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HS Code 2905Acyclic alcohols and their halogenated, sulphonated, nitrated or nitrosated derivatives

20 six-digit codes · Heading 5 of 42 in Chapter 29 · World Customs Organization Harmonized System

HS code 2905 covers acyclic alcohols such as methanol, glycols, glycerol and sorbitol, plus altered forms of them. This page shows how the codes are grouped, how to pick the right one, and where to find shipment records.

Heading 2905 is finely cut: 20 six-digit codes, 290511 to 290559, all of them under “Acyclic alcohols and their halogenated, sulphonated, nitrated or nitrosated derivatives”. At that depth it is the exact wording of the code, not of the heading, that settles a classification. The heading is number 5 of 42 in Chapter 29, Organic chemicals, which runs to 410 six-digit codes in all.

Six-digit codes under heading 2905

HS CodeImport–export description
290511Alcohols; saturated monohydric, methanol (methyl alcohol)
290512Alcohols; saturated monohydric, propan-1-ol (propyl alcohol) and propan-2-ol (isopropyl alcohol)
290513Alcohols; saturated monohydric, butan-1-ol (n-butyl alcohol)
290514Alcohols; saturated monohydric, butanols excluding item no. 2905.13
290516Alcohols; saturated monohydric, octanol (octyl alcohol) and isomers thereof
290517Alcohols; saturated monohydric, dodecan-1-ol (lauryl alcohol), hexadecan-1-ol (cetyl alcohol) and octadecan-1-ol (stearyl alcohol)
290519Alcohols; saturated monohydric, n.e.c. in item no. 2905.1
290522Alcohols; unsaturated monohydric, acyclic terpene alcohols
290529Alcohols; acyclic, unsaturated monohydric, (other than acyclic terpene alcohols)
290531Alcohols; acyclic, diols; ethylene glycol (ethanediol)
290532Alcohols; acyclic, diols; propylene glycol (propane-1, 2-diol)
290539Alcohols; acyclic, diols, other than ethylene glycol (ethandiol) or propylene glycol (propane-1,2-diol)
290541Alcohols; polyhydric, 2-ethyl-2- (hydroxymethyl) propane-1,3-diol (trimethylolpropane)
290542Alcohols; polyhydric, pentaerythritol
290543Alcohols; polyhydric, mannitol
290544Alcohols; polyhydric, d-glucitol (sorbitol)
290545Alcohols; polyhydric, glycerol
290549Alcohols; polyhydric, n.e.c. in item no. 2905.4
290551Alcohols; acyclic; halogenated, sulphonated, nitrated or nitrosated derivatives thereof, ethchlorvynol (inn)
290559Alcohols; acyclic; halogenated, sulphonated, nitrated or nitrosated derivatives thereof, other than ethchlorvynol (inn)

What HS code 2905 covers

Some traders write the same heading as HSN code 2905.

An alcohol is a chemical with at least one OH group. Acyclic means the carbon backbone is an open chain, not a ring. So this heading is for chain-shaped alcohols.

The heading also takes halogenated, sulphonated, nitrated or nitrosated derivatives of these alcohols. These are alcohols changed by adding a halogen, a sulphonic group, a nitro group or a nitroso group.

The products range from bulk solvents to food and cosmetic inputs. Methanol, isopropyl alcohol, glycols, glycerol and sorbitol all sit here.

Codes under 2905 by product group

The six-digit codes follow the shape of the molecule. Monohydric alcohols have one OH group. Diols have two. Polyhydric alcohols have more than two. Here is how the codes line up by common product name.

  • Saturated monohydric alcohols: methanol 290511, propyl and isopropyl alcohol 290512, n-butyl alcohol 290513, other butanols 290514, octanol 290516, lauryl, cetyl and stearyl alcohols 290517, and all others 290519.
  • Unsaturated monohydric alcohols: acyclic terpene alcohols 290522 and all others 290529.

How to choose the right 2905 code

Start with the name of the product. If a code lists it by name, use that code. A named code always beats a general one.

Four codes work as catch-all lines: 290519, 290539, 290549 and 290559. Use one only when your alcohol is not named in the codes above it. For example, a polyhydric alcohol that is not trimethylolpropane, pentaerythritol, mannitol, sorbitol or glycerol goes to 290549.

Watch the butanol lines. Code 290514 is for the other butanols.

Next, check the molecule. If it has a ring, it is a cyclic alcohol and does not belong here. If you are unsure, try the HS code classifier.

What HSN code 2905 does not include

Cyclic alcohols and their derivatives go to heading 2906. That is the main boundary to remember.

Other nearby headings cover different chemicals. Heading 2901 holds acyclic hydrocarbons, which have no OH group. Heading 2904 holds sulphonated, nitrated or nitrosated derivatives of hydrocarbons. Heading 2907 holds phenols. Heading 2909 holds ethers and ether-alcohols.

If your product has an ether link in the chain, check 2909 before you settle on 2905.

Import and export data for heading 2905

Knowing the code is the first step. The next step is seeing who trades under it.

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.

Who ships under 2905?

EximDataX tracks the live import–export records filed under this heading and the 20 codes beneath it: named buyers, suppliers, quantities and values from official customs feeds.

See live data for 2905

Section VI: Products of the Chemical or Allied Industries, chapters 28–38.

Straight answers

HS Code 2905: common questions

What does HS code 2905 represent?

It groups chain-shaped alcohols and chemically altered versions of them. It is one heading inside organic chemicals.

What is the HS code for methanol?

Use 290511 for methanol, also called methyl alcohol.

What is the HS code for isopropyl alcohol?

Isopropyl alcohol falls under 290512, together with propyl alcohol.

What is the HS code for ethylene glycol and propylene glycol?

Ethylene glycol has its own line, 290531. Propylene glycol has 290532.

Which HS code covers glycerol and sorbitol?

Glycerol is 290545 and sorbitol is 290544.

What is the difference between HS 2905 and 2906?

Heading 2906 is for alcohols built on a ring. Heading 2905 is for open chains.

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