HS Code 3912Cellulose and its chemical derivatives, n.e.c. or included, in primary forms

What HS code 3912 covers

Cellulose is the plant fibre that gives wood and cotton their strength. Factories treat it with chemicals to make cellulose derivatives. Heading 3912 is for those derivatives when they are in primary forms. Primary forms means the raw stage, such as powder, flakes, granules or liquid, before the material is shaped into finished goods.

The phrase "not elsewhere specified or included" is a customs rule. A cellulose product lands here only when no other heading in the chapter describes it more closely.

Traders in some countries search for this as an HSN code or an HTS code. The four digits 3912 are the same in both. Only the extra national digits added after them can differ.

HS 3912 subheadings: acetates, nitrates and cellulose ethers

Each six-digit code names one family of cellulose derivative.

• 391211: cellulose acetate, no plasticiser added
• 391212: cellulose acetate, plasticiser added
• 391220: cellulose nitrate, which includes collodions
• 391231: carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and its salts
• 391239: every other cellulose ether
• 391290: any other cellulose derivative not named above

How to choose the right 3912 code

Start with the chemical name on the product data sheet. Then work through the families one at a time.

Acetates come first. Ask whether a plasticiser was added. A plasticiser is a substance that makes the material softer and easier to shape. Softened acetate belongs on 391212, and plain acetate on 391211.

Nitrates are simple. Cellulose nitrate and collodion share the single line 391220.

Ethers need a careful read of the name. Only CMC gets its own line, 391231. Any other ether falls to 391239, and that is the whole gap between these two codes.

Keep 391290 for last. It is the catch-all for cellulose derivatives that none of the lines above fit, so rule the others out before you use it.

Still unsure? Run the product through the HS code classifier before you file.

3912 vs nearby headings 3911, 3913 and 3914

Three neighbours cause most mix-ups. Heading 3911 holds petroleum resins, polysulphides and similar man-made chemical products. They are built from chemicals, not from cellulose.

Heading 3913 holds natural polymers and modified natural polymers, such as alginic acid, hardened proteins and chemical derivatives of natural rubber. It is the closest match to 3912. Check it when your material comes from plants or animals but is not cellulose.

Heading 3914 holds ion-exchangers based on the polymers of headings 3901 to 3913. A cellulose material sold as an ion-exchanger may belong there.

Also note that cellulose acetate is a different material from the vinyl acetate polymers of heading 3905. The word acetate appears in both names, but the base material is not the same.

Import and export data for cellulose derivatives

Once you know your code, you can see 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.