A Harmonization Number is a specific designation that the international mailing system assigns to products, so they can keep records of the types of items being imported into foreign countries.
Harmonization Numbers help other destination countries determine the customs duties and import taxes that recipients need to pay when their shipments get imported.
All international shipments on Pirate Ship require a Harmonization Number
You must provide a Harmonization Number for all international shipments on Pirate Ship. You'll enter your shipment's Harmonization number(s) on your customs form.
You must enter a Harmonization Number for all international shipments whether you're shipping with UPS, USPS, or using our international service Simple Export Rate.
Each unique item in your shipment needs a Harmonization Number assigned to it. For instance, if you're sending three different items, you will need to add three different Harmonization Numbers when filling out your customs form.
Learn more about filling out customs forms.
Shipments going to and from U.S. military addresses also require Harmonization Numbers
On top of foreign destinations, shipments going to (and from) military APO, FPO, and DPO addresses require harmonization codes.
No matter where the military base you're shipping to or from is located, you'll need to include the harmonization number for your item(s).
How do I find my Harmonization Number?
To look up your product's Harmonization #, visit the United States Census Bureau Schedule B Search Engine and type in your product details.
You can get there by clicking the blue Search #'s button in the Customs section you need to fill out when making your label, as seen here:
Once you're on the Schedule B Search Engine page, try to search for the most basic one-word description possible. For example, if you're sending a T-shirt, type in "shirt" and then click the blue 'Classify' button with the magnifying glass 😉
Next, you'll be taken to a section called "Tell Us More About" to select the closest option from the results that pop up. Click the one that best describes your item.
Here's how that process looks for a men's 100% cotton T-shirt (non-knitted):
From there, continue selecting the following choices that best describe your item(s):
When you've filled out all the necessary information, click "Accept."
Next, the search engine will return your Harmonization # 🎉
In this example, since the T-shirt is made of cotton and isn't a dress, that number will be 6205.20.3000, as seen below:
Finally, once you have your number, all you need to do is type it into the "Harmonization #" section when making your customs form in Pirate Ship 👍
If the Census Bureau Schedule B Search Engine isn't returning a result for whatever reason, you can search for your item on this website: https://hts.usitc.gov/.
How many digits does my Harmonization Number need?
Sometimes you may notice that your Harmonization # isn't 10 digits like the one in the example above. If that's the case, this is ok! Here are some things to keep in mind:
Our "Harmonization #" field in the Customs form section accepts both HS and Schedule B numbers. Numbers have to be at least 6 digits but can be many more. The more digits, the more specific the description of what’s being shipped, and often includes the country being shipped to👌
You should have at least a 6-digit number. Country-specific codes can be 14 digits long, and our system also accepts these.
Note: You don't want to add any 0's to the end of your number to get 6 digits, because 0's at the end can technically mean different items altogether 😅