8709.11 Vehicles; electrical, self-propelled, (not fitted with lifting or handling equipment), of the type used for short distance transport of goods in factories, warehouses, dock areas or airports
A full HS code. These six digits are what goes on a customs declaration, and they mean the same thing in every country that uses the Harmonized System.
Section XVII, Vehicles & Transport — railway stock, road vehicles, aircraft, ships and transport equipment.
- 87 Chapter Vehicles; other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories thereof
- 09 Heading Works trucks, self-propelled, (not fitted with lifting or handling equipment), for factories, warehouses etc, for short distance transport of goods, tractors used on railway station platforms; parts thereof
- 11 Subheading Vehicles; electrical, self-propelled, (not fitted with lifting or handling equipment), of the type used for short distance transport of goods in factories, warehouses, dock areas or airports
Chapter 87 covers vehicles; other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories thereof: cars, trucks, motorcycles, trailers and tractors. Vehicle classification typically depends on engine type, seating capacity and cargo function, each of which maps to a different subheading and duty rate. Classification tip: Electric and hybrid vehicles are classified under the same broad headings as internal-combustion vehicles but split into their own subheadings by propulsion type, and EV import incentives vary widely by country, so check current schedules rather than assuming parity with combustion-engine duty rates.
All of chapter 87Other codes under 87.09
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 under 8709.11? A customs hold shows up as a milestone that stops moving — follow the container or the air waybill from departure to delivery.
Track a shipment8709.11 FAQ
8709.11 covers vehicles; electrical, self-propelled, (not fitted with lifting or handling equipment), of the type used for short distance transport of goods in factories, warehouses, dock areas or airports. It sits under heading 87.09 (works trucks, self-propelled, (not fitted with lifting or handling equipment), for factories, warehouses etc, for short distance transport of goods, tractors used on railway station platforms; parts thereof) in chapter 87, Section XVII of the Harmonized System.
It is the international part of it. Six digits are the same in every country that applies the Harmonized System; the importing country then extends them to eight or ten for its own tariff and statistics. Declare 8709.11 plus whatever national digits the destination’s tariff schedule adds to it.
The General Rules of Interpretation, read together with the notes to Section XVII and to chapter 87. 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.