The HS code for soda ash is 2836.20, caustic soda is in 2815, salt is 2501 and bentonite is 2508.10. Hydrogenated castor oil and 12-HSA are less clear-cut, because they can be classified as fats, fatty acids or defined organic acids depending on their composition.
The first six digits are international; your country adds the rest. Always confirm the final code with your customs broker, as classification is your declaration. Our general guide to HS codes for chemicals explains the method.
Soda ash and caustic soda
Disodium carbonate, which is soda ash, goes to 2836.20, and both light and dense grades share that code. Do not confuse it with sodium bicarbonate, which is 2836.30. See soda ash light and dense for the grade difference.
Sodium hydroxide, or caustic soda, is split by form: solid caustic, which includes flakes, pearls and prills, is 2815.11, and sodium hydroxide in aqueous solution (lye) is 2815.12. The form on the invoice must match the form in the container. See caustic soda flakes, lye and prills.
Salt
Heading 2501 covers salt, including table salt and denatured salt, and pure sodium chloride. Industrial, edible and de-icing grades usually share the heading, but your country's national lines may split them by use, for example denatured or food. The grade you declare should match the certificate of analysis and the intended use. Our guide to salt grades shows how the grades differ. Salt for chemical use, such as chlor-alkali feed, is the same chemical as table salt at heading level, so the description and certificate carry the weight. State also whether the salt is sold dry, moist or as brine, because the form can change the national tariff line.
Bentonite
Natural bentonite falls under 2508.10. Activated bentonite, treated with acid or other agents, is usually classified under heading 3802 as activated natural mineral products. That is the main pitfall, because a supplier selling activated or acid-treated clay under the plain natural code can cause a customs query. Read what activated bentonite is and bentonite grades before you agree the invoice description.
Hydrogenated castor oil and 12-HSA
Hydrogenated castor oil, also called castor wax, is generally treated as a hydrogenated vegetable oil in heading 1516. 12-hydroxystearic acid is where the confusion begins. A chemically defined, pure product may belong to the hydroxy-carboxylic acids in Chapter 29, while a commercial grade with variable composition is often classified as industrial fatty acid in heading 3823.
Different customs offices have taken different views, so check your country's rulings and ask your broker for a binding classification if the volume justifies it. For the products themselves, see what HCO is used for and 12-HSA uses.
Checks before you ship
- Make sure the product name, form and grade on the invoice, packing list and COA all agree.
- Ask the supplier which HS code it has used on its export documents, and compare it with your broker's view.
- Check the duty on that line in your country's tariff.
- Keep the technical data sheet on file, as customs may ask for it.
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