HS Code 1511Palm oil and its fractions; whether or not refined, but not chemically modified

What HS code 1511 covers

If you search for the palm oil HS code, this is the heading you want. It sits in the Harmonized System, the shared product list that customs offices use around the world. Some traders call it the HSN code 1511 or the HTS code 1511. The four digits are the same.

A fraction is one part that is separated from the whole oil, for example by cooling and filtering. Palm olein is the liquid part. Palm stearin is the solid part. Both are palm oil fractions, so both belong here.

The oil may be refined or left as it is. The one firm limit is in the heading text: the oil must be not chemically modified. If a chemical process has changed the oil, it leaves this heading.

HS code 151110 vs 151190: crude or refined palm oil

The only difference between the two subheadings is whether the oil is crude. Customs reads the wording in the table above, so the test is simple.

If you ask what the HS code for crude palm oil is, the answer is 151110.

The words “whether or not refined” matter here. They mean the oil can be refined or only partly processed, as long as it is no longer crude and has not been chemically modified.

• 151110: crude palm oil and crude fractions
• 151190: refined palm oil and other non-crude palm oil, including palm olein and palm stearin that are no longer crude
• Refined, bleached and deodorised oil, known as RBD palm oil, is refined, so it fits 151190

When palm oil is not classified under 1511

Many products have “palm” in the name but belong somewhere else. Check these before you file or search.

Palm kernel oil is not palm oil for customs. It comes from the kernel, not the fruit flesh. If you are comparing palm kernel oil with palm oil by HS code, 1513 is the one to open.

Palm oil that has been partly or wholly hydrogenated goes to heading 1516. Margarine and edible mixtures of fats go to heading 1517. Oils that are boiled, oxidised, dehydrated or otherwise chemically modified go to heading 1518.

If you are not sure which one fits your goods, the HS code classifier can help you narrow it down.

Other vegetable oil headings in Chapter 15

Chapter 15 vegetable oils each have their own heading. Open the one that matches your product to see its subheadings.

• Soya-bean oil sits under heading 1507
• Sunflower, safflower and cotton-seed oil sit under heading 1512
• Rape, colza and mustard oil sit under heading 1514
• Ground nut oil, olive oil and other fixed vegetable oils sit under headings 1508, 1509 and 1515

Find palm oil importers and exporters under HS 1511

Palm oil import export data is most useful when it is tied to the right code. Look up 151110 for crude oil and 151190 for the rest, then compare the records side by side.

EximDataX shows shipment-level import and export records from official customs sources. Coverage: 43 direct customs feeds plus 184 mirror-derived countries. Named buyers and named suppliers are available in 38 of the 43 direct markets. Most markets refresh weekly and some refresh daily. You can search by HS code to see who imports and exports a product, and book a free demo.

You can also start from the import data and export data pages, or go straight to buyer data and supplier data for palm oil.