PlainTariff

Our Methodology

Download the HTS chapter statistics (CSV) , open extract wired into this page's Dataset JSON-LD.

Jump to: Corpus placement · Revenue readiness

Data Source

All tariff data comes from the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) Harmonized Tariff Schedule, the official tariff schedule governing all imports into the United States. The HTS is published and maintained by the USITC under authority delegated from the International Trade Commission Act. We use the HTS 2026 Basic Edition, which classifies every imported product into approximately 13,000 or more individual tariff lines organized into 22 sections and 96 chapters following the international Harmonized System nomenclature.

Our country and commodity trade-flow pages (import/export volumes and values by country and agricultural commodity) draw on a second, separate source: the FAO FAOSTAT Trade: Crops and Livestock (TCL) dataset published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. This dataset covers agricultural commodity trade only, it does not extend to the full HTS product universe, and is used solely to power the trade-flow pages, never to compute the tariff rates themselves.

Data Processing

We parse the USITC HTS dataset, which is distributed as a structured dataset containing every tariff line classified under the international Harmonized System. For each entry, we preserve:

  • HTS code: The 8-10 digit classification code.
  • Product description: The official USITC description of covered goods.
  • General (MFN) rate: The standard tariff for imports from most countries (Column 1 General).
  • Special rates: Preferential rates under free trade agreements (USMCA, GSP, etc.).
  • Column 2 rate: Higher rates for non-market economy countries not granted Normal Trade Relations.
  • Unit of quantity: How items are measured for customs purposes.

Our search index covers tariff descriptions, HS codes, and product keywords so importers can quickly locate the applicable duty rate without navigating the full regulatory document.

Tariff Rate Types

Duty rates can be expressed in several forms:

  • Ad valorem: Percentage of customs value (e.g., "5%").
  • Specific: Dollar amount per unit (e.g., "$1.50/kg").
  • Compound: Combination of ad valorem and specific (e.g., "5% + $0.50/kg").
  • Free: No duty applies.

Special program codes in parentheses (e.g., "Free (A, AU, BH, CL...)") indicate the free trade agreement or preference program under which the preferential rate applies.

Data Vintage

PlainTariff uses the HTS 2026 Basic Edition. The HTS is revised annually by the USITC, and additional modifications may occur throughout the year via presidential proclamations or Congressional action. Always verify current rates at hts.usitc.gov before making import decisions.

How We Process The Data

We download the USITC HTS structured dataset and process it to build a searchable database:

  • Parse the HTS hierarchy from section level (22 sections) through chapter level (96 chapters) down to individual 8-10 digit tariff lines
  • Extract general (MFN) duty rates, special preferential rates, and Column 2 rates for each tariff line
  • Parse rate expressions into their components (ad valorem percentage, specific dollar amounts, compound rates) for structured display
  • Build a full-text search index over product descriptions, HTS codes, and common product keywords to enable fast lookup
  • Organize tariff lines into browsable section and chapter hierarchies matching the official HTS structure

No tariff data is modified or editorially interpreted. Rate expressions, product descriptions, and HTS codes are presented exactly as published by the USITC.

Limitations

  • Tariff rates can change frequently due to trade policy actions, Section 232 and 301 tariffs, and executive orders. Our database may not reflect the most recent changes.
  • Special tariff-rate quotas, anti-dumping duties, and countervailing duties are not shown.
  • Classification of specific products requires customs expertise, this site provides a search tool, not a binding tariff ruling.
  • Section 301 tariffs (on specific Chinese goods) and Section 232 tariffs (on steel and aluminum) are imposed in addition to the general HTS rates and are not reflected in the base rates shown.
  • For definitive tariff classification, importers should consult U.S. Customs and Border Protection or request a binding ruling.

Corrections policy

PlainTariff publishes federal tariff data without editorial modification of rates or HTS codes. When a reader reports a mismatch against the USITC source, we verify against the current USITC extract, fix the ETL or display layer if our mirror is wrong, and note the correction on our public changelog.

  • How to report: use report a data issue with the page URL and the figure you believe is wrong.
  • Turnaround: we acknowledge within 72 hours and publish verified fixes on the next deploy.
  • What we log: data vintage refreshes, methodology changes, and substantive corrections, never backfilled fiction.

Full editorial standards and the corrections workflow for prose pages live on our editorial & corrections policy.

Corpus placement

Entity pages state where a tariff line, chapter, or section sits in PlainTariff's published corpus using listing-matched ordinals (the same ORDER BY as the matching ranking or research page), not a restyled restatement of the source record alone.

  • Dutiable tariff lines: rank among lines with general_rate_pct > 0, excluding terminated 9903 provisions, ordered by general rate descending (ties on slug). Matches /rankings/highest-tariffs (#1 = steepest duty).
  • Duty-free tariff lines: rank among Free general-rate lines ordered by chapter then slug, matching the free-trade browse cohort.
  • Chapters: rank by dutiable-only average MFN percentage (free lines excluded from the average), matching /research/highest-mfn-rate-chapters.
  • Sections: rank by the same dutiable-only average MFN percentage across the section's tariff lines.
  • Agricultural commodities: rank by cumulative 2018-latest global trade value (FAO FAOSTAT), matching the commodity browse order (highest total trade value = #1).
  • Trading-partner countries: rank by cumulative agricultural imports plus exports (FAO FAOSTAT), matching the country browse order.

Placement text uses the ETS according-to pattern ("According to [source], [entity] ranks #N of M"). Ties break on slug so two equal values never share a rank. Ranks are catalog-relative discovery aids for importers comparing schedule position, not customs rulings or sourcing recommendations.

Not Affiliated

PlainTariff is not affiliated with the USITC, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, or the U.S. government. This site is provided for informational purposes only.

Revenue diversification readiness

This section documents what is productized today for reuse or licensing, how affiliates may appear if activated, and which alternative monetization paths are paperwork-ready. It is a readiness assessment only; nothing here activates new revenue without operator sign-off.

Downloadable and citable assets today

  • HTS chapter statistics CSV at /data/hts-chapter-statistics.csv - one row per HTS chapter with published-rate line counts, duty-free share, live dutiable counts, and mean MFN percent. License: CC BY 4.0 for this derived file; cite PlainTariff and USITC HTS 2026.
  • Dataset JSON-LD on the homepage, /statistics, methodology, and selected research pages declares the same extract with isBasedOn pointing to USITC HTS.
  • CiteThis + ShareBar on heading, chapter, section, trade-country, rankings, guides, tools, and research pages for one-click attribution of specific tables and duty rates.
  • Per-entity OG cards at /og/heading|chapter|section/[slug].png with Download links on ShareBar (noslash URLs).
  • Atom feeds at /feed/changes.xml (portal vintage events) and /feed/heading/[slug].xml (per HTS line) for source-dated update notifications, not trade-policy alerts.
  • Markdown alternates on heading, chapter, and section detail routes (.md suffix) for GEO-agent discovery.
  • Not yet productized: no bulk HTS API endpoint, no embeddable chart iframe product, no paid data-licensing terms page. [operator] must approve pricing, API keys, and partnership terms before any launch.

Attribution ask: when reusing the CSV or citing a table, name PlainTariff as the compiler and link to the source page or this methodology. Honest attribution supports reuse without implying USITC endorsement.

YMYL-safe affiliate placement rules (if activated)

PlainTariff is a trade-data registry portal (POSTURE-A). If the operator ever enables affiliate units beyond existing disclosure prose:

  • Allowed page types: general customs-broker or trade-compliance tool comparisons on guides where the user is already evaluating a purchase, never adjacent to entity duty-rate tables or calculator results that could be read as import advice.
  • Forbidden: brokerage recommendations tied to a specific HTS line's rate, affiliate links on heading/chapter/section entity pages, or any link that implies PlainTariff endorses a customs filing strategy.
  • Labeling: every paid link carries a visible affiliate disclosure; no disguised buttons inside data tables.
  • Density: same Module 36 ceilings as display ads; no affiliate block above the first USITC source-attribution line on registry pages.

Alternative ad-network eligibility (paperwork only)

  • Google AdSense: portal is in GETTING_READY review queue; speculation-rules prefetch is gated off pre-approval. Do not resubmit while /section/* rendered-similarity stays in the REJECT-RISK band (fenced structural work deferred to 2026-09-12).
  • Mediavine Journey: requires ~1,000 real sessions per 28-day window. PlainTariff measured ~132 GA4 sessions in the latest 28-day window (2026-08-31), so it is not eligible today. Bing records 60 clicks/28d — re-check when real sessions cross the threshold. [operator] applies to network enrollment.
  • Data licensing / API: CSV + Dataset schema are the passive product surface; any commercial API or white-label embed requires [operator] pricing, terms of use, and legal review before publication.

Related Federal Resources

Beyond the USITC Harmonized Tariff Schedule, these federal government resources cover the additional tariff programs named in our Limitations above: