HS Code 3909Amino-resins, phenolic resins and polyurethanes, in primary forms

What HS code 3909 covers

Heading 3909 sits inside Chapter 39 plastics in the WCO Harmonized System. This is the shared code list that customs offices around the world build on. In India the same heading is often called the HSN code 3909.

The key phrase is "in primary forms". It means the resin is still raw material. Think of liquids, pastes, powders, granules and lumps. A sheet, a pipe or a finished product does not belong here.

The heading brings together three resin families: amino-resins, phenolic resins and polyurethanes. They are used to make glues, coatings, foams and moulded parts, but the code only cares about the raw resin.

HS 3909 subheadings: urea, melamine, MDI, phenolic and polyurethane

Here is each subheading in plain words. The exact customs wording is in the table above.

Amino-resins are split four ways, so most of the choosing happens in the first four items.

• 390910: urea and thiourea resins. Urea formaldehyde resin is looked up here.
• 390920: melamine resins. This is the answer to the hs code for melamine resin.
• 390931: amino-resins, not named elsewhere, in the form of poly(methylene phenyl isocyanate).
• 390939: all other amino-resins that fall under 3909 but are not that MDI product.
• 390950: polyurethanes in primary forms.

How to choose the right 3909 code

Start with the chemistry on the safety data sheet or the supplier's specification. Then work through these questions in order.

First, is the product a urea or thiourea resin? Use 390910. Is it a melamine resin? Use 390920. Use 390931.

Next, if it is an amino-resin that is none of those, 390939 is the catch-all. The wording says "other than" the MDI product, so 390939 should never be used for polymeric MDI. Mixing up 390931 and 390939 is a common misclassification.

Finally, a phenolic resin goes to 390940 and a polyurethane goes to 390950. Check that the goods are still in primary form. If they have been cut, rolled or moulded, a different heading in Chapter 39 may apply. The HS code classifier can help you test your product.

3909 vs related headings in Chapter 39

Several neighbouring headings also cover resins in primary forms. The material decides which one is right.

Polyamides go to 3908. Silicones go to 3910. Petroleum resins, polyterpenes and polysulphones go to 3911. Ion-exchangers based on these polymers go to 3914.

If the resin has already been turned into a finished article, look at heading 3926 or one of the other article headings in the chapter instead. Heading 3909 is only for the raw resin.

HS code 3909 import and export data

Once you know your code, you can look at who trades 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. Use the import data and export data pages to start, or go straight to resin buyers and resin suppliers.