HS Code 3605Matches; other than pyrotechnic articles of heading no. 3604

What HS code 3605 covers

Heading 3605 is about matches. The World Customs Organization writes the wording, and customs offices around the world build their tariffs on it. This is the WCO nomenclature at work: one short heading, one clear idea.

The key phrase in the heading is the exclusion. Matches go here. Pyrotechnic articles do not. They are sent to heading 3604 instead. If your product is a match, you start at 3605. If it is a firework or a signal device, you look next door.

Chapter 36 is a small group of unusual goods. Matches are the only item in that list that most people handle every week.

For trade work, the code you need is HS 360500. It is the only code under this heading in the WCO system, so a match shipment has just one place to land. Importers and exporters use it on invoices, packing lists and customs declarations.

HS code 3605 vs 3604 and 3606: choosing the right heading

Wrong headings cause delays, so it helps to know the neighbours. Three headings sit close together and sound alike. The WCO descriptions keep them apart.

If you are still unsure, run your product through the HS code classifier. It is a quick way to check your thinking before you file.

• Heading 3606: ferro-cerium and other pyrophoric alloys in all forms, and articles of combustible materials not elsewhere specified in Chapter 36.

Other headings in Chapter 36

Chapter 36 has more than matches. Heading 3601 covers explosives and propellent powders. Heading 3602 covers prepared explosives, other than propellent powders. Heading 3603 covers safety fuses, detonating cords, percussion or detonating caps, igniters and electric detonators.

Use these pages when your goods look close to matches but do not fit. You can also go back to the full list of HS code chapters to browse other parts of the Harmonized System.

Find matches importers and exporters

The HS code is only the label. The real question for most readers is who buys and who sells. That is where shipment records help.

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. For matches, search 360500 and read the live records for yourself.

This page does not list shipment values or country totals. Look them up in the live records instead.

Customs tariff rates are set by each country, so check the rate with the customs authority of your market.