Nonferrous Metal HS Codes
103 international subheadings across eleven metals, each with its WCO description, how China splits it in the national tariff, and — unlike other code lookups — the actual tonnage that moved under that code.
Trade volumes: Jul 2025 – Jun 2026, China customs official statistics.
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Scrap metal HS codes and China’s import ban
This is the single most misunderstood corner of nonferrous classification. Since 2021 China treats most metal scrap as solid waste and bans it outright; copper and aluminium are the two exceptions, and only when the material meets a national recycled-material standard.
| HS code | Material | Import into China |
|---|---|---|
| 7404.00 | Copper waste and scrap | Allowed if it meets the national standard |
| 7602.00 | Aluminium waste and scrap | Allowed if it meets the national standard |
| 7902.00 | Zinc waste and scrap | Prohibited since 2021 |
| 7802.00 | Lead waste and scrap | Prohibited since 2021 |
| 7503.00 | Nickel waste and scrap | Prohibited since 2021 |
| 8002.00 | Tin waste and scrap | Prohibited since 2021 |
| 8101.97 | Tungsten waste and scrap | Not verified |
| 8102.97 | Molybdenum waste and scrap | Not verified |
| 8105.30 | Cobalt waste and scrap | Not verified |
| 8104.20 | Magnesium waste and scrap | Not verified |
“Not verified” means exactly that — we have confirmed the status for the base metals and have not researched the rest, so we do not state one. Export out of China is a separate question and is generally unrestricted for these materials.
How the digits work
Six digits — the WCO Harmonized System, identical in every member country. Quote these to an overseas counterparty. Everything listed on these pages is at this level.
Eight digits — China’s national tariff schedule. Duty rates attach here, and one HS6 can split into several eight-digit codes with different rates.
Ten digits — the statistical code actually entered on a Chinese customs declaration.
Do not derive a Chinese code by appending zeros to an HS6. Refined copper cathode is 7403.11 internationally, but 7403.11.00 does not exist in China’s schedule — the real codes are 7403.11.11, 7403.11.19 and 7403.11.90, and querying the non-existent one returns an empty result with no error.
Related
Informational only. Binding classification is the declarant’s responsibility — consult a licensed customs broker before you declare.