HTS code for used clothing (2026)
Used clothing that shows signs of appreciable wear and is entered in bulk or in bales, sacks or similar packings falls under 6309.00.00, Worn clothing and other worn articles. Reporting is at the statistical line 6309.00.00.10 (Worn clothing). The general (column 1) rate is Free, there is no special rate text, and column 2 is 93%.
The attribute that most often moves the goods to another line is whether they are still worn clothing or worn articles, or are instead used rags and worn out textile articles, which belong to the 6310 lines. Chapter 99 provision 9903.88.15 (Section 301 China) adds +7.5% on both groups of lines.
Candidate HTS lines for used clothing
| Code | Line | General rate | Special rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6309.00.00.10 | Worn clothing (kg) Worn clothing and other worn articles Use when: Use for worn clothing, the statistical line under Worn clothing and other worn articles. | Free | |
| 6309.00.00.20 | Other (kg) Worn clothing and other worn articles Use when: Use for other worn articles that are not worn clothing, the Other line under Worn clothing and other worn articles. | Free | |
| 6310.10.20.10 | Of cotton (kg) Sorted: › Other Use when: Use for sorted used or new rags and worn out textile articles of cotton that fall in the Other group under Sorted. | Free | |
| 6310.10.20.20 | Of man-made fibers (kg) Sorted: › Other Use when: Use for sorted used or new rags and worn out textile articles of man-made fibers that fall in the Other group under Sorted. | Free | |
| 6310.10.20.30 | Other (kg) Sorted: › Other Use when: Use for sorted used or new rags and worn out textile articles of other materials in the Other group under Sorted. | Free | |
| 6310.10.10.00 | Of wool or fine animal hair (kg) Sorted: Use when: Use for sorted used or new rags and worn out textile articles of wool or fine animal hair. | Free | |
| 6310.90.20.00 | Other (kg) Other: Use when: Use for used or new rags and worn out textile articles that are not sorted and are not of wool or fine animal hair. | Free | |
| 6310.90.10.00 | Of wool or fine animal hair (kg) Other: Use when: Use for used or new rags and worn out textile articles of wool or fine animal hair in the Other group, outside Sorted. | 5.5¢/kg | Free (AU,BH, CL,CO,IL,JO,KR, MA,OM, P,PA,PE,S,SG) |
Chapter 99 duties and claims that attach to these lines today
Section 301 China
- 9903.88.15 Section 301 China, +7.5%, applies to 6309.00.00.10, 6309.00.00.20, 6310.10.20.10, 6310.10.20.20, 6310.10.20.30, 6310.10.10.00, 6310.90.20.00, 6310.90.10.00 9903.88.15 Explained: Section 301 China List 4, 7.5% Duty Rate
Section 301 Brazil
- 9903.05.03 Section 301 Brazil Exemptions, claim or exemption heading, no additional duty, applies to 6309.00.00.10, 6309.00.00.20
Other Chapter 99 provisions
- 9903.05.86 Section 301 Forced Labor, claim or exemption heading, no additional duty, applies to 6309.00.00.10, 6309.00.00.20 9903.05.86 Section 301 Forced Labor Exemption Explained
Each applicable Chapter 99 heading is reported as its own line beside the classification. Its duty is separate from the general rate above; most programs charge it on top, and a heading's own text says how it is assessed.
What decides the line
A classifier first decides whether the goods are worn clothing and other worn articles, or used rags and worn out textile articles. Worn clothing and other worn articles go to 6309.00.00. Used or new rags, scrap twine, cordage, rope and cables, and worn out articles of those materials go to 6310. The notes to Chapter 63 set two conditions for 6309.00.00: the articles must show signs of appreciable wear, and they must be entered in bulk or in bales, sacks or similar packings. A used garment that fails either condition is classified as the garment it is, on that garment's own line. Confirm the heading terms and notes for a given shipment in the current HTSUS or with a licensed broker.
Inside 6309.00.00 the split is short: 6309.00.00.10 is worn clothing, and 6309.00.00.20 is other worn articles. Both carry a general rate of Free and report in kg.
Inside 6310, check next whether the goods are sorted. Sorted goods fall under 6310.10, and the rest under 6310.90. Then check fiber. Sorted goods of wool or fine animal hair take 6310.10.10.00. Other sorted goods take 6310.10.20, split into 6310.10.20.10 of cotton, 6310.10.20.20 of man-made fibers, and 6310.10.20.30 other. Goods of wool or fine animal hair outside Sorted take 6310.90.10.00, and all other goods outside Sorted take 6310.90.20.00.
Last, read the Chapter 99 provisions listed for the line you chose. Under 6309.00.00 the schedule lists 9903.05.03, 9903.05.86 and 9903.88.15. Under the 6310 lines it lists 9903.88.15.
Common mistakes
- Entering a bale of used clothing under a new garment line such as the men's suit lines in 6203 because the items look like suits; worn clothing that shows appreciable wear and is entered in bulk or in bales, sacks or similar packings is described by 6309.00.00. The reverse is also a mistake: a used garment shipped singly in retail packing does not meet those conditions and takes the garment's own line.
- Stopping at 6309.00.00 and leaving off the statistical digits; report 6309.00.00.10 for worn clothing or 6309.00.00.20 for other worn articles, with the weight in kg.
- Using a 6310 line for goods that are still worn clothing; 6310 covers used or new rags and worn out textile articles, not worn clothing.
- Leaving out the Chapter 99 line; 9903.88.15 (Section 301 China) is reported as its own line beside the classification and its +7.5% is separate from the general rate.
- Treating every 6310 line as Free; 6310.90.10.00 has a general rate of 5.5¢/kg, so check the line and rate before declaring.
Frequently asked questions
What is the HTS code for used clothing?
The usual line is 6309.00.00, Worn clothing and other worn articles. For worn clothing the statistical line is 6309.00.00.10, and for other worn articles it is 6309.00.00.20. Both report in kg.
What is the general duty rate for used clothing?
The general (column 1) rate for 6309.00.00 and both of its statistical lines is Free. The special rate text is none, and the column 2 rate is 93%. Column 2 applies only to countries the schedule names for it, so confirm in the current HTSUS or with a licensed broker.
When do used rags or worn out textile goods use a 6310 line instead?
6310 covers used or new rags, scrap twine, cordage, rope and cables, and worn out articles of twine, cordage, rope or cables, of textile materials. Within it, sorted goods fall under 6310.10 and the rest under 6310.90, then the fiber decides: wool or fine animal hair, cotton, man-made fibers or other. Confirm which heading fits your goods in the current HTSUS or with a licensed broker.
What do the Chapter 99 provisions on 6309.00.00 mean?
Three are listed. 9903.05.03 (Section 301 Brazil Exemptions) and 9903.05.86 (Section 301 Forced Labor) are claim or exemption headings with no additional duty. 9903.88.15 (Section 301 China) adds +7.5%. Each applicable heading is reported as its own line beside the classification, and its duty is separate from the general rate.
Does the special rate column matter for used clothing?
Not for 6309.00.00, where the special rate text is none. On the 6310 lines, 6310.90.10.00 lists a general rate of 5.5¢/kg and a special rate of Free for (AU,BH, CL,CO,IL,JO,KR, MA,OM, P,PA,PE,S,SG). The other 6310 lines listed here are Free at the general rate with no special rate text. Whether a program applies depends on the origin of the goods, so confirm with a licensed broker.
Is the code the same for every kind of used clothing?
For goods that meet the heading's conditions (appreciable wear, and entry in bulk or in bales, sacks or similar packings), yes: worn clothing uses 6309.00.00.10 whatever the garment, and other worn articles use 6309.00.00.20. If the goods are rags or worn out textile articles instead, the 6310 lines apply and the fiber and sorting decide the line.