37 Photographic or cinematographic goods
The broadest level of the Harmonized System. Pick the heading below that fits your goods, then the six-digit code under it — that last one is what you declare.
Section VI, Chemical Products — inorganic and organic chemicals, pharmaceuticals, fertilisers, paints and cosmetics.
- 37 Chapter Photographic or cinematographic goods
- —— Heading Pick one of the 7 headings below
- —— Subheading Six digits, the level every country shares
Chapter 37 covers photographic or cinematographic goods: unexposed film, photographic plates, chemicals for developing, and related supplies. Digital photography has shrunk this chapter's practical trade volume considerably compared to the film era, but it still covers specialty and cinema film stock. Classification tip: Exposed but undeveloped film and developed film/prints are classified differently: the state of the film (unexposed, exposed, developed) is the deciding factor, not the camera format.
7 headings in chapter 37
Four-digit groups. Pick the one that fits, then the six-digit code inside it.
- 37.01 Photographic plates and film in the flat, sensitised, unexposed, of any material other than paper, paperboard or textiles; instant print film in the flat, sensitised, unexposed, whether or not in packs 5 codes
- 37.02 Photographic film in rolls, sensitised, unexposed, of any material other than paper, paperboard or textiles; instant print film in rolls, sensitised, unexposed 16 codes
- 37.03 Photographic paper, paperboard and textiles; sensitised, unexposed 3 codes
- 37.04 Photographic plates, film, paper, paperboard and textiles, exposed but not developed 1 code
- 37.05 Photographic plates and film; exposed and developed, other than cinematographic film 1 code
- 37.06 Cinematographic film; exposed and developed, whether or not incorporating sound track or consisting only of sound track 2 codes
- 37.07 Chemical preparations for photographic uses (other than varnishes, glues, adhesives and similar preparations); unmixed products for photographic uses, put up in measured portions or for retail sale 2 codes
Other chapters in Section VI
The wording above is the Harmonized System nomenclature as published by the World Customs Organization, HS 2022 edition. It is a classification reference, not a tariff: it carries no duty rates, and it stops at six digits — the importing country adds its own beyond that.
Classification is decided by the General Rules of Interpretation and the section and chapter notes, and it is the importing country’s customs authority that makes it binding.
Shipping goods from chapter 37? A customs hold shows up as a milestone that stops moving — follow the container or the air waybill from departure to delivery.
Track a shipmentChapter 37 FAQ
Chapter 37 covers photographic or cinematographic goods: unexposed film, photographic plates, chemicals for developing, and related supplies. Digital photography has shrunk this chapter's practical trade volume considerably compared to the film era, but it still covers specialty and cinema film stock. Classification tip: Exposed but undeveloped film and developed film/prints are classified differently: the state of the film (unexposed, exposed, developed) is the deciding factor, not the camera format.
Pick the heading below that describes the goods, then the six-digit subheading under it. Six digits is the level the Harmonized System defines and the level customs everywhere recognises; anything beyond that is added by the importing country.
The General Rules of Interpretation, read together with the notes to Section VI and to chapter 37. A description that reads right is not enough on its own — the notes routinely pull goods out of the chapter they obviously belong to and put them somewhere else. Where duty or licensing turns on the answer, ask the importing country’s customs authority for a binding ruling.
A wrong or missing code is one of the common reasons customs holds a container, and a hold shows up as a milestone that stops moving. Watch for it in the container tracking app, on the air waybill in the air cargo tracker, or through the tracking API.