Product classification
HS code for Metal shears: 8203.30
Tools, hand, metal cutting shears and similar tools.
Classification of metal shears under HS 8203.30
Metal shears, commonly referred to as tin snips or aviation snips, are classified under HS code 8203.30. This classification falls within Chapter 82, which encompasses tools, implements, cutlery, spoons, and forks of base metal. The primary reason for this classification is that these items are considered hand tools rather than industrial machinery. According to the Explanatory Notes to the Harmonized System, heading 8203 covers files, rasps, pliers, pincers, tweezers, metal cutting shears, and similar hand tools. To qualify for 8203.30, the tool must be designed for manual operation, typically held in one or two hands, and used for cutting thin sheets of metal, wire, or similar materials through a scissor-like action.
- Covers
- Aviation snips (left, right, and straight cut)
- Tin snips for sheet metal work
- Compound action metal shears
- Jeweler's metal cutting snips
- Hand-operated bolt croppers
- Manual wire cutters and nippers
- Also under 8203.30
- Wiss Tin Snips
- Klein Tools Bolt Cutters
- Crescent Wire Cutters
- Stanley Aviation Snips
Codes often confused with 8203.30
Common mistake. Metal shears are often confused with HS code 8467.29, which covers electromechanical tools for working in the hand with a self-contained electric motor. If the shears are powered by electricity or battery, they cannot stay in 8203.30. Furthermore, industrial-sized shearing machines are classified in 8462.39. Another common error is using 8201, which is reserved for agricultural hand tools like hedge shears; however, tools specifically designed for metalworking are strictly kept within 8203.
Top exporters and importers of HS 820330 (the code used for metal shears), 2025
In 2025, the largest exporter of HS 820330 (the code used for metal shears) in UN Comtrade data was China, with 26% of world exports; the largest importer in UN Comtrade data was the United States, with 23% 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 820330, not only metal shears.
Top exporters 2025 · share of world exports
- 1 China $57M 26% of world exports
- 2 Germany $40M 19% of world exports
- 3 Taiwan* ~$31M 15% of world exports · partner records ↗
World total: $216M Reported figures on UN Comtrade ↗
Top importers 2025 · share of world imports
- 1 United States $49M 23% of world imports
- 2 Germany $15M 7.1% of world imports
- 3 France $9.8M 4.6% of world imports
World total: $213M 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 code for metal shears
Brazil classifies metal shears under NCM 8203.30.00: HS 8203.30 with 00 added.
Source: Siscomex NCM table, updated Oct 2026. The Portuguese text on each NCM page is the official one.
Questions about metal shears
What is the HS code for Metal shears?
The HS code for Metal shears is 820330 (Tools, hand; metal cutting shears and similar tools). The HS code for manual metal cutting shears and similar hand tools is 8203.30.
How do I classify Metal shears for customs?
Metal shears is classified under HS code 820330 — Tools, hand; metal cutting shears and similar tools. This is a 6-digit subheading level code.
Are electric metal shears classified under 8203.30?
No, electric or battery-powered metal shears are classified under HS code 8467.29 as power-operated hand tools.
Which countries are the top exporters of metal shears (HS 820330)?
In 2025, the top exporters of HS 820330 (the code used for metal shears) in UN Comtrade data were China ($57M, 26% of world exports), Germany ($40M) and Taiwan (about $31M). World exports came to about $216M, 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 metal shears (HS 820330)?
In 2025, the top importers of HS 820330 (the code used for metal shears) in UN Comtrade data were the United States ($49M, 23% of world imports), Germany ($15M) and France ($9.8M). World imports came to about $213M, 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 Metal shears the same in all countries?
The base HS code 820330 for Metal shears 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 metal shears in Brazil?
In Brazil, metal shears (HS 820330) is classified under NCM 8203.30.00.