About PoliteDraft

What PoliteDraft Is

PoliteDraft is an independent US HTS tariff code database and import duty reference built by a team of trade compliance specialists and licensed customs brokers. We aggregate, structure, and publish Harmonized Tariff Schedule data from official US government sources to help importers, supply chain managers, and trade compliance professionals navigate the complexities of US tariff classification.

Our Mission

Our mission is to make HTS classification data accessible, accurate, and actionable. The US Harmonized Tariff Schedule contains over 35,000 individual tariff lines across 5,754 six-digit subheadings — a volume of data that is difficult for even experienced importers to navigate efficiently. PoliteDraft collapses this complexity into searchable, well-organized reference pages that display every subclassification under a single heading with sortable tables, duty estimation tools, and trade compliance notes.

Where Our Data Comes From

Every HTS code and duty rate on PoliteDraft is sourced from:

• USITC Harmonized Tariff Schedule (2026 Revision 9) — the official source for US import tariff data, containing 35,536 rows of 8/10-digit HTS codes
• CBP binding rulings — published Customs and Border Protection classification decisions
• Federal Register — Section 301 tariff actions and USTR exclusion notices
• USMCA and FTA rules of origin — official trade agreement texts

Our aggregation engine collapses the 35,536-row USITC database into 5,754 rich 6-digit subheading pages. Each page displays all 8/10-digit subclassifications with General, Special (FTA), and Column 2 duty rates. Data is attributed to USITC with processing dates on every page.

Our Editorial Process

Every page on PoliteDraft goes through a multi-step editorial review process:

1. Data parsing and aggregation — Our data engine parses the official USITC HTS CSV, cleans the data, and aggregates 8/10-digit codes to their 6-digit parent subheadings
2. Accuracy verification — Our trade compliance team cross-references parsed data against the official USITC source files and CBP ruling databases
3. Trade compliance review — Licensed customs brokers review chapter-specific trade notes, Section 301 applicability, and FTA eligibility guidance for accuracy
4. Continuous updates — We monitor Federal Register tariff actions, USTR exclusion notices, and CBP ruling updates to ensure our data reflects the current regulatory landscape

Our Team

PoliteDraft is built and maintained by a team of licensed customs brokers, international trade compliance specialists, and trade data analysts. Our team brings over 30 years of combined experience in HTS classification, tariff analysis, supply chain compliance, and import operations. We are not a customs brokerage firm — we are trade data specialists who make tariff information accessible and actionable.

Disclaimer

This is not customs or legal advice. HTS classifications must be verified against the current Harmonized Tariff Schedule and the specific characteristics of your product. Always consult a licensed customs broker or trade attorney for classification decisions affecting your imports. CBP binding ruling requests can be filed electronically via the CBP eRulings system.