combs (9615) or plastic buttons (9606), under Chapter 39 (Plastics and articles thereof), particularly heading 3926, which is for 'Other articles of plastics.' However, if a plastic article has a specific function enumerated in Chapter 96, it should be classified there. Similarly, certain hand tools or implements with a brushing component might be confused with Chapter 82 (Tools, implements, cutlery), for example, specialized cleaning squeegees (9603) might be incorrectly placed in 8205. Another error can occur with writing surfaces; whiteboards or blackboards (9610) might be confused with paper products (Chapter 48) or printed matter (Chapter 49) if their primary function as a writing surface is overlooked, despite being distinct manufactured articles.

Which countries are the top exporters of goods under HS code 96?

In 2025, the top exporters of HS code 96 in UN Comtrade data were China ($27.8B, 42% of world exports), Germany ($4.7B) and the United States ($2.5B). World exports came to about $65.4B, 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.

Which countries are the top importers of goods under HS code 96?

In 2025, the top importers of HS code 96 in UN Comtrade data were the United States ($8.3B, 13% of world imports), Germany ($4.2B) and France ($2.7B). World imports came to about $62.8B, 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 96 structured?

HS code 96 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.