CHAPTER 38 · LEGAL NOTES
Chapter 38
The 197 legal notes below govern classification under Chapter 38. 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: (a) Separate chemically defined elements or compounds with the exception of the following: (1) Artificial graphite (heading 3801); (2) Insecticides, rodenticides, fungicides, herbicides, antisprouting products and plant-growth regulators, disinfectants and similar products put up as described in heading 3808; (3) Products put up as charges for fire-extinguishers or put up in fire-extinguishing grenades (heading 3813); (4) Certified reference materials specified in note 2 below; (5) Products specified in note 3(a) or 3(c) below.
Note 2
Chapter Note 2: (a) For the purposes of heading 3822, the expression "certified reference materials" means reference materials which are accompanied by a certificate which indicates the values of the certified properties, the methods used to determine these values and the degree of certainty associated with each value and which are suitable for analytical, calibrating or referencing purposes. (b) With the exception of the products of chapter 28 or 29, for the classification of certified reference materials, heading 3822 shall take precedence over any other heading in the tariff schedule.
Note 3
Chapter Note 3: Heading 3824 includes the following goods which are not to be classified in any other heading of the tariff schedule: (a) Cultured crystals (other than optical elements) weighing not less than 2.5 g each, of magnesium oxide or of the halides of the alkali or alkaline-earth metals; (b) Fusel oil; Dippel's oil; (c) Ink removers put up in packings for retail sale; (d) Stencil correctors, other correcting fluids and correction tapes (other than those of heading 9612), put up inpackings for retail sale; and (e) Ceramic firing testers, fusible (for example, Seger cones).
Note 4
Chapter Note 4: Throughout the tariff schedule, "municipal waste" means waste of a kind collected from households, hotels, restaurants, hospitals, shops, offices, etc., road and pavement sweepings, as well as construction and demolition waste. Municipal waste generally contains a large variety of materials such as plastics, rubber, wood, paper, textiles, glass, metals, food materials, broken furniture and other damaged or discarded articles. The term "municipal waste," does not cover:
Note 5
Chapter Note 5: For the purposes of heading 3825, "sewage sludge" means sludge arising from urban effluent treatment plants and includes pre-treatment waste, scourings and unstabilized sludge. Stabilized sludge, when suitable for use as fertilizer, is excluded (chapter 31).
Note 6
Chapter Note 6: For the purposes of heading 3825, the expression "other wastes" applies to: (a) Clinical waste, that is, contaminated waste arising from medical research, diagnosis, treatment or other medical, surgical, dental or veterinary procedures, which often contain pathogens and pharmaceutical substances and require special disposal procedures (for example, soiled dressings, used gloves and used syringes); (b) Waste organic solvents; (c) Wastes of metal pickling liquors, hydraulic fluids, brake fluids and anti-freezing fluids; and (d) Other wastes from chemical or allied industries. The expression "other wastes" does not, however, cover wastes which contain mainly petroleum oils or oils obtained from bituminous materials (heading 2710).
Note 7
Chapter Note 7: For the purposes of heading 3826, the term “biodiesel” means mono-alkyl esters of fatty acids of a kind used as a fuel, derived from animal, vegetable or microbial fats and oils, whether or not used.
Statistical notes
Note 1
Statistical Note 1: For the purposes of statistical reporting number 3808.94.5080, hand sanitizer must meet the requirements of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the preparation of the disinfecting hand sanitizers.
Note 2
Statistical Note 2: For the purposes of heading 3824, the term "biodiesel" means fatty acid esters of a kind used as fuel, derived from animal or vegetable fats and oils, whether or not used. Unit Rates of Duty of Quantity Article Description Stat. Suffix Heading/ Subheading 1 2 General Special Artificial graphite; colloidal or semi-colloidal graphite; preparations based on graphite or other carbon in the form of pastes, blocks, plates or other semimanufactures: 3801
Subheading notes
Note 1
Subheading Note 1: Subheadings 3808.52 and 3808.59 cover only goods of heading 3808, containing one or more of the following substances: alachlor (ISO); aldicarb (ISO); aldrin (ISO); azinphos-methyl (ISO); binapacryl (ISO); camphechlor (ISO) (toxaphene); captafol (ISO); carbofuran (ISO); chlordane (ISO); chlordimeform (ISO); chlorobenzilate (ISO); DDT (ISO) (clofenotane (INN), 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane); dieldrin (ISO, INN); 4,6-dinitro-o-cresol (DNOC (ISO)) or its salts; dinoseb (ISO), its salts or its esters; endosulfan (ISO); ethylene dibromide (ISO) (1,2- dibromoethane; ethylene dichloride (ISO) (1,2-dichloroethane); fluoroacetamide (ISO); heptachlor (ISO); hexachlorobenzene (ISO); 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH (ISO)), including lindane (ISO, INN); mercury compounds; methamidophos (ISO); monocrotophos (ISO); oxirane (ethylene oxide); parathion (ISO); parathion-methyl (ISO) (methylparathion); pentachlorophenol (ISO), its salts or its esters;
Note 2
Subheading Note 2: Subheadings 3808.61 to 3808.69 cover only goods of heading 3808, containing alpha-cypermethrin (ISO), bendiocarb (ISO), bifenthrin (ISO), chlorfenapyr (ISO), cyfluthrin (ISO), deltamethrin (INN, ISO), etofenprox (INN), fenitrothion (ISO), lambda-cyhalothrin (ISO), malathion (ISO), pirimiphos-methyl (ISO) or propoxur (ISO).
Note 3
Subheading Note 3: Subheadings 3824.81 to 3824.89 cover only mixtures and preparations containing one or more of the following substances: oxirane (ethylene oxide); polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs); polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); polychlorinated terphenyls (PCTs); tris(2,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate; aldrin (ISO); camphechlor (ISO) (toxaphene); chlordane (ISO); chlordecone (ISO); DDT (ISO) (clofenotane (INN); 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane); dieldrin (ISO, INN); endosulfan (ISO); endrin (ISO); heptachlor (ISO); mirex (ISO); 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH (ISO)), including lindane (ISO, INN); pentachlorobenzene (ISO); hexachlorobenzene (ISO); perfluorooctane sulphonic acid, its salts; perfluorooctane sulphonamides; perfluorooctane sulphonyl fluoride; tetra-, penta-, hexa-, hepta- or octabromodiphenyl ethers; short-chain chlorinated paraffins.
Note 4
Subheading Note 4: For the purposes of subheadings 3825.41 and 3825.49, "waste organic solvents" are wastes containing mainly organic solvents, not fit for further use as presented as primary products, whether or not intended for recovery of the solvents.
footnote
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.90.08.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.90.08.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.69.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.02.
Applies to
See 9903.88.02.
Applies to
See 9903.90.08.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.69.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.69.
Applies to
See 9903.90.08.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.91.05.
Applies to
See 9903.90.08.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.90.08.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.90.08.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.88.15.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
See 9903.88.03.
Applies to
Classify under Chapter 38 with confidence
TariffLens applies the legal notes above automatically when classifying — citing the relevant note in every GRI reasoning chain.