Product classification

HS code for Medical adhesive dressings: 3005.10

Dressings, adhesive, and other articles having an adhesive layer, packed for retail sale for medical, surgical, dental or veterinary purposes.

Classification of medical adhesive dressings under HS 3005.10

Medical adhesive dressings are classified under HS code 3005.10. This heading covers wadding, gauze, bandages, and similar articles (for example, dressings, adhesive plasters, poultices), impregnated or coated with pharmaceutical substances or put up in forms or packings for retail sale for medical, surgical, dental, or veterinary purposes. Subheading 3005.10 specifically addresses those articles that have an adhesive layer. The classification is driven by the product's readiness for retail sale and its specific medical application. If a dressing is coated with an adhesive and intended for direct application to the skin to protect a wound or secure a medical device, it fits squarely within this code. The presence of the adhesive layer is the defining technical characteristic that separates it from other non-adhesive medical textiles found in 3005.90. These products are essential in first aid and surgical recovery, and the classification ensures they are treated as medical supplies rather than general textiles or industrial adhesives. The packaging must indicate medical use to qualify for this heading.

Covers
  • Adhesive bandages (e.g., Band-Aids)
  • Surgical tapes with an adhesive layer
  • Medicated adhesive plasters
  • Retail-packed wound dressings with adhesive
  • Adhesive-backed sterile strips for wound closure
Also under 3005.10
  • Band-Aid Brand Adhesive Bandages
  • Nexcare Waterproof Bandages
  • Leukoplast Surgical Tape
  • Compeed Blister Plasters
  • Steri-Strip Skin Closures

Codes often confused with 3005.10

Common mistake. A common misclassification occurs with 3005.90, which is used for medical dressings that do not have an adhesive layer, such as plain gauze or cotton wool. Another error is using 3506.10, which covers products suitable for use as glues or adhesives put up for retail sale; however, if the product is a medical dressing, Chapter 30 takes precedence over Chapter 35.

3005.90Wadding, gauze, bandages and similar articles; (excluding adhesive dressings), impregnated or coated with pharmaceutical substances, packaged for retail sale3506.10Glues or adhesives; prepared, products suitable for use as glues or adhesives, put up for retail sale as glues or adhesives, not exceeding a net weight of 1kg

Top exporters and importers of HS 300510 (the code used for medical adhesive dressings), 2025

In 2025, the largest exporter of HS 300510 (the code used for medical adhesive dressings) in UN Comtrade data was China, with 16% of world exports; the largest importer in UN Comtrade data was the United States, with 18% of world imports. Countries that did not report 2025 data are estimated from partner records, which can understate them.

Figures cover everything classified under HS 300510, not only medical adhesive dressings.

Top exporters 2025 · share of world exports

  1. 1 China $982M
  2. 2 United States $765M
  3. 3 Germany $602M

World total: $6.0B Reported figures on UN Comtrade ↗

Top importers 2025 · share of world imports

  1. 1 United States $1.1B
  2. 2 Germany $618M
  3. 3 Netherlands $377M

World total: $5.9B 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.

Brazil NCM codes for medical adhesive dressings

Brazil splits HS 3005.10 into 6 NCM codes. Pick the one that matches your product:

Source: Siscomex NCM table, updated Oct 2026. The Portuguese text on each NCM page is the official one.

Questions about medical adhesive dressings

What is the HS code for Medical adhesive dressings?

The HS code for Medical adhesive dressings is 300510 (Dressings, adhesive; and other articles having an adhesive layer, packed for retail sale for medical, surgical, dental or veterinary purposes). The HS code for medical adhesive dressings and other articles with an adhesive layer packed for retail medical use is 3005.10.

How do I classify Medical adhesive dressings for customs?

Medical adhesive dressings is classified under HS code 300510 — Dressings, adhesive; and other articles having an adhesive layer, packed for retail sale for medical, surgical, dental or veterinary purposes. This is a 6-digit subheading level code.

Are liquid bandages classified under this code?

Liquid bandages are often classified under 3005.90 or 3824 depending on their chemical composition, as they lack the physical "layer" or substrate typical of 3005.10 dressings.

Which countries are the top exporters of medical adhesive dressings (HS 300510)?

In 2025, the top exporters of HS 300510 (the code used for medical adhesive dressings) in UN Comtrade data were China ($982M, 16% of world exports), the United States ($765M) and Germany ($602M). World exports came to about $6.0B, 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 medical adhesive dressings (HS 300510)?

In 2025, the top importers of HS 300510 (the code used for medical adhesive dressings) in UN Comtrade data were the United States ($1.1B, 18% of world imports), Germany ($618M) and the Netherlands ($377M). World imports came to about $5.9B, 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.

Is the HS code for Medical adhesive dressings the same in all countries?

The base HS code 300510 for Medical adhesive dressings is internationally standardized for the first 6 digits across 200+ countries. Individual countries may add additional digits for national tariff lines and specific classifications.

What is the NCM code for medical adhesive dressings in Brazil?

Brazil splits HS 300510 into 6 NCM codes, so the right one for medical adhesive dressings depends on the product's details: 3005.10.10 (Medicated adhesive dressings), 3005.10.20 (Transparent adhesive surgical dressings), 3005.10.30 (Waterproof adhesive dressings for mucosa), 3005.10.40 (Adhesive colostomy dressings with obturator), 3005.10.50 (Adhesive wound-closure dressings with zipper), 3005.10.90 (Other adhesive dressings and articles).