CHAPTER 16 · LEGAL NOTES
Chapter 16
The 129 legal notes below govern classification under Chapter 16. They are part of the official Harmonized Tariff Schedule and are cited verbatim in CBP rulings.
As of June 9, 2026
Chapter notes
Note 1
Chapter Note 1: This chapter does not cover meat, meal offal, fish, crustaceans, molluscs or other aquatic invertebrates, as well as insects, prepared or preserved by the processes specified in chapter 2 or 3, note 6 to chapter 4 or in heading 0504.
Note 2
Chapter Note 2: Food preparations fall in this chapter provided that they contain more than 20 percent by weight of sausage, meat, meat offal, blood, insects, fish or crustaceans, molluscs or other aquatic invertebrates, or any combination thereof. In cases where the preparation contains two or more of the products mentioned above, it is classified in the heading of chapter 16 corresponding to the component or components which predominate by weight.These provisions do not apply to the stuffed products of heading 1902 or the preparations of heading 2103 or 2104.
Additional U.S. notes
Note 1
Additional U.S. Note 1: For the purposes of this chapter, the term "in oil" means packed in oil or fat, or in added oil or fat and other substances, whether such oil or fat was introduced at the time of packing or prior thereto.
Note 2
Additional U.S. Note 2: In assessing the duty on meats, no allowance shall be made for normal components thereof such as bones, fat, and hide or skin. The dutiable weight of meats in airtight containers subject to specific rates includes the entire contents of the containers.
Note 3
Additional U.S. Note 3: For purposes of subheadings 1604.14.22 and 1604.14.30, tunas and skipjack from the freely associated states may be entered free of duty under the appropriate subheading in an aggregate quantity provided by, and under the terms set forth in, general note 10(c) to the tariff schedule. Goods from the freely associated states entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, in excess of such specified aggregate quantity shall be dutied under the appropriate subheading at the rate set forth in the "General" subcolumn of column 1.
Statistical notes
Note 1
Statistical Note 1: Imports of shrimp or products of shrimp are subject to the provisions of section 609 of Public Law 101-162 of November 21, 1989 (16 U.S.C. 1537 note). Unit Rates of Duty of Quantity Article Description Stat. Suffix Heading/ Subheading 1 2 General Special Sausages and similar products, of meat, meat offal, blood or insects; food preparations based on these products:
Note 6
Statistical Note 6: 4%1/ 1 Unit Rates of Duty of Quantity Article Description Stat. Suffix Heading/ Subheading 1 2 General Special Extracts and juices of meat, fish or crustaceans, molluscs or other aquatic invertebrates:
Subheading notes
Note 1
Subheading Note 1: For the purposes of subheading 1602.10, the expression “homogenized preparations” means preparations of meat, meat offal, blood or insects, finely homogenized, put up for retail sale as food suitable for infants or young children or for dietetic purposes, in containers of a net weight content not exceeding 250 g. For the application of this definition, no account is to be taken of small quantities of any ingredients which may have been added to the preparation for seasoning, preservation or other purposes. These preparations may contain a small quantity of visible pieces of meat, meat offal or insects.This subheading takes precedence over all other subheadings of heading 1602.
Note 2
Subheading Note 2: The fish, crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates specified in the subheadings of heading 1604 or 1605 under their common names only, are of the same species as those mentioned in chapter 3 under the same name.
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Classify under Chapter 16 with confidence
TariffLens applies the legal notes above automatically when classifying — citing the relevant note in every GRI reasoning chain.