HS code · 4-digit heading
HS Code 96.17 – Vacuum flasks and other vacuum vessels, complete with cases; parts thereof other than glass inners
What HS 96.17 covers
HS Heading 9617 is dedicated to vacuum flasks and other vacuum vessels, complete with their cases, and their parts, excluding glass inners. This classification is essential for businesses involved in household goods, outdoor equipment, and thermal insulation products. The scope encompasses a variety of containers designed to maintain the temperature of their contents, utilizing a vacuum between an inner and outer wall. This includes traditional thermos bottles, insulated food jars, and other similar vessels, provided they are complete with their outer cases. The heading also covers parts of these vacuum vessels, such as lids, stoppers, outer casings, and handles, but explicitly excludes the glass inners, which are classified separately under heading 7012. This distinction is crucial for accurate customs declarations. Key sub-categories often differentiate by material (stainless steel, plastic), capacity, design (wide-mouth food jars, narrow-neck beverage flasks), and intended use (travel, outdoor, home). This classification is vital for trade compliance as it affects applicable duties, safety standards for food-contact materials, and potential environmental regulations regarding materials. Historically, vacuum vessels have been indispensable for food and beverage preservation, evolving with materials science to become more durable and efficient. As part of Chapter 96, it ensures these specific manufactured articles, which have a distinct function and construction, are precisely categorized, preventing their misclassification into broader metal or plastic articles headings and facilitating streamlined international trade.
- Covers
- Stainless steel vacuum flasks
- Plastic vacuum bottles
- Insulated food jars
- Thermos coffee carafes
- Vacuum insulated water bottles
- Travel mugs with vacuum insulation
- Vacuum pitchers
- Insulated beverage dispensers (vacuum type)
- Replacement lids for vacuum flasks
- Stoppers for vacuum vessels
- Outer casings for vacuum flasks
- Handles for vacuum insulated bottles
- Bases for thermos bottles
- Sealing rings for vacuum flask lids
- Plastic caps for vacuum vessels
- Insulated lunch containers (vacuum type)
- Vacuum insulated tumblers
- Double-wall vacuum bottles.
- Examples
A large retail chain in the United States imports thousands of stainless steel vacuum flasks and insulated food jars from manufacturers in China, primarily through sea freight via the Pacific. A European outdoor gear company sources high-performance, lightweight vacuum insulated water bottles from a specialized factory in Japan, importing these items by air cargo for their seasonal collections. A distributor in Canada imports replacement lids and stoppers for popular thermos brands from Taiwan, ensuring a supply of spare parts for consumers across North America.
Subheadings under 96.17 1
Codes often confused with 96.17
Common mistake. A common misclassification error involves non-vacuum insulated containers, such as simple plastic or metal bottles or lunchboxes, which should be classified under headings like 3924 (for plastics) or 7323 (for iron/steel household articles). Another frequent mistake is classifying the glass inners of vacuum flasks under 9617; these specifically belong to heading 7012. Traders might also confuse specialized laboratory or industrial vacuum vessels (Chapter 90) with the consumer-grade vacuum flasks covered here. The key is to verify the presence of a vacuum insulation and the 'complete with cases' clause.
Top exporters and importers of HS code 9617, 2025
In 2025, the largest exporter of HS code 9617 in UN Comtrade data was China, with 78% of world exports; the largest importer in UN Comtrade data was the United States, with 27% 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 China $5.1B 78% of world exports
- 2 Netherlands $225M 3.5% of world exports
- 3 United States $147M 2.3% of world exports
World total: $6.5B Reported figures on UN Comtrade ↗
Top importers 2025 · share of world imports
- 1 United States $1.5B 27% of world imports
- 2 Japan $275M 5.0% of world imports
- 3 Germany $238M 4.3% of world imports
World total: $5.5B 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 96.17
What is HS code 9617?
HS code 9617 is a 4-digit heading in the Harmonized System that covers: Vacuum flasks and other vacuum vessels, complete with cases; parts thereof other than glass inners. HS Heading 9617 is dedicated to vacuum flasks and other vacuum vessels, complete with their cases, and their parts, excluding glass inners. This classification is essential for businesses involved in household goods, outdoor equipment, and thermal insulation products. The scope encompasses a variety of containers designed to maintain the temperature of their contents, utilizing a vacuum between an inner and outer wall. This includes traditional thermos bottles, insulated food jars, and other similar vessels, provided they are complete with their outer cases. The heading also covers parts of these vacuum vessels, such as lids, stoppers, outer casings, and handles, but explicitly excludes the glass inners, which are classified separately under heading 7012. This distinction is crucial for accurate customs declarations. Key sub-categories often differentiate by material (stainless steel, plastic), capacity, design (wide-mouth food jars, narrow-neck beverage flasks), and intended use (travel, outdoor, home). This classification is vital for trade compliance as it affects applicable duties, safety standards for food-contact materials, and potential environmental regulations regarding materials. Historically, vacuum vessels have been indispensable for food and beverage preservation, evolving with materials science to become more durable and efficient. As part of Chapter 96, it ensures these specific manufactured articles, which have a distinct function and construction, are precisely categorized, preventing their misclassification into broader metal or plastic articles headings and facilitating streamlined international trade.
What products fall under HS code 9617?
Stainless steel vacuum flasks, plastic vacuum bottles, insulated food jars, thermos coffee carafes, vacuum insulated water bottles, travel mugs with vacuum insulation, vacuum pitchers, insulated beverage dispensers (vacuum type), replacement lids for vacuum flasks, stoppers for vacuum vessels, outer casings for vacuum flasks, handles for vacuum insulated bottles, bases for thermos bottles, sealing rings for vacuum flask lids, plastic caps for vacuum vessels, insulated lunch containers (vacuum type), vacuum insulated tumblers, double-wall vacuum bottles.
What are common misclassifications for HS code 9617?
A common misclassification error involves non-vacuum insulated containers, such as simple plastic or metal bottles or lunchboxes, which should be classified under headings like 3924 (for plastics) or 7323 (for iron/steel household articles). Another frequent mistake is classifying the glass inners of vacuum flasks under 9617; these specifically belong to heading 7012. Traders might also confuse specialized laboratory or industrial vacuum vessels (Chapter 90) with the consumer-grade vacuum flasks covered here. The key is to verify the presence of a vacuum insulation and the 'complete with cases' clause.
Which countries are the top exporters of goods under HS code 9617?
In 2025, the top exporters of HS code 9617 in UN Comtrade data were China ($5.1B, 78% of world exports), the Netherlands ($225M) and the United States ($147M). World exports came to about $6.5B, 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 9617?
In 2025, the top importers of HS code 9617 in UN Comtrade data were the United States ($1.5B, 27% of world imports), Japan ($275M) and Germany ($238M). World imports came to about $5.5B, 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 9617 structured?
HS code 9617 is a 4-digit heading under Chapter 96 of the Harmonized System. The first 2 digits (96) identify the chapter, and digits 3-4 (17) specify the heading. This code contains multiple 6-digit subheadings for precise product classification.