HS codes for Shopify stores shipping to the EU
An HS code is the number that classifies what a product is. EU customs need one for every product you send to a shopper in the EU from outside it, and its first six digits are the same worldwide. In Shopify it lives in the Harmonized system code field of each variant, and you can fill it for one product, for many in the bulk editor or a CSV file, or with PIDReady.
Why customs need it
Customs use the HS code to group the goods in a parcel into items. Goods that share the same tariff classification, description and, where it is declared, origin are one item, and the EUR 3 duty and the EUR 2 handling fee are charged per item. So your HS codes decide how many items a parcel counts as. The product identifiers say which product it is; the HS code says what kind of product it is.
How many digits
| Digits | What it is | Where you meet it |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | The Harmonized System code, the same in every country. | The minimum to enter on a variant. |
| 10 | The EU's TARIC code: the six HS digits, taken further. | Carried by some customs declarations, with the country of origin. |
| 6 to 13 | What Shopify's HS code field accepts. | PIDReady checks codes against the HS 2022 list and shows what each one means. |
Some declarations carry the 10-digit TARIC code and the origin; others carry the 6-digit HS code and no origin. Your carrier decides which one it files, so ask it whether it wants more than six digits.
Where to find your HS code
- Your supplier. The code is often on their invoices or price list.
- The EU's TARIC database for the code the EU uses, or the UK Trade Tariff to look a product up by what it is.
- Your carrier or a customs broker. They have the last word on the right code.
PIDReady never picks a code for you without your say: it suggests one, from your own products or the UK Trade Tariff, shows how sure it is and why, and saves nothing until you confirm.
Mistakes to avoid
- An empty field, or a placeholder such as 0 or N/A. Customs need a real code.
- A code with fewer than six digits.
- Two different codes on the same product in different variants. Customs group goods that share a classification into one item, so the same product under two codes can be counted as two items.
Where it goes in Shopify
Shopify keeps the HS code on every variant, next to the country of origin, in the Harmonized system code field. Step by step, for one product or many: bulk edit HS codes and country of origin in Shopify. Then fill the other half: country of origin on Shopify.
Common questions
What is an HS code?
The Harmonized System code: a number that classifies what a product is. Its first six digits are the same in every country.
Do I need an HS code for every product?
Customs need each product's HS code, so every variant you ship to the EU should have one. Similar products usually share a code, so you can set it for many variants at once.
How many digits does an HS code need?
At least the first six. Some customs declarations carry the 10-digit TARIC code, others the 6-digit HS code. Which one applies depends on the declaration your carrier files, so ask it whether it wants more than six digits.
What is the difference between an HS code and a TARIC code?
The first six digits of both are the same: that part is the worldwide HS code. The EU's TARIC code has ten digits and goes into more detail.
Where in Shopify do I enter an HS code?
On the variant, in its Harmonized system code field. To fill many variants at once, use Shopify's bulk editor, a CSV file or PIDReady. Three ways to bulk edit
Can PIDReady choose my HS codes?
It suggests them, from your own products or the UK Trade Tariff, with how sure it is and why. Nothing is saved until you confirm. Check with your carrier or customs broker.
Is an HS code a product identifier?
No. The three product identifiers (M-PID, NS-PID, S-PID) say which product it is; the HS code says what kind of product it is. Customs need both, and the country of origin. The three identifiers
Check your catalogue
PIDReady is a Shopify app that checks every variant for the three identifiers, the HS code and the country of origin, helps you fill the gaps one by one or in bulk, and downloads a file for your carrier. The free plan does every fix, for any size of store.
Questions about the rule, app or no app? Email support@pidready.com: we reply within one working day.
More guides
Sources
- World Customs Organization, what the Harmonized System is
- European Commission, the EU customs tariff (TARIC)
- UK Trade Tariff (HM Revenue & Customs)
- Shopify Help Center, HS codes and country of origin
- Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/1022 of 30th April 2026 (EUR-Lex). It was published in the Official Journal on 1st July 2026 with 30th June in its title; the Official Journal's corrigendum of 3rd July 2026 corrected that date to 30th April.
- Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/2152 of 21st September 2026 (EUR-Lex): the Union handling fee is EUR 2 per item. Published in the Official Journal on 22nd October 2026; it applies from 1st November 2026.
- European Commission, guidance on the temporary EUR 3 customs duty and the Union handling fee, version of 5th October 2026