HS Code 7203Ferrous products obtained by direct reduction of iron ore and other spongy ferrous products, in lumps, pellets or the like; iron having a minimum purity of 99.94%, in lumps, pellets or similar forms

What HS code 7203 covers: direct reduced iron and sponge iron

Direct reduced iron, or DRI, is made from iron ore without melting it. A gas removes the oxygen from the ore. What is left is a solid, porous metal. Because it looks like a sponge, many traders call it sponge iron. Customs text calls these goods spongy ferrous products.

Heading 7203 also holds iron of very high purity. The tariff sets a minimum purity for it. All goods here must come as lumps, pellets or a similar shape. Iron in other shapes is classified elsewhere in the tariff.

Indian traders often search for the HSN code 7203. HSN is the Indian name for the same system, and the first four digits match the HS heading. So a search for the code of iron pellets or iron lumps leads to this same heading.

HS 720310 vs 720390: which code to use

Heading 7203 has two subheadings. Read your goods description first. Then match it to one of them.

The question of direct reduced iron HS classification is easy in most cases. Ask how the iron was made. If it came from direct reduction of iron ore, use 720310. If the goods are other spongy products, or iron that meets the high purity limit, use 720390.

• 720390: the code for sponge iron that does not fit 720310, and for high-purity iron.
• Still unsure? Check the test report for how the goods were made and how pure they are, then try the HS code classifier.

HS 7203 tariff rates and longer national codes

Duty rates are set by each country, so they change from one market to the next. Check the tariff of the country you ship to. You can also search live records to see how that market files these goods.

Many countries add extra digits after 720310 or 720390 for their own tariff. On an invoice you may see a longer code that starts with one of these two. The first six digits are the same worldwide, so start there.

Headings often confused with 7203

Several nearby headings cover iron in other forms. Check them before you settle on 7203.

Scrap is the most common mix-up. A buyer who wants old steel for remelting should look at the scrap heading, not this one. Heading 7203 is for reduced or pure iron in lumps or pellets.

• HS 7202 is for ferro-alloys.
• It leaves out the iron of heading 7203.

HS 7203 import and export data: find buyers and suppliers

Codes tell you what a product is. Shipment records tell you who trades it. If you sell or source direct reduced iron, records filed under this heading show real activity instead of guesses.

Here is what EximDataX offers for this heading:

• 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.