Product classification

HS code for Tweezers: 8203.20

Tools, hand, pliers (including cutting pliers), pincers, tweezers and similar tools.

Classification of tweezers under HS 8203.20

Tweezers are classified under HS code 8203.20, which encompasses pliers, pincers, tweezers, and similar tools. This classification is situated within Chapter 82, which covers tools, implements, cutlery, spoons, and forks of base metal. The primary factor for this classification is the mechanical nature of the item as a hand tool. According to the Explanatory Notes to the Harmonized System, heading 8203 includes tools used for gripping or extracting. Tweezers, being small tools used for picking up or holding small objects that cannot be easily handled by fingers, fit perfectly into the 8203.20 subheading. This code applies to tweezers made of base metals, such as stainless steel or carbon steel. It is important to note that the intended use (industrial, cosmetic, or general purpose) generally does not change the heading, provided the tool is not specialized for surgical use.

Covers
  • Precision industrial tweezers
  • Cosmetic eyebrow tweezers
  • Anti-magnetic tweezers for electronics repair
  • Stamp collecting (philatelic) tweezers
  • Soldering tweezers
  • General purpose household tweezers
Also under 8203.20
  • Knipex Pliers
  • Channellock Pliers
  • Vise-Grip Locking Pliers
  • Klein Tools Lineman's Pliers

Codes often confused with 8203.20

Common mistake. The most frequent misclassification occurs with HS code 9018, which covers medical, surgical, dental, or veterinary instruments. While surgical forceps may look like tweezers, they are manufactured to different standards and are classified in Chapter 90. Another common error is using HS code 8214, which covers other articles of cutlery such as manicure or pedicure sets. If tweezers are imported as part of a set, they may fall under 8214.20, but as individual items, they remain in 8203.20. Plastic tweezers may also be misclassified here, but they should actually be under 3926 as articles of plastics.

90.18Instruments and appliances used in medical, surgical, dental or veterinary sciences, including scintigraphic apparatus, other electro-medical apparatus and sight testing instruments82.14Cutlery; other articles, (e.g. hair clippers, butchers' or kitchen cleavers, choppers and mincing knives, paper knives), manicure or pedicure sets and instruments (including nail files)8214.20Manicure or pedicure sets and instruments; (including nail files)39.26Articles of plastics and articles of other materials of heading no. 3901 to 3914, n.e.c. in chapter 39

Top exporters and importers of HS 820320 (the code used for tweezers), 2025

In 2025, the largest exporter of HS 820320 (the code used for tweezers) in UN Comtrade data was China, with 41% of world exports; the largest importer in UN Comtrade data was the United States, with 16% 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 820320, not only tweezers.

Top exporters 2025 · share of world exports

  1. 1 China $952M
  2. 2 Germany $422M
  3. 3 Taiwan* ~$177M

World total: $2.3B Reported figures on UN Comtrade ↗

Top importers 2025 · share of world imports

  1. 1 United States $334M
  2. 2 Germany $170M
  3. 3 France $93M

World total: $2.0B 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 tweezers

Brazil splits HS 8203.20 into 2 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 tweezers

What is the HS code for Tweezers?

The HS code for Tweezers is 820320 (Tools, hand; pliers (including cutting pliers), pincers, tweezers and similar tools). The standard HS code for base metal tweezers is 8203.20.

How do I classify Tweezers for customs?

Tweezers is classified under HS code 820320 — Tools, hand; pliers (including cutting pliers), pincers, tweezers and similar tools. This is a 6-digit subheading level code.

Are plastic tweezers classified under the same code?

No, HS code 8203.20 is specifically for base metal tools. Plastic tweezers are generally classified under HS code 3926.90 as other articles of plastics.

Which countries are the top exporters of tweezers (HS 820320)?

In 2025, the top exporters of HS 820320 (the code used for tweezers) in UN Comtrade data were China ($952M, 41% of world exports), Germany ($422M) and Taiwan (about $177M). World exports came to about $2.3B, 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 tweezers (HS 820320)?

In 2025, the top importers of HS 820320 (the code used for tweezers) in UN Comtrade data were the United States ($334M, 16% of world imports), Germany ($170M) and France ($93M). World imports came to about $2.0B, 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.

Is the HS code for Tweezers the same in all countries?

The base HS code 820320 for Tweezers 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 tweezers in Brazil?

Brazil splits HS 820320 into 2 NCM codes, so the right one for tweezers depends on the product's details: 8203.20.10 (Pliers, including cutting pliers), 8203.20.90 (Pincers, tweezers and similar tools).