HS Code for Laptop 

In this digital era, a personal computer (PC) plays an indispensable role for people, especially for workers or students. The innovation of the computer evolved from huge and heavy models into light and highly portable ones, which are known as laptops. This allows us to work from anywhere without the need to work using a personal computer during working hours. Therefore, the international trade of laptops is increasing over time due to the demand for supporting productivity as well as entertainment purposes. One of the requirements to export or import a laptop is the Harmonized Standard (HS) code. In this article, we will discuss the structure of HS code for laptops, the major players in laptop international trade, and how to find the accurate HS code for laptops. 

What is the specific structure of the HS code for laptops? 

As we know, declaring the HS code for laptops is crucial for facilitating international trade. If the code developed by the World Customs Organization (WCO) is missing or inaccurate, it would be a problem for the international trade parties. The customs officer most likely will impose penalties on the exporters or importers due to the lack of clarity in the HS code declaration. This is because the HS code has a function as an identifier of traded products depending on their character, materials, and also where they come from. This code is the basic standard for imposing the regulations, such as tariff rates, import quotas, and other trade barriers, or minimizing the tariff based on the Free Trade Agreements (FTA). 

HS code for laptops is covered under Chapter 84, which is similar to other electronic products, nuclear reactors, machinery, and other similar products. This 2-digit chapter number is only the beginning; it is followed by the heading and subheading that consisting the HS code to 6-digit numbers. Meanwhile, the full sequence of the 6-digit HS code for laptops is 8471.30. Here is the detailed breakdown of the HS code for laptops from the WCO classification: 

• 84: Chapter for nuclear reactors, machinery, electronic products, mechanical appliances, and other similar products. 
• 71: Heading for automatic data processing machines, magnetic or optical readers, machines used for transcribing data, and other machines for processing data, including computers. 
• 30: Subheading for portable automatic data processing machines with a weight less than 10 kg, including a central processing unit, a keyboard, and a monitor. 

Other than the 6-digit code, there are additional subheading HS codes for laptops based on the local policy. The name of this code varies; for example, in the United States, this code is called the HTS (Harmonized Tariff Schedule) code, which consists of 10-digit code numbers for detailed identification or classification requirements. The HTS code for laptops consists of 10 digit code, 8471.30.01.00, and also 8471.41.01.10 or 50. HTS code can be called the national code, which is established and administered by the local customs agency to accommodate the classification of products into more detail. The international trade actors must have an understanding of the national code in the recipient country, instead of the HS code, because the HS code is only for the general code of products. 

The top 5 biggest laptop exporters and importers

Referring to the HS code for laptops, we might need to know who the major players are in laptops trade. This is important for research and identifying where most of the laptops in the world come from. If you are curious, who are the largest exporters of laptops in the world? You need to check the provided data about the biggest exporting countries of laptops from the UN Comtrade Database in 2024 below. 

Source: UN Comtrade Database, accessed December 30, 2025

Based on the data above, this figure indicates that China has become the largest exporter of laptops with a total export of more than 100 billion USD in 2024. The East Asian country is followed by the United States in the second position and Germany in the third position as the biggest exporters of laptops. The fourth and fifth places are occupied by the Czech Republic and Hong Kong. Interestingly, the total export of laptops from China is more than fifteen times that of the United States in the second position. 

After grasping the biggest exporters of laptops, we can move to the biggest importing countries. These countries are considered the largest consumers of laptops in the world to meet their domestic demands. Here is the list of the biggest importing countries of laptops in the world from the UN Comtrade Database in 2024. 

Source: UN Comtrade Database, accessed December 30, 2025

This data demonstrates that the United States is the largest importer of laptops with a valuation slightly less than 50 billion USD. The second and third places are occupied by Germany and Japan, which are known for their high-tech industry. Meanwhile, the fourth and fifth biggest importations of laptops are destined for the United Kingdom and Hong Kong. The largest importers of laptops are dominated by the developed countries, such as the United States, Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom. 

Finding the accurate HS Code for Laptops using the HS Code Match 

Before declaring the HS code, the exporters need to understand how to find and determine the HS code for laptops. This is crucial due to the status of the HS code as one of the requirements for cross-border trade. However, we know that finding the HS codes for laptops is indeed challenging, especially for beginners. Therefore, HS Code Match appears to ease your difficulty in finding the accurate HS code for laptops or other similar products. For those of you who perhaps wonder how to find the HS code for laptops using HS Code Match, you can watch the instructions below. 

• First step: In order to find the HS code for laptops easily, you can access an external application, such as HS Code Match, by tapping hscodematch.com on a browser. Then, set the product name and country of origin and destination. For this example, we can use trade lanes from two of the biggest laptop exporters and importers, such as the United States to Germany. 

• Second step: HS Code Match will show several HS codes that are most relevant to your search intention. It allows you to choose the most relevant HS code for your laptop products in Germany. For this example, the most relevant HS code for laptops is located in the first row, under the code 8471300000. 

• Third step: Click the most relevant HS code for your products, and you will be redirected to the HS Code Details. This page contains important information related to the exportation of laptops under HS code 8471300000 from the United States to Germany. From the HS Code Details page, you can see that the import duty rate for import laptop in Germany is 0%. 

• Fourth step: On the lower part of the HS Code Details, you can find the detailed information on tariff rates and regulations. If you find any confusion regarding the tariff and regulation, you can use the provided AI chatbot assistant. This advanced feature from HS Code Match allows you to ensure you stay informed, and you can ask anything related to the products under HS code 8471300000. 

These are examples of an AI chatbot answer for exporting a laptop under the HS code 8471300000 from the United States to Germany. 

Are there any additional tariffs for exporting a laptop under HS code 8471300000 from the United States to Germany?

There are no additional tariff rates for exporting a laptop under the HS code 8471300000 from the United States to Germany. This is because Germany, based on the European Union policy, does not apply any import duty or 0% on laptops from abroad. This policy is implemented for all of the laptop imports from abroad, not only from the United States, based on the Most Favoured Nations (MFN) or non-preferential regime. Here is the table summary of the tariff rates and other conditions for exporting laptops under HS code 8471300000 in Germany and the United States. 

Are there any restrictions or licenses required for exporting laptops from the U.S. to the EU?

There are no restrictions or specific licenses required for exporting laptops from the United States to Germany or other EU countries. This policy is mentioned in the EU trade regulation 910. Yet, please note that certain general export control migh be applied depending on the technical specifications of laptops, as well as their encryption capabilities, and the usage. There are some possibility that the laptops are included in the luxury goods or dual-use items that need to undergo some scrutiny or additional checking procedures. Here are the key considerations for exporting laptops from the United States to Germany or other EU countries. 

What documentations are needed for customs clearance of laptops in Germany?

The documentation needed for customs clearance for a laptop from the United States in Germany includes a commercial invoice, packing list, and proof of origin or rules of origin (ROO). If the laptops are equipped with the encryption technology, there migh be accompanied by export licenses or compliance from the Federal Office of Information Security (BSI). Not only exporters, but the importers also must ensure that the products comply with all of the latest EU restrictions policy. It must be noted that there are restrictions on laptops or other similar products that are destined or originating from the sanctioned countries. 

Conclusion

Finding the HS code for a laptop is quite challenging due to its specifications. This process obviously required meticulous research in order to avoid some penalties which will cause losses. The common HS code for laptops from WCO is 8471.30, but you need to find the national code for exporting laptops based on the destination country. In order to help you find and match the accurate HS code for laptops, you can use an external application called hscodematch.com. This application will also ease your difficulty in grasping the insights from the latest regulations imposed by the origin and destination countries.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the HS Code for Laptop 

What is the tariff rate for exporting the laptop from the United States to Germany? 

The tariff rate for exporting laptops from the United States to Germany is 0%. It means that Germany and other EU countries do not impose the tariff rate for laptops from the United States as well as other countries based onthe  MFN regime. 

What are the latest regulations for exporting laptops from the United States to Germany? 

The EU countries, including Germany, are imposing the prohibition of dual use good and luxury items from the sanctioned countries, such as Russia. This prohibition policy for sanctioned countries are also implemented by the United States and South Korea. 

What is the specific requirement for exporting a dual-use laptop from the United States to Germany? 

There is a specific requirement for exporting a dual-use laptop from the United States because it can be used for purposes other than its common usage. This kind of laptop must be reviewed and analyzed from the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) before entering its territory to ensure the safety standard. 

What are the penalties for non-compliance with customs documentation for imported laptops in Germany? 

There are some penalties depending on the jurisdiction and specific regulations in Germany. The range of penalties varies from the administrative fines for only non-compliant documents to the strict compliance requirement from the German agency. 

Is there any quick and easy way to find the accurate HS code for laptops? 

Yes, you can use the third-party application, called HS Code Match, to find and match with the relevant HS code. Not only can this application find the HS code, tbut his application can also be used to find the latest regulations for exporting products to all countries in the world. 

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