Subheading · Chapter 34 · Heading 3401
3401.20: Soap in other forms
Soap in other forms (liquid, flakes)
3401.20 is the HS subheading for soap in other forms (liquid, flakes), under heading 3401 in chapter 34.
What you pay
Importing into UK
Rates by national line · UK Global Tariff
UK lines →- 3401 20 00 00 Soap in other forms
- 3401 20 10 00 Flakes, wafers, granules or powders Free
- 3401 20 90 00 Other Free
Additional duties and import rules
Charges on top of the customs duty, and rules the goods must meet at the border.
Import requirements 2
- Import controlRestriction on entry into free circulation
- Applies to goods from
- Russia, Ukraine
- Legal act
- 2023 No. 440, S.I. 2022/395
- Documents
- 9011
- 9022
- 9038
- 9009
- 9010
- 9017
- Import controlImport control - Waste
- Applies to goods from
- all countries
- Legal act
- S.I. 2019/590
- Documents
- C672 Information document accompanying shipments of waste as mentioned in Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 – Article 18 and Annex VII
- C669 Notification document as mentioned in Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 - Article 5 and Annex IA
- Y923 Product not subjected to the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2024/1157
- C670 Movement document as mentioned in Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 – Article 5 and Annex IB
Preferential rates by country
| Agreement or scheme | Countries | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| standard rate (no agreement) | — | Free |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| £4.1m | 13.4% | +2.3% | |
| £4m | 13% | +28.9% | |
| £2.7m | 8.8% | +36.1% | |
| £2.4m | 7.9% | -5.3% | |
| £2.4m | 7.8% | -31.5% | |
| £2.4m | 7.7% | -5.1% | |
| £2.3m | 7.4% | +62.7% | |
| £1.8m | 5.8% | +12% |
Same subheading in other tariffs
World trade in 2024
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$678kUS$678k+US$6m+US$18m+> US$83m
Exports: 169
- Indonesia: US$518m
- Malaysia: US$270m
- Poland: US$142m
- United States: US$106m
- Germany: US$83m
- Italy: US$75m
- Netherlands: US$65m
- Sweden: US$64m
- Türkiye: US$58m
- France: US$58m
- China: US$58m
- Spain: US$55m
- Thailand: US$44m
- Belgium: US$41m
- United Kingdom: US$32m
- South Africa: US$29m
- Saudi Arabia: US$18m
- Bahrain: US$17m
- Canada: US$16m
- Mexico: US$15m
- Jordan: US$15m
- Egypt: US$15m
- Brazil: US$13m
- Japan: US$13m
- Greece: US$12m
- Pakistan: US$11m
- Uganda: US$11m
- Denmark: US$11m
- India: US$11m
- Zambia: US$10m
- Czechia: US$8m
- Côte d’Ivoire: US$8m
- Morocco: US$7m
- United Arab Emirates: US$7m
- Colombia: US$7m
- South Korea: US$7m
- Kenya: US$6m
- Tanzania: US$6m
- Romania: US$6m
- Singapore: US$6m
- Australia: US$6m
- Israel: US$5m
- Russia: US$4m
- New Zealand: US$4m
- Portugal: US$4m
- Guatemala: US$4m
- Ecuador: US$4m
- Mali: US$4m
- Mozambique: US$3m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$3m
- Hungary: US$3m
- Norway: US$3m
- Austria: US$3m
- Bulgaria: US$3m
- Sierra Leone: US$3m
- Zimbabwe: US$3m
- Estonia: US$2m
- Moldova: US$2m
- Philippines: US$2m
- Vietnam: US$2m
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$3mUS$3m+US$10m+US$22m+> US$53m
Imports: 220
- Germany: US$119m
- India: US$118m
- United States: US$92m
- Philippines: US$91m
- France: US$80m
- United Arab Emirates: US$68m
- China: US$53m
- Netherlands: US$52m
- Canada: US$51m
- Italy: US$44m
- Djibouti: US$41m
- Malawi: US$40m
- Poland: US$40m
- Angola: US$38m
- United Kingdom: US$38m
- Türkiye: US$34m
- Saudi Arabia: US$30m
- Belgium: US$28m
- Australia: US$28m
- South Korea: US$27m
- Portugal: US$24m
- Norway: US$22m
- Sweden: US$22m
- Mexico: US$22m
- Romania: US$22m
- Ghana: US$21m
- Bangladesh: US$20m
- Austria: US$19m
- Congo - Kinshasa: US$19m
- Spain: US$19m
- Mauritania: US$19m
- Vietnam: US$18m
- Japan: US$18m
- South Africa: US$18m
- Cuba: US$17m
- Indonesia: US$17m
- Mozambique: US$17m
- Singapore: US$17m
- New Zealand: US$16m
- Algeria: US$16m
- Jordan: US$15m
- Hungary: US$14m
- Greece: US$14m
- Sri Lanka: US$14m
- Czechia: US$13m
- Egypt: US$13m
- Libya: US$13m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$13m
- Madagascar: US$13m
- Thailand: US$12m
- Nigeria: US$12m
- Denmark: US$10m
- Uzbekistan: US$10m
- Kuwait: US$10m
- Taiwan: US$10m
- Iraq: US$10m
- Russia: US$9m
- Slovakia: US$9m
- Switzerland: US$9m
- Finland: US$9m
Top exporters
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | US$518m | 25.2% | |
| 2 | US$270m | 13.1% | |
| 3 | US$142m | 6.9% | |
| 4 | US$106m | 5.2% | |
| 5 | US$83m | 4% | |
| 6 | US$75m | 3.7% | |
| 7 | US$65m | 3.2% | |
| 8 | US$64m | 3.1% | |
| 9 | US$58m | 2.8% | |
| 10 | US$58m | 2.8% |
Top importers
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | US$119m | 5.8% | |
| 2 | US$118m | 5.7% | |
| 3 | US$92m | 4.5% | |
| 4 | US$91m | 4.4% | |
| 5 | US$80m | 3.9% | |
| 6 | US$68m | 3.3% | |
| 7 | US$53m | 2.6% | |
| 8 | US$52m | 2.5% | |
| 9 | US$51m | 2.5% | |
| 10 | US$44m | 2.2% |
Import duty on this product around the world 164
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.
- 13%median duty
- 16number of duty-free countries (MFN)
- 65%highest: Dominica, Angola, Cape Verde
164
| Importing country | MFN duty | lines from – to | data year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% | 2018 · HS 2012 | ||
| 4% | 2% – 6% | 2023 | |
| 26% | 15% – 30% | 2023 | |
| 50% | 2023 · HS 2017 | ||
| 15% | 2021 · HS 2017 | ||
| 13% | 5% – 20% | 2021 · HS 2007 | |
| 18% | 2023 · HS 2017 | ||
| 6.5% | 2023 | ||
| 6% | 2021 · HS 2012 | ||
| 5% | 2023 | ||
| 15% | 2023 · HS 2017 | ||
| 0% | 2022 | ||
| 5% | 2023 | ||
| 25% | 2023 · HS 2017 | ||
| 23% | 5% – 40% | 2022 · HS 2017 | |
| 6.5% | 2021 · HS 2017 | ||
| 13% | 5% – 20% | 2023 | |
| 35% | 2023 | ||
| 13% | 2023 | ||
| 10% | 2022 | ||
| 20% | 2023 · HS 2017 | ||
| 10% | 2022 | ||
| 20% | 2023 | ||
| 18% | 2023 · HS 2017 | ||
| 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | ||
| 35% | 2023 | ||
| 35% | 2023 | ||
| 7% | 2023 · HS 2017 | ||
| 30% | 2023 | ||
| 2.3% | 0% – 6.5% | 2023 | |
| 50% | 2023 · HS 2017 | ||
| 17% | 2021 · HS 2002 | ||
| 30% | 2023 | ||
| 30% | 2023 | ||
| 6% | 2023 · HS 2017 | ||
| 6.5% | 2023 | ||
| 15% | 2023 · HS 2017 | ||
| 5% | 2021 · HS 2017 | ||
| 30% | 2023 | ||
| 0% | 2022 · HS 2017 | ||
| 12% | 5% – 14% | 2023 | |
| 35% | 2023 · HS 2017 | ||
| 5.7% | 1% – 15% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
| 65% | 2023 · HS 2017 | ||
| 20% | 2023 | ||
| 20% | 2023 · HS 2017 | ||
| 30% | 10% – 60% | 2019 · HS 2017 | |
| 10% | 5% – 15% | 2022 | |
| 30% | 2023 | ||
| 20% | 2023 | ||
| 30% | 20% – 35% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
| 0% | 2023 | ||
| 16% | 0% – 32% | 2023 | |
| 13% | 2023 | ||
| 30% | 2023 | ||
| 35% | 2023 | ||
| 5% | 2022 · HS 2017 | ||
| 35% | 2023 | ||
| 3% | 0% – 6% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
| 23% | 5% – 40% | 2023 · HS 2012 | |
| 0% | 2023 | ||
| 35% | 2023 | ||
| 35% | 2023 | ||
| 13% | 5% – 20% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
| 10% | 2020 · HS 2017 | ||
| 10% | 5% – 15% | 2023 | |
| 0% | 2023 | ||
| 0% | 2023 | ||
| 10% | 2023 | ||
| 8.3% | 5% – 10% | 2023 | |
| 24% | 15% – 26% | 2020 · HS 2017 | |
| 3% | 0% – 12% | 2022 · HS 2017 | |
| 23% | 5% – 40% | 2023 | |
| 0% | 2023 | ||
| 5% | 2023 | ||
| 5% | 2023 | ||
| 35% | 2023 | ||
| 50% | 2023 · HS 2002 | ||
| 5% | 2023 | ||
| 6.5% | 2021 · HS 2017 | ||
| 20% | 2023 · HS 2017 | ||
| 15% | 5% – 20% | 2020 · HS 2017 | |
| 20% | 2023 | ||
| 35% | 2023 | ||
| 5% | 2021 · HS 2017 | ||
| 10%* | 2021 · HS 2017 | ||
| 0% | 2023 | ||
| 20% | 2023 | ||
| 12% | 0% – 25% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
| 0% | 2023 | ||
| 0% | 2023 | ||
| 35% | 2023 | ||
| 35% | 2023 · HS 2017 | ||
| 15% | 2023 | ||
| 15% | 2023 · HS 2017 | ||
| 25% | 2021 · HS 2017 | ||
| 6.5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | ||
| 5% | 2023 | ||
| 7.5% | 5% – 10% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
| 21% | 2.5% – 40% | 2023 | |
| 14% | 7.5% – 20% | 2023 | |
| 3% | 2023 · HS 2017 | ||
| 20% | 2023 | ||
| 23% | 15% – 30% | 2023 | |
| 5% | 2023 | ||
| 10% | 5% – 15% | 2023 | |
| 35% | 2023 | ||
| 35% | 2023 | ||
| 6.5% | 2023 | ||
| 0% | 2023 | ||
| 5% | 2023 | ||
| 20% | 2023 | ||
| 3% | 2023 · HS 2012 | ||
| 8.7% | 0% – 12% | 2017 · HS 2017 | |
| 13% | 5% – 15% | 2023 | |
| 20% | 2023 | ||
| 18% | 2023 · HS 2017 | ||
| 6% | 2023 · HS 2017 | ||
| 7.7% | 3% – 10% | 2023 | |
| 5% | 2023 | ||
| 6.5% | 2021 · HS 2017 | ||
| 35% | 2023 | ||
| 8% | 2020 · HS 2017 | ||
| 5% | 2019 · HS 2017 | ||
| 6.5% | 2023 | ||
| 35% | 2023 | ||
| 0% | 2023 | ||
| 35% | 2023 | ||
| 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | ||
| 10% | 2023 · HS 2017 | ||
| 25% | 2023 · HS 2017 | ||
| 20% | 2023 | ||
| 6.5% | 2023 | ||
| 20% | 2023 | ||
| 2.5% | 0% – 5% | 2023 | |
| 23% | 5% – 40% | 2023 · HS 2012 | |
| 4% | 2021 · HS 2017 | ||
| 28% | 5% – 40% | 2023 | |
| 40% | 2021 · HS 2017 | ||
| 18% | 5% – 30% | 2023 · HS 2007 | |
| 9.9%* | 2023 | ||
| 20% | 10% – 30% | 2020 · HS 2012 | |
| 6.5% | 2021 · HS 2012 | ||
| 35% | 2023 | ||
| 10% | 2023 | ||
| 35% | 2023 | ||
| 15% | 2023 · HS 2017 | ||
| 20% | 0% – 40% | 2023 · HS 2012 | |
| 25% | 2023 | ||
| 15% | 2017 · HS 2017 | ||
| 23% | 10% – 35% | 2023 | |
| 6.5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | ||
| 5% | 2023 | ||
| 0% | 2023 | ||
| 0% | 2023 | ||
| 18% | 2023 · HS 2017 | ||
| 0% | 2021 · HS 2017 | ||
| 30% | 2023 | ||
| 18% | 2023 · HS 2017 | ||
| 20% | 17% – 22% | 2023 | |
| 6% | 2021 · HS 2012 | ||
| 10% | 2017 · HS 2017 | ||
| 25% | 2023 | ||
| 0.4% | 2023 |
Tariff data years 2017–2023; rates may have changed since. * ad valorem equivalent of specific duties (UNCTAD estimate) · 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
- 55419 Soap in other forms
- End use (BEC Rev. 5)
- Consumption goods · BEC 713101
- CPC 2.1 product
- 35321 Soap; organic surface-active products and preparations for use as soap; paper, wadding, felt and nonwovens, impregnated, coated or covered with soap or detergent
- ISIC Rev. 4 activity
- 2023 Manufacture of soap and detergents, cleaning and polishing preparations, perfumes and toilet preparations
Earlier HS editions
| HS | Code | |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 3401.20 | unchanged |
| 2012 | 3401.20 | unchanged |
| 2007 | 3401.20 | unchanged |
| 2002 | 3401.20 | unchanged |
| 1996 | 3401.20 | unchanged |
| 1992 | 3401.20 | 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
Soap in forms other than bars, cakes, moulded pieces or shapes, that contain or have been made using oil palm
Regulation (EU) 2023/1115, Annex I (consolidated text)
Binding rulings for similar goods 1
Decisions of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CROSS) and HMRC (Advance Tariff Rulings) on goods classified here. A ruling binds only its holder, but shows how the authorities classify similar goods. The descriptions are the authorities’ own, in English.
- N288359 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of “Floraesters K20W Jojoba” from Canada
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.
-
The Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2026
S.I. 2026/543 · Source: legislation.gov.uk
The UK Global Tariff divides subheading 3401.20 into 2 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
In the EU Combined Nomenclature, subheading 3401.20 covers 2 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free.
174 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 Free.
Imports of soap in other forms (liquid, flakes) into the UK came to £30.7m between September 2025 and August 2026 (up 0% on the year before); China supplied 13%, followed by Thailand.
In 2024, countries exported soap in other forms (liquid, flakes) worth US$2bn (−4.2% year on year).
The largest exporter was Indonesia (US$518m), followed by Malaysia.
Questions and answers
What is the HS code for soap in other forms?
Soap in other forms fall under HS subheading 3401.20, part of heading 3401, in section VI of the Harmonized System.
What is the import duty on soap in other forms in the UK?
Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 3401.20 from countries without a preferential agreement are free of duty. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
What is the import duty on soap in other forms in the EU?
Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 3401.20 from countries without a preferential agreement are free of duty. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
Which country exports the most soap in other forms?
Indonesia, with US$518m in 2024 (25.2% of world exports).
Which countries can export soap in other forms (liquid, flakes) 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 applies. Pick a country above to see its rate.
Where does the UK import soap in other forms (liquid, flakes) from?
In the 12 months to August 2026, the largest suppliers were China (13%), Thailand (13%) and Sweden (9%), out of total imports of £30.7m.