Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States · HTS code · HS 3402.90
3402.90.10: Other surfactant and washing preparations: Organic surface-active agents: other, synthetic detergents
Other surfactant and washing preparations
Not declarable on its own: use one of its 1 subdivisions Data: Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States · checked on 24 October 2026
- 3402 Organic surface-active agents (other than soap); surface-active preparations, washing preparations (including auxiliary washing preparations) and cleaning preparations, whether or not containing soap, other than those of heading 3401:
- 3402.90 Other:
- 3402.90.10 Synthetic detergents
What you pay
Importing into USA
US additional duties of HTS chapter 99 in force on 22 October 2026 are included (Section 301, 232, 338 and 201). IEEPA duties are no longer collected after the Supreme Court ruling of February 2026. Conditional exemptions (US content, end use, metal share) are not computed: check the provision.
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 dutySection 301 — China — technology transfer, IP and innovation (2018 actions and 2024 four-year review) 25%
- Applies to goods from
- China
- In force
- from 24 September 2018
- Legal act
- HTSUS 9903.88.03
Preferential rates by country
| Agreement or scheme | Countries | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| General (MFN) | — | 3.8% |
| US–Australia FTA AU | Australia | Free |
| US–Bahrain FTA BH | Bahrain | Free |
| US–Chile FTA CL | Chile | Free |
| US–Colombia TPA CO | Colombia | Free |
| US–Israel FTA IL | Israel | Free |
| US–Jordan FTA JO | Jordan | Free |
| US–Korea FTA KR | South Korea | Free |
| US–Morocco FTA MA | Morocco | Free |
| US–Oman FTA OM | Oman | Free |
| CAFTA-DR P | Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua | Free |
| US–Panama TPA PA | Panama | Free |
| US–Peru TPA PE | Peru | Free |
| USMCA S | Canada, Mexico | Free |
| US–Singapore FTA SG | Singapore | Free |
| Column 2 | Cuba, North Korea, Russia, Belarus | 15.4¢/kg + 53.5% |
Special: reduced rates under trade agreements and preference programmes; the letters in brackets name the programmes (for example AU = Australia FTA, KR = Korea FTA).
Same subheading in other tariffs
3402.90 Organic surface-active agents: other
UK 4% Third-country duty 5 tariff lines 
EU 4% Third-country duty 2 tariff lines 
Türkiye 4% Third-country duty 4 tariff lines 
Canada Free – 6.5% Third-country duty 3 tariff lines · average 2.2% 
Mexico Free – 3% Third-country duty 3 tariff lines · average 1% 
Brazil Free – 16.2% Third-country duty 9 tariff lines · average 10% 
Argentina Free – 18% Third-country duty 17 tariff lines · average 14.2% 
Peru 6% Third-country duty 3 tariff lines 
New Zealand Free – 5% Third-country duty 5 tariff lines · average 4% 
Japan Free Third-country duty 2 tariff lines 
Taiwan 4% Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
GCC 5% Third-country duty 2 tariff lines 
Switzerland Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Norway Free Third-country duty 6 tariff lines 
North Macedonia Free – 6.5% Third-country duty 3 tariff lines · average 4.3% 
Nigeria 20% Third-country duty 1 tariff line USA lines: 3402.90
Binding rulings for similar goods
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.
- N342895 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of Insta-Bubbles from China
- N332768 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of MAPTAC 50% solution in water, CAS # 51410-72-1, from China
- N313708 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of “Rodico” from Malaysia
- N312633 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of “Albion Cleaning Agent RR40 Concentrate Powder” from an undisclosed country
- 600011464 HMRC
Product is a liquid concentrate, separation agent for pressing surfaces/plates in machinery. Also used to eliminate the formation of deposits of dispersion and UF adhesives on the pressing surfaces of commonly used presses. Comes as a yellow viscous liquid. Product is put up in 1 litre bottles of…
- 600011459 HMRC
Product is a reddish coloured ethanol based cleaning agent/fluid used in edge banding/gluing machines before buffing wheels/surface scraper. It removes the previously applied release agent and loosens/removes adhesive residues. Product is put up in 10 & 30 litre containers. Usage:- To be sprayed…
- 600011314 HMRC
Brake, Clutch and Electrical Cleaner is a cleaning product used in the automotive trade to clean brake discs and and electrical components on vehicles. The product is packaged in 400 millilitres, 5 litres, 25 litres and 205 litres.
15 rulings in total for this code
Legal notes
Notes
1. This chapter does not cover:
(a) edible mixtures or preparations of animal, vegetable or microbial fats or oils of a kind used as mould release preparations (heading 1517);
(b) separate chemically defined compounds; or
(c) shampoos, dentifrices, shaving creams and foams, or bath preparations, containing soap or other organic surface-active agents (heading 3305, 3306 or 3307).
2. For the purposes of heading 3401, the expression ‘soap’ applies only to soap soluble in water. Soap and the other products of heading 3401 may contain added substances (for example, disinfectants, abrasive powders, fillers or medicaments). Products containing abrasive powders remain classified in heading 3401 only if in the form of bars, cakes or moulded pieces or shapes. In other forms, they are to be classified in heading 3405 as ‘scouring powders and similar preparations’.
3. For the purposes of heading 3402, ‘organic surface-active agents’ are products which, when mixed with water at a concentration of 0,5 % at 20 °C and left to stand for one hour at the same temperature:
(a) give a transparent or translucent liquid or stable emulsion without separation of insoluble matter; and
(b) reduce the surface tension of water to 4,5 × 10–2 N/m (45 dyn/cm) or less.
4. In heading 3403, the expression ‘petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals’ applies to the products defined in note 2 to Chapter 27.
5. In heading 3404, subject to the exclusions provided below, the expression ‘artificial waxes and prepared waxes’ applies only to:
(a) chemically produced organic products of a waxy character, whether or not water-soluble;
(b) products obtained by mixing different waxes;
(c) products of a waxy character with a basis of one or more waxes and containing fats, resins, mineral substances or other materials.
The heading does not apply to:
(a) products of heading 1516, 3402 or 3823, even if having a waxy character;
(b) unmixed animal waxes or unmixed vegetable waxes, whether or not refined or coloured, of heading 1521;
(c) mineral waxes or similar products of heading 2712, whether or not intermixed or merely coloured; or
(d) waxes mixed with, dispersed in or dissolved in a liquid medium (headings 3405, 3809, etc.).
In the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, 3402.90.10 is one of 3 lines under subheading 3402.90, organic surface-active agents: other.
The general duty is 3.8%, and quantities are declared in kg.
For the same subheading, the UK duty is 4%, the EU duty is 4%, the Türkiye duty is 4%, the Canada duty is 0%–6.5%, the Mexico duty is 0%–3%, the Brazil duty is 0%–16.2%, the Argentina duty is 0%–18%, the Peru duty is 6%, the New Zealand duty is 0%–5%, the Japan duty is free, the Taiwan duty is 4%, the GCC duty is 5%, the Switzerland duty is free, the Norway duty is free, the North Macedonia duty is 0%–6.5% and the Nigeria duty is 20%.
The United States imported goods of subheading 3402.90 worth US$368m in 2024; the largest supplier was Mexico, and the United Kingdom ranked 4th with US$21m.
Questions and answers
What is the USA import duty for HTS code 3402.90.10?
The general duty in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States is 3.8%; the supplementary unit is kg. Preferential rates for goods from agreement countries, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
Is there a lower rate for 3402.90.10 under US trade agreements?
Yes. The Special column reads “Free (A, AU, BH, CL, CO,D,E, IL, JO, KR, MA, OM,P, PA, PE,S, SG)”: the letters in brackets name the agreements and programmes that grant it.
Where does the United States import these goods from?
For subheading 3402.90 as a whole, the largest supplier in 2024 was Mexico (US$79m), followed by Germany.