Welcome to the ultimate resource for understanding Harmonized System of Nomenclature (HSN) and Services Accounting Code (SAC) in India! Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur, a budding business owner, or just someone curious about taxation and business classifications, you’ve come to the right place. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve deep into what HSN and SAC codes are, why they matter, how they impact businesses in India, and how you can navigate through them effectively.
Understanding HSN & SAC Codes
What are HSN Codes?
HSN codes, or Harmonized System of Nomenclature codes, are an internationally accepted and standardized system for classifying goods in trade. They were introduced by the World Customs Organization (WCO) to facilitate the systematic classification of goods across borders. In India, HSN codes are used for the systematic classification of goods for taxation purposes, particularly under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime.
Each HSN code consists of a series of numbers that represent different categories of goods. These codes range from two to eight digits, with each digit providing more detailed information about the product being classified. For instance, a two-digit HSN code might represent a broad category such as “textiles,” while an eight-digit code could represent a specific type of fabric.
The Structure of HSN Codes
HSN codes follow a hierarchical structure, with each code comprising a series of digits that convey specific information about the categorized goods. The codes range from 2 to 8 digits, offering varying levels of granularity in classification. Here’s a breakdown of the structure:
- 2-Digit Level: The first two digits represent the chapter, providing a broad classification of goods into overarching categories.
- 4-Digit Level: The first four digits denote the heading, offering a more detailed classification within each chapter.
- 6-Digit Level: The first six digits signify the sub-heading, providing further granularity in the classification.
- 8-Digit Level: The full eight digits represent the tariff item, offering the most detailed classification of goods.
What are SAC Codes?
On the other hand, SAC codes, or Services Accounting Codes, are used to classify services under the GST regime in India. Similar to HSN codes, SAC codes help in the systematic categorization of services for taxation purposes. They are used to identify and levy GST on various services provided by businesses across different sectors.
Just like HSN codes, SAC codes also follow a numerical system for classification. Each SAC code represents a specific type of service, with higher digits providing more detailed classifications. These codes play a crucial role in determining the applicable GST rates for different services.
The Structure of SAC Codes
SAC codes follow a hierarchical structure, consisting of a series of digits that convey specific information about the categorized services. The codes range from 2 to 6 digits, offering varying levels of granularity in classification. Here’s a breakdown of the structure:
- 2-Digit Level: The first two digits represent the major service categories, providing a broad classification of services.
- 4-Digit Level: The first four digits denote the main service category, offering a more detailed classification within each major category.
- 6-Digit Level: The full six digits represent the detailed service description, providing the most specific classification of services.
How does the HSN code system operate?
HSN codes primarily serve dealers and traders, guiding them in product classification. Depending on specific criteria, they are required to adopt HSN codes of 2, 4, or 8 digits.
| Business Turnover | Required HSN Code Length |
| Less than Rs. 1.5 crores | Not required |
| Rs. 1.5 crores to Rs. 5 crores | 2 digits |
| Above Rs. 5 crores | 4 digits |
| Import, export, and international trade | 8 digits |
Deciphering the HSN Code
| HSN Structure | Quantity |
| Sections | 21 |
| Chapters | 99 |
| Headings | 1,244 |
| Subheadings | 5,224 |
Each Section comprises Chapters, and each Chapter consists of Headings. Furthermore, each Heading is subdivided into Subheadings. While Section and Chapter titles delineate broad categories of goods, Headings and Subheadings offer detailed descriptions of specific products.
Why HSN & SAC Codes Matter
- Regulatory Compliance:
One of the primary reasons why HSN and SAC codes matter is regulatory compliance. Under the GST regime, businesses are required to accurately classify their goods and services using the appropriate HSN and SAC codes. Failure to do so can result in compliance issues, including penalties and legal consequences. By understanding and adhering to HSN and SAC code requirements, businesses can ensure compliance with GST regulations and avoid unnecessary complications.
- Taxation and Pricing:
HSN and SAC codes also play a significant role in taxation and pricing. The GST rates applicable to goods and services vary depending on their classification under the HSN and SAC code system. Businesses need to correctly determine the applicable HSN or SAC code for their products or services to calculate GST accurately. Moreover, understanding the classification of goods and services can also help businesses in pricing their products competitively and effectively managing their tax liabilities.
- Cross-Border Trade:
For businesses engaged in import and export activities, HSN codes are crucial for international trade. These codes help in the uniform classification of goods, thereby facilitating smoother customs clearance procedures and reducing trade barriers. By correctly assigning HSN codes to their products, exporters can ensure compliance with international trade regulations and enhance their competitiveness in the global market.
- Business Efficiency:
Proper classification of goods and services using HSN and SAC codes can also improve business efficiency. By organizing products and services into standardized categories, businesses can streamline inventory management, procurement processes, and accounting practices. This, in turn, can lead to cost savings, reduced errors, and better decision-making within the organization.
Navigating HSN & SAC Codes Effectively
Navigating through the complexities of HSN and SAC codes may seem daunting at first, but with the right approach, businesses can manage this aspect of taxation and compliance effectively. Here are some tips for navigating HSN and SAC codes effectively:
- Conduct Thorough Research:
Begin by conducting thorough research on the HSN and SAC codes relevant to your industry and business activities. Familiarize yourself with the classification system, including the structure of codes and the categories they represent. The GST Council website and other official resources like CBIC-GST, can serve as valuable sources of information in this regard.
- Seek Expert Guidance:
If you’re uncertain about the classification of your goods or services, don’t hesitate to seek expert guidance. Tax professionals, consultants, or industry associations can provide valuable insights and assistance in determining the correct HSN or SAC codes for your business activities. Investing in expert guidance upfront can save you time and resources in the long run.
- Update Regularly:
HSN and SAC codes are subject to periodic updates and revisions by the GST Council. Therefore, it’s essential to stay updated with the latest changes and amendments to ensure compliance with current regulations. Make it a practice to review and update your classification of goods and services regularly to reflect any changes in the HSN and SAC code system.
- Leverage Technology:
Utilize technology tools and software solutions that can help automate the process of classifying goods and services using HSN and SAC codes. Many accounting and ERP systems offer built-in features for HSN and SAC code classification, which can streamline your compliance efforts and reduce manual errors.
- Maintain Detailed Records:
Keep detailed records of the HSN and SAC codes assigned to your goods and services, along with supporting documentation such as invoices, purchase orders, and contracts. These records will not only help you in filing accurate GST returns but also serve as evidence of compliance in case of audits or inquiries by tax authorities.
Discover how products are grouped and organized for trade with our easy-to-follow guide on HSN codes. The table below breaks down goods into different categories using HSN codes from Chapter 01 to Chapter 99. Each chapter covers a specific range of products, giving you insights into the wide variety of items traded worldwide. Whether you’re a business owner, importer, exporter, or just curious about how products are sorted, our table is a helpful tool for understanding how goods are classified. Dive into the details here and learn more about the world of international trade.
Explore HSN Code-Based Distribution of Goods Across Chapters
| Section 1. Animals and Animal Products | |
| Chapter 1 | Live Animals and Animal Products |
| Chapter 2 | Meat and Edible offal |
| Chapter 3 | Fish, Molluscs, Crustaceans, and Other Aquatic Invertebrates |
| Chapter 4 | Dairy Produce, Birds Eggs, Honey, and Unspecified Edible Animal Products |
| Chapter 5 | Miscellaneous Animal-Derived Products |
| Section 2. Vegetables and Vegetable Products | |
| Chapter 6 | Live Trees, Plants, Bulbs, Roots, Cut Flowers, and Ornamental Foliage |
| Chapter 7 | Edible Vegetables and Certain Roots and Tubers |
| Chapter 8 | Edible Fruits and Nuts, Citrus Fruit or Melon Peel |
| Chapter 9 | Tea, Coffee, Mate, and Spices |
| Chapter 10 | Cereals |
| Chapter 11 | Milling Products, Malt, Wheat Gluten, Starches, and Inulin |
| Chapter 12 | Oilseeds and Oleaginous Fruits, Grains, Straw, Fodder, Seeds, and Fruits |
| Chapter 13 | Lac, Gum, Resin, and Other Saps and Extracts |
| Chapter 14 | Vegetable Plaiting Materials and Unspecified Vegetable Products |
| Section 3. Animal or Vegetable Oils, Their Cleavage Products, Waxes, and Prepared Edible Fats | |
| Chapter 15 | Animal or Vegetable Oils, Their Cleavage Products, Waxes, and Prepared |
| Section 4. Prepared Food, Beverages, Spirits, Tobacco and Tobacco Substitutes | |
| Chapter 16 | Preparations of Meat, Fish, Crustaceans, Molluscs, or Other Aquatic Invertebrates |
| Chapter 17 | Sugar and Sugar Confectionery |
| Chapter 18 | Cocoa and Cocoa Preparations |
| Chapter 19 | Preparations of Cereals, Starch, Flour, Milk, and Pastry Products |
| Chapter 20 | Preparations of Vegetables, Fruits, Nuts, or Plant Part |
| Chapter 21 | Miscellaneous Edible Preparations |
| Chapter 22 | Beverages, Vinegar, and Spirits |
| Chapter 23 | Residues and Food Waste, Prepared Animal Fodder |
| Chapter 24 | Tobacco and Manufactured Tobacco Substitutes |
| Section 5. Minerals | |
| Chapter 25 | Salt, Earths, Stones, Sulphur, Plastering Materials, Lime, and Cement |
| Chapter 26 | Ores, Slag, and Ashes |
| Chapter 27 | Mineral Fuels, Mineral Oils, Products of Their Distillation, Mineral Waxes, and Bituminous Substances |
| Section 6. Chemical Products or of Allied Industries | |
| Chapter 28 | Inorganic Chemicals, Organic Compounds of Precious Metals, Rare-Earth Metals, Radioactive Elements, or Isotopes |
| Chapter 29 | Organic Chemicals |
| Chapter 30 | Pharmaceutical Products |
| Chapter 31 | Fertilisers |
| Chapter 32 | Tanning or Dyeing Extracts, Tannins and Their Derivatives, Dyes, Pigments, and Other Colouring Matter, Varnishes and Paints, Inks, Putty, and Other Mastics |
| Chapter 33 | Essential Oils, Resinoids, Cosmetic and Toilet Preparations, Perfumery |
| Chapter 34 | Cleansing Essentials and Beyond: Navigating the World of Hygiene and Household Products (Soap, washing preparations, organic surface-active agents, lubricating preparations, prepared waxes, artificial waxes, polishing or scouring preparations, candles and similar items, modelling pastes, dental preparations and dental waxes with a basis of plaster) |
| Chapter 35 | Albuminoidal Substances, Glues, Enzymes, and Modified Starches |
| Chapter 36 | Explosives, Pyrotechnic Products, Pyrophoric Alloys, Certain Combustible Preparations, and Matches |
| Chapter 37 | Photographic or Cinematographic Goods |
| Chapter 38 | Miscellaneous Chemical Products |
| Section 7. Plastics, Rubber, and Articles Thereof | |
| Chapter 39 | Plastics and Plastic Articles |
| Chapter 40 | Rubber and Rubber Articles |
| Section 8. Raw Hides and Skins, Furskins and Articles Thereof, Leather, and Related Goods | |
| Chapter 41 | Raw hides and skins (other than furskins) and leather |
| Chapter 42 | Leather Goods, Travel Accessories, and Animal Gut Articles (other than silkworm gut) |
| Chapter 43 | Furskins and artificial fur and articles thereof |
| Section 9. Wood and Wooden Articles, Wood Charcoal, Cork and Articles of Cork, Basket Ware and Wickerwork, Manufacturers of Straw, Esparto or Other Plaiting Material | |
| Chapter 44 | Wood and wooden articles, wood charcoal |
| Chapter 45 | Cork and articles of cork |
| Chapter 46 | Manufactures of straw, esparto or other plaiting materials, basket ware and wickerwork |
| Section 10. Pulp of Wood or Other Fibrous Cellulosic Material, Recovered Paper or Paperboard (Waste and Scrap), Paper and Paperboard and Articles Thereof | |
| Chapter 47 | Pulp of wood or other fibrous cellulosic material, recovered paper or paperboard (waste and scrap) |
| Chapter 48 | Paper and paperboard, articles made of paper pulp, or articles made of paper or paperboard. |
| Chapter 49 | Printed books, pictures, newspapers, and other products of the printing industry, typescripts, manuscripts, and plans |
| Section 11. Textile and Textile Articles | |
| Chapter 50 | Silk and Silk Articles |
| Chapter 51 | Wool, fine or coarse animal hair, horse hair yarn and other woven fabrics |
| Chapter 52 | Cotton and Cotton Articles |
| Chapter 53 | Vegetable Textile Fibres and Paper Yarn |
| Chapter 54 | Man-Made Filaments and Strips |
| Chapter 55 | Man-made staple fibres |
| Chapter 56 | Wadding, Felt, Nonwovens, Special Yarns, Twine, Cordage, Ropes, Cables, and Related Articles |
| Chapter 57 | Carpets and other textile floor coverings |
| Chapter 58 | Special Woven Fabrics, Lace Tapestries, Tufted Textile Fabrics, Trimmings, and Embroidery |
| Chapter 59 | Impregnated, covered, coated, or laminated textile fabrics, and textile articles for industrial use |
| Chapter 60 | Knitted or crocheted fabrics |
| Chapter 61 | Articles of apparel and clothing accessories that are knitted or crocheted |
| Chapter 62 | Articles of apparel and clothing accessories not knitted or crocheted |
| Chapter 63 | Other Made-Up Textile Articles, Sets, Worn Clothing, and Textile Articles, and Rags |
| Section 12. Footwear, Headgear, Umbrellas, Walking Sticks and Seat Sticks, Whips, Riding Crops and Parts Thereof, Artificial Flowers, Articles of Human Hair, Prepared Feathers and Articles Made Thereof | |
| Chapter 64 | Footwear and Parts Thereof |
| Chapter 65 | Headgear and Parts Thereof |
| Chapter 66 | Umbrellas, Sun Umbrellas, Walking Sticks, Seat Sticks, Riding Crops, and Parts Thereof, Including Whips |
| Chapter 67 | Feathers, Down, Artificial Flowers, and Hair-based Articles |
| Section 13. Articles Made of Stone, Plaster, Asbestos, Cement, Mica, or Other Similar Materials, Glass and Glassware, Ceramic Products | |
| Chapter 68 | Articles Made of Stone, Plaster, Cement, Asbestos, Mica, or Similar Materials |
| Chapter 69 | Ceramics and Pottery Items |
| Chapter 70 | Glass Products and Glassware Items |
| Section 14. Natural or Cultured Pearls, Precious Metals Clad With Precious Metal and Articles Thereof, Precious or Semi-Precious Stones, Coins, Imitation Jewellery | |
| Chapter 71 | Natural or Cultured Pearls, Precious Metals, Metal Clad with Precious Metals, Precious or Semi-Precious Stones, Imitation Jewellery, and Coins |
| Section 15. Base Metal and Articles Made of Base Metal | |
| Chapter 72 | Iron and Steel |
| Chapter 73 | Articles Made of Iron or Steel |
| Chapter 74 | Copper Products and Articles |
| Chapter 75 | Nickel Products and Articles |
| Chapter 76 | Aluminium Products and Articles |
| Chapter 77 | Reserved for Possible Future Use |
| Chapter 78 | Lead Products and Articles |
| Chapter 79 | Zinc Products and Articles |
| Chapter 80 | Tin Products and Articles |
| Chapter 81 | Miscellaneous Base Metals, Cermets, and Related Articles |
| Chapter 82 | Tools, Implements, Cutlery, and Parts Thereof Made of Base Metal |
| Chapter 83 | Miscellaneous Articles Made of Base Metal |
| Section 16. Machinery and Mechanical Appliances, Electrical Equipment and Parts Thereof, Sound Reproducers and Recorders, Television Image and Sound Reproducers and Recorders, and Parts and Accessories of Such Articles | |
| Chapter 84 | Nuclear Reactors, Machinery, Mechanical Appliances, Boilers, and Parts Thereof |
| Chapter 85 | Electrical Machinery and Equipment, Sound Reproducers and Recorders, Television Image and Sound Reproducers and Recorders, and Parts and Accessories Thereof |
| Section 17. Vehicles, Aircraft, Vessels, and Associated Transport Equipment | |
| Chapter 86 | Tramway or Railway Locomotives, Track Fixtures and Fittings, Rolling Stock, and Traffic Signalling Equipment |
| Chapter 87 | Motor Vehicles and Their Components |
| Chapter 88 | Aerospace Vehicles and Their Components |
| Chapter 89 | Ships, Boats, and Floating Structures |
| Section 18. Optical, Photographic, Cinematographic, Checking, Measuring, Precision, Medical or Surgical Instruments and Apparatus, Musical Instruments, Clocks and Watches, Parts and Accessories Thereof | |
| Chapter 90 | Optical, Photographic, Cinematographic, Checking, Measuring, and Precision Equipment |
| Chapter 91 | Clocks, Watches, and Parts Thereof |
| Chapter 92 | Musical Instruments and Accessories |
| Section 19. Arms and Ammunition, Parts and Accessories Thereof | |
| Chapter 93 | Arms, Ammunition, and Accessories |
| Section 20. Miscellaneous Manufactured Articles | |
| Chapter 94 | Furniture, Mattresses, Bedding, Lamps, and Prefabricated Buildings |
| Chapter 95 | Toys, Games, and Sporting Goods |
| Chapter 96 | Miscellaneous Manufactured Products |
| Section 21. Works of Art, Collectors, Pieces and Antiques | |
| Chapter 97 | Works of Art, Collectors Items, and Antiques |
| Chapter 98 | Project Imports, Laboratory Chemicals, Personal Imports by Air or Post, Passenger’s Baggage, Ship Stores |
| Chapter 99 | Classification of Services |
Conclusion
In conclusion, HSN and SAC codes play a crucial role in the taxation and classification of goods and services under the GST regime in India. Understanding these codes and their implications is essential for businesses to ensure regulatory compliance, manage tax liabilities effectively, and streamline their operations. By following the guidelines outlined in this guide and staying updated with the latest developments, businesses can navigate through HSN and SAC codes with confidence and efficiency. Whether you’re a small-scale trader or a multinational corporation, mastering the intricacies of HSN and SAC codes is key to success in today’s dynamic business environment.
Disclaimer: The information provided on this website regarding HSN, SAC, and GST codes is for general informational purposes only. While we aim to maintain accuracy, we do not guarantee the completeness or reliability of the information. Any reliance you place on such information, including HSN, SAC, and GST codes, is at your own risk. We are not liable for any loss or damage arising from the use of this website. For verification and further information, you can visit the official GST portal and the CBIC (Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs) website.