Skip to content
BBQ Charcoal

HS Code 4402.90 & Import Duties by Market

Coconut-shell BBQ charcoal is classified under HS 4402.90.0000, and it enters the United States at a 0% MFN base under US Customs ruling N306942 — confirm any current US import surcharge (e.g. a Section 122 measure) with your broker. Duties vary by destination, so the table below is a starting point — confirm with a binding ruling for the country you import into.

HS Code & Duty By Market

Customs classification and indicative duty by destination Method / source: WCO Harmonized System heading 4402 (wood / shell charcoal); US CBP ruling N306942
Market HS code Import duty Basis
United States 4402.90.0000 0% MFN base (confirm surcharge) CBP ruling N306942
European Union 4402.90 0% (MFN) EU Common Customs Tariff
GCC (Gulf states) 4402.90 ~5% Common external tariff

⚠ Verify before publishing

The GCC ~5% figure is the common external tariff and varies by member state and current ruling. Verify the applicable duty for the specific Gulf destination before quoting.

Verified as of — re-check the source before relying on this for a shipment.

Two Subheadings — Pick The Right One

Heading 4402 splits into just two operative subheadings: 4402.10 of bamboo and 4402.90 other. Coconut-shell BBQ charcoal — whether pure shell or the hardwood-blended briquette with a tapioca binder — is wood charcoal, other, so it classifies under 4402.90 (the basis of US ruling N306942). A “4402.20 of shell or nut” line is sometimes cited but is not an operative WCO subheading for coconut charcoal, and using it can misclassify the entry. Confirm the exact 8–10-digit line for your destination at filing; declaring the wrong subheading is a common cause of customs delay.

Because classification can hinge on composition and a customs officer’s reading, we recommend requesting a binding tariff ruling in each destination before the first shipment. Some destinations are duty-free by trade agreement rather than by MFN rate — Australia, for example, is duty-free under IA-CEPA, detailed on the import charcoal into Australia — biosecurity & duty page.

Questions

4402.90.0000. US Customs ruling N306942 classifies coconut-shell charcoal here at a 0% MFN base; confirm any current US import surcharge (e.g. Section 122) with your broker before you quote a landed cost.

4402.90. WCO heading 4402 splits only into 4402.10 ("of bamboo") and 4402.90 ("other"); coconut-shell charcoal is wood charcoal, other, so it is 4402.90 (the basis of CBP ruling N306942). A "4402.20 of shell or nut" line is sometimes cited but is not an operative subheading for coconut charcoal — using it can misclassify the entry.

Yes — classification can hinge on composition and the customs officer’s reading, so a binding tariff ruling per destination removes that risk before the first shipment.

← Back to Import & De-risking

Last updated: