Subheading · Chapter 29 · Heading 2905
2905.16: Octanol (octyl alcohol) and isomers thereof
Octanol (2-ethylhexanol etc.)
2905.16 is the HS subheading for octanol (2-ethylhexanol etc.), under heading 2905 in chapter 29.
What you pay
Importing into UK
Rates by national line · UK Global Tariff
UK lines →- 2905 16 00 00 Octanol (octyl alcohol) and isomers thereof
- 2905 16 20 00 Octan-2-ol Free
- 2905 16 85 00 Other 4%
- 2905 16 00 00 Octanol (octyl alcohol) and isomers thereof
- 2905 16 20 00 Octan-2-ol Free
- 2905 16 85 00 Other 4%
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
- Duty suspensionSuspension - goods for certain categories of ships, boats and other vessels and for drilling or production platforms Free
- Applies to goods from
- all countries
- Legal act
- 2020 No. 1431
- Documents
- C990 End use authorisation ships and platforms (Column 8c, Annex A of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2446)
Import requirements 1
- 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
Preferential rates by country
| Agreement or scheme | Countries | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| standard rate (no agreement) | — | Free – 4% |
| DCTS Comprehensive | Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin and 38 moreAfghanistan, 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") | Free | |
| DCTS Enhanced | Algeria, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Congo - Brazzaville and 13 moreAlgeria, 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 moreAntigua & 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 moreAnguilla, 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 |
| UK–Andorra agreement | Andorra | Free |
| UK–Albania agreement | Albania | Free |
| UK–Australia agreement | Australia | Free |
| UK–Canada agreement | Canada | Free |
| UK–Switzerland agreement | Switzerland | 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–Faroe Islands agreement | Faroe Islands | Free |
| UK–Georgia agreement | Georgia | Free |
| UK–Ghana agreement | Ghana | Free |
| DCTS Standard | Indonesia | Free |
| UK–Israel agreement | Israel | Free |
| UK–India agreement | India | Free |
| UK–Iceland agreement | Iceland | Free |
| UK–Jordan agreement | Jordan | Free |
| UK–Japan agreement | Japan | Free |
| UK–Kenya agreement | Kenya | Free |
| UK–South Korea agreement | South Korea | Free |
| UK–Lebanon agreement | Lebanon | Free |
| UK–Liechtenstein agreement | Liechtenstein | Free |
| UK–Morocco agreement | Morocco | Free |
| UK–Moldova agreement | Moldova | Free |
| UK–North Macedonia agreement | North Macedonia | Free |
| UK–Mexico agreement | Mexico | Free |
| UK–Norway agreement | Norway | 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: imports by month
Main suppliers, last 12 months
| Country | Value | Share | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
 Sweden | £140k | 0.8% | — |
 Germany | £32k | 0.2% | — |
 China | £27k | 0.2% | — |
Same subheading in other tariffs
EU Free – 5.5% Third-country duty 2 tariff lines · average 2.8% 
Türkiye Free – 5.5% Third-country duty 3 tariff lines · average 3.7% 
USA 3.7% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Canada Free Third-country duty 2 tariff lines 
Mexico Free Third-country duty 2 tariff lines 
Brazil 10.8% Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Argentina 10.8% Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Peru Free Third-country duty 2 tariff lines 
New Zealand Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Japan 3.9% – 5.5% Third-country duty 2 tariff lines · average 4.7% 
Taiwan 1% Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
GCC 5% Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Switzerland Free Third-country duty 2 tariff lines 
Norway Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
North Macedonia 5% Third-country duty 2 tariff lines 
Nigeria 5% Third-country duty 1 tariff line World trade in 2024
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$271kUS$271k+US$13m+US$152m+> US$164m
Exports: 60
- United States: US$232m
- South Korea: US$164m
- Taiwan: US$162m
- Indonesia: US$156m
- Saudi Arabia: US$155m
- Germany: US$152m
- Netherlands: US$139m
- China: US$128m
- Sweden: US$73m
- France: US$69m
- Poland: US$54m
- Romania: US$45m
- Malaysia: US$43m
- Japan: US$39m
- Belgium: US$13m
- Thailand: US$7m
- India: US$6m
- United Kingdom: US$5m
- Brazil: US$4m
- Türkiye: US$4m
- Singapore: US$3m
- Philippines: US$3m
- Chile: US$791k
- Switzerland: US$549k
- United Arab Emirates: US$519k
- Bulgaria: US$466k
- Spain: US$385k
- Czechia: US$310k
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$271k
- Russia: US$260k
- Hungary: US$208k
- Italy: US$131k
- Denmark: US$110k
- Canada: US$108k
- Norway: US$89k
- Austria: US$79k
- South Africa: US$68k
- Pakistan: US$65k
- Azerbaijan: US$29k
- Latvia: US$11k
- Egypt: US$10k
- Iran: US$8k
- New Zealand: US$6k
- Slovenia: US$4k
- Ecuador: US$3k
- Lithuania: US$3k
- Australia: US$2k
- Costa Rica: US$2k
- Ireland: US$2k
- Ukraine: US$2k
- Greece: US$900
- Portugal: US$900
- Finland: US$600
- Slovakia: US$500
- Aruba: US$200
- Kazakhstan: US$200
- Armenia: US$100
- Trinidad & Tobago: US$100
- Estonia: US$0
- Luxembourg: US$0
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$172kUS$172k+US$9m+US$45m+> US$86m
Imports: 118
- China: US$409m
- Türkiye: US$222m
- India: US$123m
- United States: US$86m
- Mexico: US$59m
- Italy: US$57m
- Belgium: US$54m
- Vietnam: US$53m
- Pakistan: US$49m
- France: US$48m
- Brazil: US$45m
- South Korea: US$45m
- United Arab Emirates: US$40m
- Singapore: US$35m
- Colombia: US$27m
- Argentina: US$27m
- Canada: US$25m
- Germany: US$24m
- Malaysia: US$23m
- Indonesia: US$21m
- Bangladesh: US$20m
- Czechia: US$19m
- Thailand: US$17m
- Netherlands: US$15m
- Spain: US$13m
- Chile: US$13m
- United Kingdom: US$13m
- Egypt: US$10m
- Poland: US$9m
- Switzerland: US$8m
- Taiwan: US$7m
- Australia: US$7m
- South Africa: US$5m
- Japan: US$5m
- Austria: US$5m
- Russia: US$3m
- Hungary: US$3m
- Azerbaijan: US$2m
- Iran: US$2m
- Tunisia: US$2m
- Norway: US$2m
- Uzbekistan: US$1m
- Philippines: US$698k
- Saudi Arabia: US$654k
- Jordan: US$600k
- Kyrgyzstan: US$545k
- Oman: US$536k
- Papua New Guinea: US$437k
- Bulgaria: US$421k
- Slovenia: US$360k
- Slovakia: US$305k
- Ecuador: US$266k
- Kazakhstan: US$265k
- Uruguay: US$258k
- Denmark: US$245k
- Mongolia: US$227k
- Sweden: US$226k
- Panama: US$172k
- Peru: US$169k
- Ireland: US$166k
Top exporters
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | US$232m | 14% |
| 2 |  South Korea | US$164m | 9.9% |
| 3 | Taiwan | US$162m | 9.8% |
| 4 |  Indonesia | US$156m | 9.4% |
| 5 |  Saudi Arabia | US$155m | 9.3% |
| 6 | Germany | US$152m | 9.2% |
| 7 |  Netherlands | US$139m | 8.4% |
| 8 | China | US$128m | 7.7% |
| 9 | Sweden | US$73m | 4.4% |
| 10 |  France | US$69m | 4.2% |
Import duty on this product around the world 165
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.
- 5%median duty
- 57number of duty-free countries (MFN)
- 45%highest: Bahamas, Bermuda, Cayman Islands
165
| Importing country | MFN duty | lines from – to | data year |
|---|---|---|---|
 Afghanistan | 5% | 2018 · HS 2012 | |
 Albania | 0% | 2023 | |
 Algeria | 15% | 2023 | |
 Angola | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Anguilla | 10% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Antigua & Barbuda | 5% | 2021 · HS 2007 | |
| Argentina | 12% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Armenia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Aruba | 6% | 2021 · HS 2012 | |
 Australia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Azerbaijan | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Bahamas | 45% | 2022 | |
 Bahrain | 5% | 2023 | |
 Bangladesh | 10% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Barbados | 5% | 2022 · HS 2017 | |
 Belarus | 5% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Belize | 5% | 2023 | |
 Benin | 5% | 2023 | |
 Bermuda | 25% | 2023 | |
 Bhutan | 10% | 2022 | |
 Bolivia | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Bosnia & Herzegovina | 0% | 2022 | |
 Botswana | 0% | 2023 | |
| Brazil | 12% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Brunei | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Burkina Faso | 5% | 2023 | |
 Burundi | 0% | 2023 | |
 Cambodia | 7% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Cameroon | 10% | 2023 | |
| Canada | 0% | 2023 | |
 Cape Verde | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Cayman Islands | 22% | 2021 · HS 2002 | |
 Central African Republic | 10% | 2023 | |
 Chad | 10% | 2023 | |
 Chile | 6% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
| China | 5.5% | 2023 | |
 Colombia | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Comoros | 20% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Congo - Brazzaville | 10% | 2023 | |
 Cook Islands | 0% | 2022 · HS 2017 | |
 Costa Rica | 0% | 2023 | |
 Côte d’Ivoire | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Cuba | 10% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Dominica | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Dominican Republic | 0% | 2023 | |
 Ecuador | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Egypt | 2% | 2019 · HS 2017 | |
 El Salvador | 0% | 2022 | |
 Equatorial Guinea | 10% | 2023 | |
 Eswatini | 0% | 2023 | |
 Ethiopia | 10% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
| European Union (27 countries) | 2.8% | 0% – 5.5% | 2023 |
 Fiji | 5% | 2023 | |
 French Polynesia | 8% | 2023 | |
 Gabon | 10% | 2023 | |
 Gambia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Georgia | 0% | 2022 · HS 2017 | |
 Ghana | 5% | 2023 | |
 Gibraltar | 12% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Grenada | 5% | 2023 · HS 2012 | |
 Guatemala | 15% | 2023 | |
 Guinea | 5% | 2023 | |
 Guinea-Bissau | 5% | 2023 | |
 Guyana | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Haiti | 0% | 2020 · HS 2017 | |
 Honduras | 0% | 2023 | |
 Hong Kong SAR China | 0% | 2023 | |
 Iceland | 0% | 2023 | |
 India | 7.5% | 2023 | |
| Indonesia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Iran | 5% | 2020 · HS 2017 | |
 Israel | 0% | 2022 · HS 2017 | |
 Jamaica | 0% | 2023 | |
| Japan | 3.9% | 2023 | |
 Jordan | 0% | 2023 | |
 Kazakhstan | 5% | 2023 | |
 Kenya | 0% | 2023 | |
 Kiribati | 0% | 2023 · HS 2002 | |
 Kuwait | 5% | 2023 | |
 Kyrgyzstan | 5% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Laos | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Lebanon | 5% | 2020 · HS 2017 | |
 Lesotho | 0% | 2023 | |
 Liberia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Libya | 5% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Liechtenstein | 0% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Macao SAR China | 0% | 2023 | |
 Madagascar | 5% | 2023 | |
 Malawi | 0% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Malaysia | 0% | 2023 | |
 Maldives | 15% | 2023 | |
 Mali | 5% | 2023 | |
 Mauritania | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Mauritius | 0% | 2023 | |
| Mexico | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Micronesia | 4% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Moldova | 5.5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Mongolia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Montserrat | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Morocco | 2.5% | 2023 | |
 Mozambique | 2.5% | 2023 | |
 Myanmar (Burma) | 3% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Namibia | 0% | 2023 | |
 Nauru | 10% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Nepal | 10% | 2023 | |
| New Zealand | 0% | 2023 | |
 Nicaragua | 0% | 2023 | |
 Niger | 5% | 2023 | |
| Nigeria | 5% | 2023 | |
| North Macedonia | 5% | 2023 | |
| Norway | 0% | 2023 | |
 Oman | 5% | 2023 | |
 Pakistan | 0% | 2023 | |
 Palau | 3% | 2023 · HS 2012 | |
 Palestinian Territories | 0% | 2017 · HS 2017 | |
 Panama | 0% | 2023 | |
 Papua New Guinea | 0% | 2023 | |
 Paraguay | 12% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
| Peru | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Philippines | 1% | 2023 | |
 Qatar | 5% | 2023 | |
 Russia | 5% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Rwanda | 0% | 2023 | |
 Samoa | 8% | 2020 · HS 2017 | |
 São Tomé & Príncipe | 10% | 2019 · HS 2017 | |
| Saudi Arabia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Senegal | 5% | 2023 | |
 Seychelles | 0% | 2023 | |
 Sierra Leone | 5% | 2023 | |
 Singapore | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Solomon Islands | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Somalia | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 South Africa | 0% | 2023 | |
| South Korea | 5.5% | 2023 | |
 Sri Lanka | 0% | 2023 | |
 St Kitts & Nevis | 5% | 2023 | |
 St Lucia | 5% | 2023 · HS 2012 | |
 St Pierre & Miquelon | 8% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 St Vincent & the Grenadines | 5% | 2023 | |
 Sudan | 3% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Suriname | 5% | 2023 · HS 2007 | |
| Switzerland | 0% | 2023 | |
 Syria | 1% | 2020 · HS 2012 | |
 Tajikistan | 5% | 2021 · HS 2012 | |
 Tanzania | 0% | 2023 | |
 Thailand | 0% | 2023 | |
 Togo | 5% | 2023 | |
 Tonga | 15% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Trinidad & Tobago | 0% | 2023 · HS 2012 | |
| Türkiye | 2.8% | 0% – 5.5% | 2023 |
 Tuvalu | 0% | 2017 · HS 2017 | |
 Uganda | 0% | 2023 | |
 Ukraine | 3.7% | 0% – 5.5% | 2023 · HS 2017 |
 United Arab Emirates | 5% | 2023 | |
| United Kingdom | 2% | 0% – 4% | 2023 |
| United States | 3.7% | 2023 | |
 Uruguay | 12% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Uzbekistan | 0% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Vanuatu | 5% | 2023 | |
 Venezuela | 12% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Vietnam | 0% | 2023 | |
 Wallis & Futuna | 6% | 2021 · HS 2012 | |
 Yemen | 5% | 2017 · HS 2017 | |
 Zambia | 0% | 2023 | |
 Zimbabwe | 0.1% | 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
- 51214 Octanol (octyl alcohol) & isomers thereof
- End use (BEC Rev. 5)
- Intermediate goods · BEC 211220
- CPC 2.1 product
- 34139 Other alcohols, phenols, phenol-alcohols, and their halogenated, sulphonated, nitrated or nitrosated derivatives; industrial fatty alcohols
- ISIC Rev. 4 activity
- 2011 Manufacture of basic chemicals
Earlier HS editions
| HS | Code | |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 2905.16 | unchanged |
| 2012 | 2905.16 | unchanged |
| 2007 | 2905.16 | unchanged |
| 2002 | 2905.16 | unchanged |
| 1996 | 2905.16 | unchanged |
| 1992 | 2905.16 | unchanged |
Correspondence tables of the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD)
EU deforestation regulation (EUDR)
Products of these commodities may only be placed on the EU market or exported if they are deforestation-free, legally produced and covered by a due diligence statement.
- Oil palm applies from 30 December 2027
Octanol (octyl alcohol) and isomers thereof, that have been synthesized using oil palm
Regulation (EU) 2023/1115, Annex I (consolidated text)
In the UK Global Tariff, subheading 2905.16 covers 2 tariff lines and the duty is between 0% and 4%. 1 of them is duty-free.
The EU Combined Nomenclature divides subheading 2905.16 into 2 tariff lines; the duty is between 0% and 5.5% (average 2.8%). 1 of them is duty-free.
Goods from 174 countries can enter the UK at a preferential rate instead of the standard Free – 4%; 174 of them pay no duty at all, for example under DCTS Comprehensive or European Union.
In the 12 months to August 2026, the UK imported octanol (2-ethylhexanol etc.) worth £16.5m (down 8% on the year before), at an average of £1.75 per kg; Sweden supplied 1%, followed by Germany.
World trade in octanol (2-ethylhexanol etc.) reached US$2bn in 2024, up 6.6% on 2023.
The United States was the largest exporter with 14% of the total, ahead of South Korea.
Questions and answers
What is the HS code for octanol (octyl alcohol) and isomers thereof?
Octanol (octyl alcohol) and isomers thereof fall under HS subheading 2905.16, part of heading 2905, in section VI of the Harmonized System.
What is the import duty on octanol (octyl alcohol) and isomers thereof in the UK?
Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 2905.16 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 0% to 4%, depending on the line. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
What is the import duty on octanol (octyl alcohol) and isomers thereof in the EU?
Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 2905.16 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 0% to 5.5%, depending on the line. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
Which country exports the most octanol (octyl alcohol) and isomers thereof?
The United States, with US$232m in 2024 (14% of world exports).
Which countries can export octanol (2-ethylhexanol etc.) to the UK duty-free?
174 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 Free – 4% applies. Pick a country above to see its rate.
Where does the UK import octanol (2-ethylhexanol etc.) from?
In the 12 months to August 2026, the largest suppliers were Sweden (1%), Germany (0%) and China (0%), out of total imports of £16.5m.