Chapter 78 Lead and articles thereof
4 headings · 8 six-digit codes · World Customs Organization Harmonized System
HS code 78 is the customs chapter for lead and articles thereof, from raw blocks to scrap, foil and powder. Use this page to pick the right code and find the shipments behind it.
Chapter 78 is a compact chapter: 8 six-digit codes across 4 headings, 7801 to 7806. 2 of those headings subdivide below four digits, so the whole chapter fits on one screen. The chapter sits in Section XV, Base Metals and Articles of Base Metal, alongside 10 other chapters.
Headings in this chapter
HS Code 78 at a glance: lead and articles thereof
The Harmonized System is a list of customs codes kept by the WCO. Countries use it to sort goods at the border. In India, people often say HSN code 78 for the same chapter.
This chapter sorts lead by its form, not by its use. Lead can be a raw block, old scrap, a thin sheet, a fine powder or a finished item. So the first job is to name the form of your goods.
Customs classification matters because the code on your papers is the code that appears in shipment records. A wrong code can hide your goods from buyers and suppliers who search by code.
How to choose the right lead HS code
Start with the form of the lead. Then check the few splits that change the code.
- Unwrought lead (heading 7801) is lead that has not been worked into a shape. Refined lead has its own code. Unrefined lead is split in two, based on whether antimony is the main other element by weight.
- Waste and scrap (heading 7802) covers used or broken lead. It has a single code.
- Plates, sheets, strip and foil (heading 7804) are split by thickness. The cut-off is written in the code text, and any backing is not counted. Lead powders and flakes sit in the same heading.
- Other lead articles (heading 7806) are lead goods that fit nowhere else in the chapter.
Lead batteries vs raw lead: avoiding the wrong code
A common mistake is to treat a product that only contains lead as if it were lead itself. This chapter covers lead and articles made of lead. A finished product with lead inside may belong in a different chapter. Read the product description before you pick a code.
If you are unsure, run the item through the HS code classifier. Then open the heading page that matches your form of lead. Each heading page lists its own codes in full, with their exact wording.
Lead import and export data: find buyers and suppliers
Once you know your code, you can look at the trade behind it. Here is what EximDataX offers.
- 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.
Related base metal chapters
Lead is often traded next to other metals. If your goods are not lead, try the neighbouring chapters: copper in chapter 74, aluminium in chapter 76, zinc in chapter 79 and tin in chapter 80. The full chapter list is on the main HS code page.
Related
- HS 7801 unwrought lead
- HS 7802 lead waste and scrap
- HS 7804 lead sheets, foil and powder
- HS 7806 other lead articles
- HS code classifier
- Lead import data
- Lead export data
- Find lead buyers
- Find lead suppliers
- Book a free demo
- HS code 74 copper
- HS code 76 aluminium
- HS code 79 zinc
- HS code 80 tin
- All HS code chapters
Other chapters in Section XV
Base Metals and Articles of Base Metal covers chapters 72–83.
- 72Iron and steel29 headings · 167 codes
- 73Iron or steel articles26 headings · 124 codes
- 74Copper and articles thereof16 headings · 49 codes
- 75Nickel and articles thereof8 headings · 17 codes
- 76Aluminium and articles thereof16 headings · 35 codes
- 79Zinc and articles thereof6 headings · 9 codes
- 80Tin; articles thereof4 headings · 5 codes
- 81Metals; n.e.c., cermets and articles thereof12 headings · 56 codes
- 82Tools, implements, cutlery, spoons and forks, of base metal; parts thereof, of base metal15 headings · 64 codes
- 83Metal; miscellaneous products of base metal11 headings · 36 codes
These codes carry real shipments.
EximDataX shows the live import–export records filed under Chapter 78: named buyers, suppliers, quantities and values from official customs feeds.
HS Chapter 78: common questions
What is the HS code for lead scrap?
Use 780200. It is the only six-digit code under heading 7802, waste and scrap.
What is the HS code for refined unwrought lead?
Refined unwrought lead is 780110. Unrefined lead goes under 780191 or 780199 instead.
What is the difference between unrefined lead 780191 and 780199?
The split is about antimony. 780191 is used when antimony is the main other element by weight. 780199 is used when it is not.
What is the HS code for lead foil and sheets?
Thin sheets, strip and foil fall under 780411. Thicker plates and sheets fall under 780419. Backing is left out when you measure thickness.
What is the HS code for lead powder?
Powders and flakes of lead have their own code, 780420, inside heading 7804.
See what your buyers are buying.Then decide.
Everything we show you comes from official customs filings — records, not claims. 30 minutes. Your shipment. Your HS code. Real platform. If you don’t see something new about your market by the end of the call, we walk away. No follow-ups.