What is a Schedule B Code?

A couple of recent client projects involved research and advice about Schedule B codes used in AES  (Automated Export System) filings. Shippers often use Schedule B or Harmonized codes they have been given without understanding what the codes mean. The link shown below is to  FAQ’s at the export.gov website. These FAQ’s explain the difference between Schedule B and Harmonized codes pretty well so I won’t elaborate. As I usually explain to clients, Schedule B is for export from the US and Harmonized codes are for imports. Both are based on the HTS system in which the first 6 digits are universal. Importing countries can ( and do) use their own last 4 or 6 digits. So, since a US export is another country’s import, the Schedule B used for export may not match up exactly to the importing country’s harmonized code. As noted in a previous post, codes are updated annually so it is a good business practice to check and verify your data. Contact mitch@52.91.45.227 if you need help. http://export.gov/faq/eg_main_017509.asp#P14_1006