HS Code 8208Knives and cutting blades, for machines or for mechanical appliances
5 six-digit codes · Heading 8 of 15 in Chapter 82 · World Customs Organization Harmonized System
HS code 8208 is the customs heading for blades that are fitted inside machines, not held in the hand. You may also see it written as HSN code 8208, or as HTS code 8208 in the U.S.
Goods answering to “Knives and cutting blades, for machines or for mechanical appliances” split into 5 six-digit codes, 820810 through 820890. Each one carries its own customs description, and the exact wording below is what a classification has to match. The heading is number 8 of 15 in Chapter 82, Tools, implements, cutlery, spoons and forks, of base metal; parts thereof, of base metal, which runs to 64 six-digit codes in all.
Six-digit codes under heading 8208
| HS Code | Import–export description |
|---|---|
| 820810 | Tools; knives and cutting blades, for machines or for mechanical appliances, for metal working |
| 820820 | Tools; knives and cutting blades, for wood working machines or mechanical appliances |
| 820830 | Tools; knives and cutting blades, for kitchen appliances or for machines used by the food industry |
| 820840 | Tools; knives and cutting blades, for agricultural, horticultural or forestry machines or mechanical appliances |
| 820890 | Tools; knives and cutting blades, for machines or mechanical appliances, n.e.c. in heading no. 8208 |
What HS code 8208 covers
Think of a blade that does its cutting while a machine drives it. A planer knife, a shear blade or a slicer blade are examples. If the blade is made for a machine or a mechanical appliance, this is the heading to check first.
The goods are tools made of base metal. That is why they sit in the tools chapter of Section XV and not in a machinery chapter.
The first six digits are shared by every country that uses the Harmonized System. Each country may add its own extra digits after them. Those national digits are not shown here, so check your own customs tariff for them.
HS 8208 subheading classification: start with the machine
Do not start with the blade. Start with the machine it goes into. Ask what that machine does, then match the answer to one of the five codes. Metal working has its own code, and so do wood working, food and kitchen use, and farm, garden or forest use.
Compare your product with the exact customs wording in the table above before you file. The wording has to match your goods, not just sound close. If you are unsure, run the item through the HS code classifier and read the result against each description.
A blade should reach the leftover code only after you have ruled out the named groups.
Difference between HS 8208 and 8211 knives
Most classification mistakes happen between neighbours in the same chapter. Check these before you settle on 8208.
- 8211 is the heading for ordinary knives and their blades. It states that it leaves out the knives of 8208. A knife made to be held goes there. A blade built for a machine stays in 8208.
- 8207 is for interchangeable tools, such as drilling, stamping and punching tools, and dies for drawing metal.
- 8202 is for saw blades of every kind. A saw blade is not an 8208 product, even when a machine drives it.
- 8214 is for other cutlery, such as butchers' or kitchen cleavers, choppers, mincing knives and paper knives.
- 8209 is for plates, sticks and tips of sintered metal carbides or cermets that are not yet mounted on a tool.
Why the right code matters for trade searches
Buyers and suppliers file under the code their goods match. If you search the wrong subheading, you miss the companies that file under the right one. Search each code that could fit your product, and look at the leftover one too, because some shippers use it when unsure.
Duty rates are set by each country, so we do not list rates here. Check your own market's tariff, and use the classifier to confirm the code first.
Find importers and exporters of HS 8208
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.
Nearby headings in Chapter 82
- 8202Tools, hand; saws and blades for saws of all kinds (including slitting…7 codes
- 8203Tools, hand; files, rasps, pliers (including cutting pliers), pincers…4 codes
- 8204Tools, hand; hand-operated spanners and wrenches (including torque meter…3 codes
- 8205Tools, hand; (including glaziers' diamonds) n.e.c.; blow lamps; vices, clamps…9 codes
- 8206Tools, hand; two or more of heading no. 8202 to 8205, put up in sets for…1 code
- 8207Tools, interchangeable; for hand tools, whether or not power-operated, or for…10 codes
- 8209Tools; plates, sticks, tips and the like for tools, unmounted, of sintered…1 code
- 8210Tools; hand-operated mechanical appliances, weighing 10kg or less, used in…1 code
- 8211Knives; with cutting blades, serrated or not (including pruning knives)…6 codes
- 8212Razors and razor blades; (including razor blade blanks in strips)3 codes
- 8213Scissors; tailors' shears and similar shears, and blades therefore1 code
- 8214Cutlery; other articles, (e.g. hair clippers, butchers' or kitchen cleavers…3 codes
Who ships under 8208?
EximDataX tracks the live import–export records filed under this heading and the 5 codes beneath it: named buyers, suppliers, quantities and values from official customs feeds.
Section XV: Base Metals and Articles of Base Metal, chapters 72–83.
HS Code 8208: common questions
What does heading 8208 cover in plain words?
It covers cutting blades and knives made to work inside machines and mechanical appliances. It does not cover knives made to be held.
What is the HS code for wood working machine blades?
Use 820820. It is the subheading for blades fitted to wood working machines.
What HS code covers knives for food processing machines?
Use 820830. Blades for kitchen appliances go there too.
Which code is used for metal working machine blades?
Use 820810. It is the subheading for blades made for metal working machines.
What code fits blades for farm or forestry machines?
Use 820840. It also takes blades for horticultural machines.
Which code do I use for a machine blade that fits no named group?
Use 820890. It is the residual code for machine blades that the other four codes do not describe.
Where can I find HS code 8208 suppliers and manufacturers?
Search the code in the live customs records on EximDataX, then open the supplier data page. The buyer data page works the same way for importers.
See what your buyers are buying.Then decide.
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