HS Code 281520
6-digit classification for Potassium Hydroxide (caustic Potash), with duty lookup and 1688 checks before payment
Official description: Sodium hydroxide (caustic soda); potassium hydroxide (caustic potash); peroxides of sodium or potassium : Potassium hydroxide (caustic potash)
Also searched as: potassium hydroxide, caustic potash, potash lye
Classification
How 281520 breaks down
Inorganic chemicals; compounds of precious metals and isotopes
Sodium hydroxide (caustic soda); potassium hydroxide (caustic potash); peroxides of sodium or potassium
Potassium hydroxide (caustic potash)
Short answer
What HS code 281520 means before paying a 1688 supplier
HS code 281520 is the 6-digit HS 2022 starting point for potassium hydroxide (caustic potash); often searched as potassium hydroxide, caustic potash, potash lye. Before using it in a landed-cost estimate, confirm the product material, function, destination market, and the official tariff source. Treat any 1688 supplier code as a clue, not the final import classification.
Use
Start with this 6-digit HS code and compare the product's material, function, and use.
Verify
Check the destination market's official HTS, TARIC, commodity-code, duty, VAT, or GST source.
Decide
If classification, documents, or restricted-product risk is unclear, submit the product for a written check.
Covered products
What products fall under HS code 281520?
Buyers sourcing potassium hydroxide (caustic potash) from 1688 commonly describe it in these ways. If your product matches, 281520 is likely the right 6-digit starting point — confirm material and intended use against the official tariff.
Import duty by market
Where to check the import duty for HS 281520
The 6-digit code is universal, but duty, VAT and GST are set by the destination country and depend on the full national tariff line with China as the country of origin. Start from the official source for your market.
United States
USITC / CBP · Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS)
European Union
TARIC · Access2Markets
United Kingdom
HMRC · UK Integrated Online Tariff
Canada
CBSA · Canadian Customs Tariff
Australia
ABF · Australian customs tariff
Singapore
Singapore Customs · Singapore Trade Classification (HS)
Compare the real China-origin import tax across markets
Use the HS & import duty checker to estimate duty + VAT/GST for 281520 by destination before you pay a 1688 supplier.
Heading 2815
Other HS codes under 2815
Subheadings in the same 4-digit heading — "Sodium hydroxide (caustic soda); potassium hydroxide (caustic potash); peroxides of sodium or potassium". If 281520 is not an exact match, one of these may classify your product more precisely.
Questions
HS code 281520: common questions
What is HS code 281520?
HS code 281520 is the World Customs Organization 6-digit HS 2022 subheading for "Sodium hydroxide (caustic soda); potassium hydroxide (caustic potash); peroxides of sodium or potassium : Potassium hydroxide (caustic potash)". The first two digits (28) are the chapter — Inorganic chemicals; compounds of precious metals and isotopes — and digits 3-4 (2815) are the heading. Countries add further digits (8-10) for their national tariff line.
What products fall under HS 281520?
Common products classified under 281520 include potassium hydroxide, caustic potash, potash lye and similar items matching potassium hydroxide (caustic potash). The correct code still depends on the product's material, function and intended use.
How do I find the import duty for HS code 281520?
Duty is set by the destination country, not by the 6-digit HS code alone. Start from the official tariff of your market — USITC HTS (US), TARIC / Access2Markets (EU), GOV.UK Trade Tariff (UK), CBSA (Canada), ABF (Australia) or Singapore Customs — and look up the full national code with China as the country of origin.
Is HS code 281520 the same in every country?
The first 6 digits (281520) are the same worldwide under the WCO Harmonized System. Beyond that, each country extends the code (HTS in the US, TARIC in the EU, etc.) and sets its own duty and tax rates.
Can I trust the HS code a 1688 supplier gives me?
Treat a supplier-provided code as a clue, not a final classification. It can be incomplete, China-export-specific, or mismatched to your destination's rules. Verify against the official tariff and your product's actual material and use.
Chapter 28
Explore Inorganic chemicals; compounds of precious metals and isotopes
Sourcing potassium hydroxide (caustic potash) from 1688?
Get a written pre-payment check — classification clues, China-origin landed cost, and supplier risk — before you commit. 5,754 HS codes covered.