Subheading · Chapter 03 · Heading 0306

0306.32

0306.32: Live, fresh or chilled: lobsters (Homarus spp.)

Live or fresh lobsters (Homarus)

Official description Lobsters (Homarus spp.)

0306.32 is the HS subheading for live or fresh lobsters (Homarus), under heading 0306 in chapter 03.

What you pay

Importing into UK

Customs duty 8% – 10% standard rate · across 3 national lines depends on the country of origin
Additional duties and charges 1 additional measure Import requirements: 5
VAT 0.00 % import VAT
Duty calculatorCalculate duty and taxes →

Rates by national line · UK Global Tariff

UK lines →
  1. 0306 32 00 00 Lobsters (homarus spp.)
  2. 0306 32 10 00 Live 8%
  3. Other
  4. 0306 32 91 00 Whole 8%
  5. 0306 32 99 00 Other 10%

Additional duties and import rules

Charges on top of the customs duty, and rules the goods must meet at the border.

Additional duties and charges 1

  • Additional dutyAdditional duties 35%
    Applies to goods from
    Belarus, Russia
    Legal act
    2022 No. 833
    Documents
    • 9018

Import requirements 5

  • Prohibition or restrictionImport prohibition
    Applies to goods from
    Cambodia, Comoros, North Korea, St Vincent & the Grenadines
    Legal act
    2014 No. 170, S.I. 2019/411
  • Import controlVeterinary control
    Applies to goods from
    Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antarctica and 232 more
    Legal act
    2017/625
    Documents
    • C640 Common Health Entry Document for Animals (CHED-A) (as set out in Part 2, Section A of Annex II to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1715 (OJ L 261))
    • N853 Common Health Entry Document for Products (CHED-P) (as set out in Part 2, Section B of Annex II to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1715 (OJ L 261))
    • C084 Exemption by virtue of Articles 3 and 4 of regulation 2019/2122 (animals intended for scientific purposes, research and diagnostic samples, and samples for product analysis and quality testing).
    • Y930 The declared goods are not concerned by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/632
    • Y058 Exemption by virtue of Article 7 of Commission Delegated Regulation 2019/2122 (Goods which form part of passengers' personal luggage and are intended for personal consumption or use) or Article 10 (small consignments of goods sent to natural persons which are not intended to be placed on the market) of Commission Delegated Regulation 2019/2122
  • Import controlRestriction on entry into free circulation
    Applies to goods from
    Russia, Ukraine
    Legal act
    2022 No.998, S.I. 2022/395
    Documents
    • 9015
    • 9016
    • 9009
    • 9010
    • 9017
  • Import controlControl on illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing
    Applies to goods from
    all countries except Cambodia, Comoros, St Vincent & the Grenadines
    Documents
    • C673 Importer Declaration or Re-export Certificate, as foreseen in Annex II of Regulation (EC) 1005/2008 or Annex IV of Regulation (EC) 1010/2009
    • Y927 The declared goods are not concerned by Council Regulation (EC) No. 1005/2008
  • Import controlImport control of organic products
    Applies to goods from
    all countries except Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, United Kingdom, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia
    Legal act
    S.I. 2019/693
    Documents
    • C644 Certificate of inspection for organic products
    • Y929 Goods not concerned by Regulation (EU) 2018/848 (organic products)

Preferential rates by country

Agreement or schemeCountriesRate
standard rate (no agreement)—8% – 10%
DCTS Comprehensive
Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin and 38 more

Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo - Kinshasa, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Laos, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, São Tomé & Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia

Free
European Union (including code "EU")
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia and 23 more

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden

Free
DCTS Enhanced
Algeria, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Congo - Brazzaville and 13 more

Algeria, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Congo - Brazzaville, Cook Islands, Kyrgyzstan, Micronesia, Mongolia, Nigeria, Niue, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu

Free
CARIFORUM
Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize and 10 more

Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago

Free
OCTs (Overseas Countries and Territories)
Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands and 7 more

Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands, St Helena, Turks & Caicos Islands

Free
Central America Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama Free
SADC EPA Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia Free
Eastern and Southern Africa States Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Zimbabwe Free
CPTPP Brunei, Malaysia Free – 1.6%
UK–Albania agreement Albania Free
UK–Australia agreement Australia Free
UK–Canada agreement Canada Free
UK–Côte d’Ivoire agreement Côte d’Ivoire Free
UK–Chile agreement Chile Free
UK–Cameroon agreement Cameroon Free
UK–Colombia agreement Colombia Free
UK–Ceuta & Melilla agreement Ceuta & Melilla Free
UK–Ecuador agreement Ecuador Free
UK–Egypt agreement Egypt Free
UK–Fiji agreement Fiji Free
UK–Georgia agreement Georgia Free
UK–Ghana agreement Ghana Free
UK–Israel agreement Israel Free
UK–India agreement India Free
UK–Japan agreement Japan Free
UK–Kenya agreement Kenya Free
UK–South Korea agreement South Korea Free
UK–Lebanon agreement Lebanon Free
UK–Morocco agreement Morocco Free
UK–Moldova agreement Moldova Free
UK–North Macedonia agreement North Macedonia Free
UK–Mexico agreement Mexico Free
UK–New Zealand agreement New Zealand Free
UK–Peru agreement Peru Free
UK–Papua New Guinea agreement Papua New Guinea Free
UK–Palestinian Territories agreement Palestinian Territories Free
UK–Serbia agreement Serbia Free
UK–Solomon Islands agreement Solomon Islands Free
UK–Singapore agreement Singapore Free
UK–San Marino agreement San Marino Free
UK–Tunisia agreement Tunisia Free
UK–Türkiye agreement Türkiye Free
UK–Ukraine agreement Ukraine Free
UK–Vietnam agreement Vietnam Free
UK–Samoa agreement Samoa Free
UK–Kosovo agreement Kosovo Free
UK–South Africa agreement South Africa Free
UK–Iceland agreement Iceland 2.4% – 3%
UK–Norway agreement Norway 2.4% – 3%
DCTS Standard Indonesia 2.8% – 3.5%

UK: imports by month

last 12 months£8.6m+3.2% · previous 12 months
Average import price£18.56 per kg
Jan 2024: £1.2mFeb 2024: £1.6mMar 2024: £1mApr 2024: £911kMay 2024: £758kJun 2024: £608kJul 2024: £589kAug 2024: £624kSept 2024: £541kOct 2024: £641kNov 2024: £592kDec 2024: £1.6mJan 2025: £807kFeb 2025: £877kMar 2025: £665kApr 2025: £727kMay 2025: £549kJun 2025: £479kJul 2025: £466kAug 2025: £384kSept 2025: £431kOct 2025: £520kNov 2025: £562kDec 2025: £1.2mJan 2026: £723kFeb 2026: £1.2mMar 2026: £887kApr 2026: £683kMay 2026: £603kJun 2026: £650kJul 2026: £670kAug 2026: £524k 202420252026
Data up to August 2026 (provisional) · Monthly data: Eurostat Comext (CC BY 4.0), HMRC (OGL v3.0)

Main suppliers, last 12 months

CountryValueShareChange
Canada £7.8m 90.6% +7.8%
Ireland £527k 6.1% +50.2%
United Kingdom £145k 1.7% +72.1%
United States £142k 1.6% -78.8%
Greece £0 0% -100%

Same subheading in other tariffs

World trade in 2024

0306.32 · US$1.7bn

Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$79kUS$79k+US$545k+US$14m+> US$77m

Exports: 80
  1. Canada: US$883m
  2. United States: US$516m
  3. Australia: US$77m
  4. United Kingdom: US$69m
  5. France: US$34m
  6. Hong Kong SAR China: US$23m
  7. Netherlands: US$19m
  8. Ireland: US$14m
  9. Germany: US$11m
  10. Belgium: US$9m
  11. Philippines: US$7m
  12. Morocco: US$4m
  13. India: US$4m
  14. Myanmar (Burma): US$4m
  15. Spain: US$3m
  16. Denmark: US$2m
  17. Tanzania: US$2m
  18. Papua New Guinea: US$1m
  19. Italy: US$997k
  20. Norway: US$545k
  21. Sri Lanka: US$468k
  22. Indonesia: US$433k
  23. Portugal: US$399k
  24. Singapore: US$322k
  25. Egypt: US$287k
  26. Luxembourg: US$273k
  27. Malaysia: US$251k
  28. Brunei: US$244k
  29. Somalia: US$184k
  30. South Africa: US$165k
  31. Brazil: US$163k
  32. Madagascar: US$127k
  33. Nicaragua: US$113k
  34. South Korea: US$110k
  35. Czechia: US$110k
  36. China: US$99k
  37. St Pierre & Miquelon: US$98k
  38. Vietnam: US$95k
  39. Oman: US$89k
  40. Slovenia: US$79k
  41. Mozambique: US$77k
  42. Honduras: US$77k
  43. Sweden: US$68k
  44. Cambodia: US$63k
  45. Japan: US$52k
  46. Croatia: US$44k
  47. Greece: US$44k
  48. Kenya: US$30k
  49. Bahamas: US$23k
  50. Pakistan: US$21k
  51. Poland: US$18k
  52. Bulgaria: US$17k
  53. United Arab Emirates: US$14k
  54. Ecuador: US$14k
  55. Romania: US$13k
  56. Serbia: US$9k
  57. Mexico: US$9k
  58. Austria: US$7k
  59. Trinidad & Tobago: US$7k
  60. Iran: US$6k

Top exporters

RankCountryValueShare
1 Canada US$883m 52.2%
2 United States US$516m 30.5%
3 Australia US$77m 4.5%
4 United Kingdom US$69m 4.1%
5 France US$34m 2%
6 Hong Kong SAR China US$23m 1.4%
7 Netherlands US$19m 1.1%
8 Ireland US$14m 0.8%
9 Germany US$11m 0.7%
10 Belgium US$9m 0.5%

Top importers

RankCountryValueShare
1 China US$523m 30.9%
2 United States US$349m 20.6%
3 Canada US$240m 14.2%
4 Hong Kong SAR China US$114m 6.7%
5 France US$85m 5%
6 Italy US$65m 3.8%
7 Spain US$62m 3.7%
8 South Korea US$37m 2.2%
9 Belgium US$33m 2%
10 Netherlands US$32m 1.9%

Import duty on this product around the world 151

The most-favoured-nation (MFN) duty each country applies to goods of this HS subheading: the average over its national tariff lines, with the lowest and highest line where they differ. Goods from countries with a trade agreement often pay less.

  • 10%median duty
  • 41number of duty-free countries (MFN)
  • 55%highest: Türkiye, Sudan, Zambia

151

Importing countryMFN dutylines from – todata year
Albania 0% 2023
Algeria 30% 2023
Angola 30% 2023 · HS 2017
Anguilla 10% 2021 · HS 2017
Argentina 10% 2023 · HS 2017
Armenia 5.3% 5% – 6% 2023
Australia 0% 2023
Azerbaijan 5% 2023 · HS 2017
Bahrain 0% 2023
Bangladesh 13% 0% – 25% 2023 · HS 2017
Barbados 20% 0% – 40% 2022 · HS 2017
Belarus 5.3% 5% – 6% 2021 · HS 2017
Belize 20% 0% – 40% 2023
Benin 20% 2023
Bermuda 13% 2023
Bhutan 10% 2022
Bolivia 15% 2023 · HS 2017
Bosnia & Herzegovina 0% 2022
Botswana 0% 2023
Brazil 10% 2023 · HS 2017
Brunei 0% 2023 · HS 2017
Burkina Faso 20% 2023
Burundi 25% 2023
Cambodia 10% 0% – 15% 2023 · HS 2017
Cameroon 30% 2023
Canada 0% 2023
Cape Verde 30% 2023 · HS 2017
Central African Republic 30% 2023
Chad 30% 2023
Chile 6% 2023 · HS 2017
China 3.5% 0% – 7% 2023
Colombia 15% 2023 · HS 2017
Comoros 0% 2021 · HS 2017
Congo - Brazzaville 30% 2023
Cook Islands 0% 2022 · HS 2017
Costa Rica 11% 9% – 14% 2023
Côte d’Ivoire 20% 2023 · HS 2017
Cuba 5% 2023 · HS 2017
Dominica 20% 0% – 40% 2023 · HS 2017
Dominican Republic 10% 0% – 20% 2023
Ecuador 30% 2023 · HS 2017
Egypt 20% 2019 · HS 2017
El Salvador 13% 10% – 15% 2022
Equatorial Guinea 30% 2023
Eswatini 0% 2023
Ethiopia 20% 2021 · HS 2017
European Union (27 countries) 6% 0% – 10% 2023
Fiji 15% 2023
French Polynesia 8% 2023
Gabon 30% 2023
Gambia 20% 2023
Georgia 0% 2022 · HS 2017
Ghana 20% 2023
Gibraltar 0% 2023 · HS 2017
Guatemala 13% 10% – 15% 2023
Guinea 20% 2023
Guinea-Bissau 20% 2023
Guyana 20% 0% – 40% 2023 · HS 2017
Haiti 0% 2020 · HS 2017
Honduras 13% 10% – 15% 2023
Hong Kong SAR China 0% 2023
Iceland 0% 2023
India 30% 2023
Indonesia 3.3% 0% – 5% 2023
Iran 32% 2020 · HS 2017
Israel 6% 0% – 12% 2022 · HS 2017
Jamaica 20% 0% – 40% 2023
Japan 1% 2023
Jordan 5% 2023
Kazakhstan 0% 2023
Kenya 35% 2023
Kuwait 0% 2023
Kyrgyzstan 5.3% 5% – 6% 2021 · HS 2017
Laos 10% 2023 · HS 2017
Lebanon 5% 2020 · HS 2017
Lesotho 0% 2023
Liberia 20% 2023
Libya 5% 2021 · HS 2017
Liechtenstein 0% 2021 · HS 2017
Macao SAR China 0% 2023
Madagascar 20% 2023
Malawi 10% 2021 · HS 2017
Malaysia 0% 2023
Maldives 13% 0% – 25% 2023
Mali 20% 2023
Mauritania 20% 2023 · HS 2017
Mauritius 0% 2023
Mexico 15% 2023 · HS 2017
Micronesia 25% 2021 · HS 2017
Moldova 0% 2023 · HS 2017
Mongolia 5% 2023
Montserrat 10% 0% – 20% 2023 · HS 2017
Morocco 10% 2023
Mozambique 20% 2023
Myanmar (Burma) 3.3% 0% – 10% 2023 · HS 2017
Namibia 0% 2023
Nauru 10% 2021 · HS 2017
Nepal 10% 2023
New Zealand 0% 2023
Nicaragua 13% 10% – 15% 2023
Niger 20% 2023
Nigeria 20% 2023
North Macedonia 0% 2023
Norway 0% 2023
Oman 0% 2023
Pakistan 11% 2023
Palestinian Territories 6% 0% – 12% 2017 · HS 2017
Panama 10% 5% – 15% 2023
Papua New Guinea 15% 2023
Paraguay 10% 2023 · HS 2017
Peru 0% 2023 · HS 2017
Philippines 7% 2023
Qatar 0% 2023
Russia 5.3% 5% – 6% 2021 · HS 2017
Rwanda 25% 2023
Samoa 20% 2020 · HS 2017
São Tomé & Príncipe 10% 2019 · HS 2017
Saudi Arabia 0% 2023
Senegal 20% 2023
Seychelles 0% 2023
Sierra Leone 20% 2023
Singapore 0% 2023 · HS 2017
Solomon Islands 10% 2023 · HS 2017
Somalia 25% 2023 · HS 2017
South Africa 0% 2023
South Korea 20% 2023
Sri Lanka 20% 2023
St Kitts & Nevis 7.5% 0% – 15% 2023
St Pierre & Miquelon 0% 2021 · HS 2017
St Vincent & the Grenadines 20% 0% – 40% 2023
Sudan 40% 2021 · HS 2017
Switzerland 0% 2023
Tanzania 25% 2023
Thailand 0% 2023
Togo 20% 2023
Tonga 0% 2023 · HS 2017
Türkiye 55% 2023
Tuvalu 9% 2017 · HS 2017
Uganda 25% 2023
Ukraine 0% 2023 · HS 2017
United Arab Emirates 0% 2023
United Kingdom 8.7% 8% – 10% 2023
United States 0% 2023
Uruguay 10% 2023 · HS 2017
Uzbekistan 5% 2021 · HS 2017
Vanuatu 15% 2023
Venezuela 10% 2023 · HS 2017
Vietnam 6.7% 0% – 10% 2023
Yemen 25% 2017 · HS 2017
Zambia 40% 2023
Zimbabwe 0.2% 0% – 0.4% 2023

Tariff data years 2017–2023; rates may have changed since. · UNCTAD TRAINS, accessed via WITS (World Bank)

Classifications and correspondences

Where this HS subheading sits in the United Nations' statistical classifications, and which codes it had in earlier editions of the Harmonized System.

SITC Rev. 4
0362 Crustaceans, other than frozen, including flours, meals & pellets of crustaceans, fit for human consumption
End use (BEC Rev. 5)
Consumption goods · BEC 113101
CPC 2.1 product
04331 Wild lobsters (<i>Homarus spp.</i>), live, fresh or chilled
04332 Farmed lobsters (<i>Homarus spp.</i>), live, fresh or chilled
21253 Lobsters, frozen, dried, salted or in brine
ISIC Rev. 4 activity
0311 Marine fishing
0321 Marine aquaculture
1020 Processing and preserving of fish, crustaceans and molluscs

Earlier HS editions

HSCode
20170306.32unchanged
20120306.22changed
20070306.22, 1605.30changed
20020306.22, 1605.30changed
19960306.22, 1605.30changed
19920306.22, 1605.30changed

Correspondence tables of the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD)

Recent rule changes mentioning this code

Acts whose text cites this code or its heading. Check the act itself: a code can be cited for reasons other than a change of its duty.

  1. EU Tariff change · Applies from:

    Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/2163 of 17 September 2026 amending Annex I to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87 on the tariff and statistical nomenclature and on the Common Customs Tariff

    CELEX 32026R2163 · Source: eur-lex.europa.eu

  2. EU Tariff change · Applies from:

    Regulation (EU) 2026/1461 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 June 2026 on the non-application of customs duties on imports of certain goods

    CELEX 32026R1461 · Source: eur-lex.europa.eu

Rule changes →

Code history

Since 2017; before, these goods were classified under 0306.22.

The UK Global Tariff divides subheading 0306.32 into 3 tariff lines; the duty is between 8% and 10% (average 8.7%).

In the EU Combined Nomenclature, subheading 0306.32 covers 3 tariff lines and the duty is between 8% and 10%.

164 countries pay no duty in the UK thanks to trade agreements and preference schemes such as DCTS Comprehensive and European Union, against a standard rate of 8% – 10%.

In the UK, additional duty of 35% applies on top of the customs duty to goods from Belarus and Russia.

Imports of live or fresh lobsters (Homarus) into the UK came to £8.6m between September 2025 and August 2026 (up 3% on the year before); Canada supplied 91%, followed by Ireland.

In 2024, countries exported live or fresh lobsters (Homarus) worth US$1.7bn (−0.1% year on year).

The largest exporter was Canada (US$883m), followed by the United States.

Questions and answers

What is the HS code for live, fresh or chilled: lobsters (Homarus spp.)?

Live, fresh or chilled: lobsters (Homarus spp.) fall under HS subheading 0306.32, part of heading 0306, in section I of the Harmonized System.

What is the import duty on live, fresh or chilled: lobsters (Homarus spp.) in the UK?

Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 0306.32 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 8% to 10%, depending on the line. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.

What is the import duty on live, fresh or chilled: lobsters (Homarus spp.) in the EU?

Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 0306.32 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 8% to 10%, depending on the line. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.

Which country exports the most live, fresh or chilled: lobsters (Homarus spp.)?

Canada, with US$883m in 2024 (52.2% of world exports).

Which countries can export live or fresh lobsters (Homarus) to the UK duty-free?

164 countries pay no duty under a trade agreement or preference scheme, among them partners under DCTS Comprehensive, European Union, DCTS Enhanced. The goods must meet the agreement’s rules of origin and the importer needs proof of origin; otherwise the standard rate of 8% – 10% applies. Pick a country above to see its rate.

Is there anti-dumping duty on live or fresh lobsters (Homarus)?

The UK charges additional duty of 35% on goods from Belarus and Russia. Lower rates apply to the named exporters listed in the measure.

Where does the UK import live or fresh lobsters (Homarus) from?

In the 12 months to August 2026, the largest suppliers were Canada (91%), Ireland (6%) and United Kingdom (2%), out of total imports of £8.6m.

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