Jump to FAQ ↓

Section VI: Products of the Chemical or Allied Industries

Chapter 34: Soap, organic surface-active agents, washing preparations, lubricating preparations, artificial waxes, prepared waxes, polishing or scouring preparations, candles and similar articles, modeling pastes, dental waxes

Chapter 34 of the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule covers Soap, organic surface-active agents, washing preparations, lubricating preparations, artificial waxes, prepared waxes, polishing or scouring preparations, candles and similar articles, modeling pastes, dental waxes and sits within Section VI: Products of the Chemical or Allied Industries.

About Chapter 34

Chapter 34 contains 48 10-digit statistical lines grouped under 6 4-digit headings. Brokers, importers, and customs counsel use these codes to declare soap, organic surface-active agents, washing preparations, lubricating preparations, artificial waxes, prepared waxes, polishing or scouring preparations, candles and similar articles, modeling pastes, dental waxes on entry summaries (CBP Form 7501) and to look up the applicable Column 1, Special, and Column 2 duty rates.

General (Column 1) duty rates for ad-valorem lines in Chapter 34 range from 0.2% to 6.5%, with a median of 4%. About 33% of the chapter's lines (16 of 48) enter duty-free under the general rate. Special-program rates (USMCA, KORUS, GSP, AGOA, and others) and Chapter 99 overlays modify these base rates for qualifying shipments.

Every code page links into the Tandom Tariff Calculator with the HTS code prefilled, so you can compute the full landed duty for a specific shipment by entering value, country of origin, and (where relevant) material content or date of entry. Tandom's data refreshes daily from USITC HTSUS, CBP CSMS, the Federal Register, and the Department of Commerce — the same authoritative sources the trade community files against.

3401Soap; organic surface-active products and preparations for use as soap, in the form of bars, cakes, molded pieces or shapes, whether or not containing soap; organic surface-active products and preparations for washing the skin, in the form of liquid or cream and put up for retail sale, whether or not containing soap; paper, wadding, felt and nonwovens, impregnated, coated or covered with soap or detergent:

CodeDescriptionGeneralColumn 2SpecialUnits
3401.11·For toilet use (including medicated products):
3401.11.10.00··Castile soapFree15%kg
3401.11.50.00··OtherFree4.4¢/kg + 30%kg
3401.19.00.00·OtherFree4.4¢/kg + 15%kg
3401.20.00.00Soap in other formsFree4.4¢/kg + 30%kg
3401.30Organic surface-active products and preparations for washing the skin, in the form of liquid or cream and put up for retail sale, whether or not containing soap:
3401.30.10.00·Containing any aromatic or modified aromatic surface-active agent4%15.4¢/kg + 53.5%Free (A,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,K,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)kg
3401.30.50.00·OtherFree25%kg

3402Organic surface-active agents (other than soap); surface-active preparations, washing preparations (including auxiliary washing preparations) and cleaning preparations, whether or not containing soap, other than those of heading 3401:

CodeDescriptionGeneralColumn 2SpecialUnits
3402.31·Linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acids and their salts:
3402.31.10.00··Aromatic or modified aromatic6.5%15.4¢/kg + 52.5%Free (A, AU, BH, CL, CO, D, E, IL, JO, KR, MA, OM, P, PA, PE, S, SG)kg
3402.31.90.00··Other3.7%25%Free (A, AU, BH, CL,CO, D, E, IL, JO, KR, MA, OM, P, PA, PE, S, SG)kg
3402.39·Other:
3402.39.10.00··Aromatic or modified aromatic4%15.4¢/kg + 53.5%Free (A, AU, BH, CL, CO, D, E, IL, JO, KR, MA, OM, P, PA, PE, S, SG)kg
3402.39.90··Other3.7%25%Free (A, AU, BH, CL, CO, D, E, IL, JO, KR, MA, OM, P, PA, PE, S, SG)
3402.39.90.10···Salts of sulfated alcoholskg
3402.39.90.20···Salts of sulfated polyetherskg
3402.39.90.50···Otherkg
3402.41·Cationic:
3402.41.10.00··Aromatic or modified aromatic4%15.4¢/kg + 53.5%Free (A, AU, BH, CL, CO, D,E, IL, JO, KR, MA, OM, P, PA, PE, S, SG)kg
3402.41.90.00··Other4%16.5¢/kg + 30%Free (A, AU, BH, CL, CO, D, E, IL, JO, KR, MA, OM, P, PA, PE, S, SG)kg
3402.42·Non-ionic:
3402.42.10.00··Aromatic or modified aromatic4%15.4¢/kg + 53.5%Free (A, AU, BH, CL, CO, D, E, IL, JO, K, KR, MA, OM, P, PA, PE, S, SG)kg
3402.42.20···Fatty substances of animal, vegetable or microbial origin4%16.5¢/kg + 30%Free (A, AU, BH, CL, CO, D, E, IL, JO, K, KR, MA, OM, P, PA, PE, S, SG)
3402.42.20.10····Polyethers kg
3402.42.20.20····Esters and ether-esters of polyhydric alcoholskg
3402.42.20.50····Otherkg
3402.42.90.00···Other3.7%25%Free (A, AU, BH, CL, CO, D, E, IL, JO, K, KR, MA, OM, P, PA, PE, S, SG)kg
3402.49·Other:
3402.49.10.00··Aromatic or modified aromatic4%15.4¢/kg + 53.5%Free (A, AU, BH, CL, CO, D, E, IL, JO, KR, MA, OM, P, PA, PE, S, SG)kg
3402.49.90.00··Other3.7%25%Free (A, AU, BH, CL, CO, D, E, IL, JO, KR, MA, OM, P, PA, PE, S, SG)kg
3402.50Preparations put up for retail sale:
3402.50.11.00·Containing any aromatic or modified aromatic surface-active agent4%15.4¢/kg + 53.5%Free (A, AU, BH, CL, CO, D, E, IL, JO, K, KR, MA, OM, P, PA, PE, S, SG)kg
3402.50.51.00·OtherFree25%kg
3402.90Other:
3402.90.10.00·Synthetic detergents3.8%15.4¢/kg + 53.5%Free (A,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)kg
3402.90.30.00··Containing any aromatic or modified aromatic surface-active agent4%15.4¢/kg + 44.5%Free (A,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)kg
3402.90.50··Other3.7%25%Free (A,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,L,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)
3402.90.50.10···Washing preparationskg
3402.90.50.30···Cleaning preparationskg
3402.90.50.50···Otherkg

3403Lubricating preparations (including cutting-oil preparations, bolt or nut release preparations, antirust or anticorrosion preparations and mold release preparations, based on lubricants) and preparations of a kind used for the oil or grease treatment of textile materials, leather, furskins or other materials, but excluding preparations containing, as basic constituents, 70 percent or more by weight of petroleum oils or oils obtained from bituminous minerals:

CodeDescriptionGeneralColumn 2SpecialUnits
3403.11·Preparations for the treatment of textile materials, leather, furskins or other materials:
3403.11.20.00···Containing 50 percent or more by weight of petroleum oils or of oils obtained from bituminous minerals0.2%0.4%Free (A+,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL, JO,KR,MA,OM,P, PA,PE,S,SG)liters
3403.11.40.00···Other6.1%15.4¢/kg + 49.5%Free (A,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)kg
3403.11.50.00··Other1.4%25%Free (A,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG)kg
3403.19·Other:
3403.19.10.00··Containing 50 percent or more by weight of petroleum oils or of oils obtained from bituminous minerals0.2%0.4%Free (A+,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL, JO, JP, KR,MA,OM,P, PA,PE,S,SG)liters
3403.19.50.00··Other5.8%20%Free (A,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG) 2.9%(JP)kg
3403.91·Preparations for the treatment of textile materials, leather, furskins or other materials:
3403.91.10.00··Preparations for the treatment of textile materials6%25%Free (A,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG) 3%(JP)kg
3403.91.50.00··Other6.5%30%Free (A+,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG) 3.25% (JP)kg
3403.99.00.00·Other6.5%30%Free (A+,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA,PE,S,SG) 3.25% (JP)kg

3404Artificial waxes and prepared waxes:

CodeDescriptionGeneralColumn 2SpecialUnits
3404.20.00.00Of poly(oxyethylene) (polyethylene glycol)Free54.5%kg
3404.90Other:
3404.90.10.00·Containing bleached beeswaxFree30%kg
3404.90.51·OtherFreeFree
3404.90.51.10··Of chemically modified lignitekg
3404.90.51.50··Otherkg

3405Polishes and creams, for footwear, furniture, floors, coachwork, glass or metal, scouring pastes and powders and similar preparations (whether or not in the form of paper, wadding, felt, nonwovens, cellular plastics or cellular rubber, impregnated, coated or covered with such preparations), excluding waxes of heading 3404:

CodeDescriptionGeneralColumn 2SpecialUnits
3405.10.00.00Polishes, creams and similar preparations for footwear or leatherFree25%kg
3405.20.00.00Polishes, creams and similar preparations for the maintenance of wooden furniture, floors or other woodworkFree25%kg
3405.30.00.00Polishes and similar preparations for coachwork, other than metal polishesFree25%kg
3405.40.00.00Scouring pastes and powders and other scouring preparationsFree4.4¢/kg + 15%kg
3405.90.00.00OtherFree25%kg

3406Candles, tapers and the like

CodeDescriptionGeneralColumn 2SpecialUnits
3406.00.00.00Candles, tapers and the likeFree27.5%kg

3407Modeling pastes, including those put up for children's amusement; preparations known as "dental wax" or as "dental impression compounds", put up in sets, in packings for retail sale or in plates, horseshoe shapes, sticks or similar forms; other preparations for use in dentistry, with a basis of plaster (of calcined gypsum or calcium sulfate):

CodeDescriptionGeneralColumn 2SpecialUnits
3407.00.20.00Modeling pastes, including those put up for children's amusementFree40%kg
3407.00.40.00OtherFree40%kg

Frequently asked questions

What does HTS Chapter 34 cover?

Chapter 34 of the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTSUS) covers Soap, organic surface-active agents, washing preparations, lubricating preparations, artificial waxes, prepared waxes, polishing or scouring preparations, candles and similar articles, modeling pastes, dental waxes. It sits within Section VI: Products of the Chemical or Allied Industries. Tandom's catalog lists all 48 10-digit statistical lines and 6 4-digit headings in this chapter.

What is the typical U.S. duty rate for Chapter 34 imports?

General (Column 1) duty rates for ad-valorem lines range from 0.2% to 6.5% (median 4%); roughly 43% of lines enter duty-free. Use the calculator linked from each code page to compute the full landed rate, including Section 301/232 overlays, IEEPA tariffs, and AD/CVD deposits where applicable.

Are Section 301 or Section 232 tariffs applied to Chapter 34 products?

Section 301 (China) and Section 232 (steel, aluminum, copper) tariffs are layered on top of the base HTSUS rate via Chapter 99 provisions. Whether they apply to a specific 10-digit line in Chapter 34 depends on the product's country of origin, material content, and the active proclamation. Open any code in this chapter to see the live overlay stack and effective rate.

Are there antidumping or countervailing duty (AD/CVD) orders covering Chapter 34 products?

AD/CVD orders are issued at the case level by the Department of Commerce against specific products from specific countries. Tandom's AD/CVD catalog cross-references every active order to the HTS codes it covers — open any code in Chapter 34 to see flagged orders, deposit rates, and the underlying scope determinations.