82 Tools, implements, cutlery, spoons and forks, of base metal; parts thereof, of base metal
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 XV, Base Metals — iron, steel, copper, aluminium, other base metals and articles thereof.
- 82 Chapter Tools, implements, cutlery, spoons and forks, of base metal; parts thereof, of base metal
- —— Heading Pick one of the 15 headings below
- —— Subheading Six digits, the level every country shares
Chapter 82 covers tools, implements, cutlery, spoons and forks, of base metal; parts thereof, of base metal: hand tools, kitchen cutlery and similar metal implements, classified largely by function rather than the specific metal used. Classification tip: Knives and cutlery sometimes trigger destination-specific import controls or age-restricted sale rules (particularly folding/locking blades) that sit outside the HS tariff itself, so check local weapon-adjacent regulations for bladed items.
15 headings in chapter 82
Four-digit groups. Pick the one that fits, then the six-digit code inside it.
- 82.01 Tools, hand; spades, shovels, mattocks, picks, hoes, forks, rakes; axes, bill hooks etc; secateurs and pruners of any kind; scythes, sickles, hay knives, hedge shears, timber wedges and other tools used in agriculture, horticulture, forestry 6 codes
- 82.02 Tools, hand; saws and blades for saws of all kinds (including slitting, slotting or toothless saw blades) 7 codes
- 82.03 Tools, hand; files, rasps, pliers (including cutting pliers), pincers, tweezers, metal cutting shears, pipe cutters, bolt croppers, perforating punches and similar 4 codes
- 82.04 Tools, hand; hand-operated spanners and wrenches (including torque meter wrenches but not including tap wrenches), interchangeable spanner sockets, with or without handles 3 codes
- 82.05 Tools, hand; (including glaziers' diamonds) n.e.c.; blow lamps; vices, clamps etc, other than accessories for and parts of, machine-tools or water-jet cutting machines; anvils; portable forges; hand or pedal operated grinding wheels with frameworks 9 codes
- 82.06 Tools, hand; two or more of heading no. 8202 to 8205, put up in sets for retail sale 1 code
- 82.07 Tools, interchangeable; for hand tools, whether or not power-operated, or for machine tools (pressing, stamping, punching, drilling etc), including dies for drawing or extruding metal, and rock drilling or earth boring tools 10 codes
- 82.08 Knives and cutting blades, for machines or for mechanical appliances 5 codes
- 82.09 Tools; plates, sticks, tips and the like for tools, unmounted, of sintered metal carbides or cermets 1 code
- 82.10 Tools; hand-operated mechanical appliances, weighing 10kg or less, used in the preparation, conditioning or serving of food or drink 1 code
- 82.11 Knives; with cutting blades, serrated or not (including pruning knives), other than knives of heading no. 8208, and blades therefore 6 codes
- 82.12 Razors and razor blades; (including razor blade blanks in strips) 3 codes
- 82.13 Scissors; tailors' shears and similar shears, and blades therefore 1 code
- 82.14 Cutlery; 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) 3 codes
- 82.15 Cutlery; spoons, forks, ladles, skimmers, cake-servers, fish-knives, butter knives, sugar tongs and similar kitchen or tableware 4 codes
Other chapters in Section XV
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 82? 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 82 FAQ
Chapter 82 covers tools, implements, cutlery, spoons and forks, of base metal; parts thereof, of base metal: hand tools, kitchen cutlery and similar metal implements, classified largely by function rather than the specific metal used. Classification tip: Knives and cutlery sometimes trigger destination-specific import controls or age-restricted sale rules (particularly folding/locking blades) that sit outside the HS tariff itself, so check local weapon-adjacent regulations for bladed items.
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 XV and to chapter 82. 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.