HS code lookup
Black pepper is a pepper of the genus Piper, and heading 0904 puts it beside chilli, a botanically unrelated spice. The line you pick depends on whether the peppercorns are whole or crushed.
| HS code (6-digit) | Official description |
|---|---|
| 0904.11 | Spices; pepper (of the genus piper), neither crushed nor ground |
| 0904.12 | Spices; pepper (of the genus piper), crushed or ground |
The first six digits are the same worldwide. Countries add their own further digits, and duty, licensing and statistics follow the national line, so confirm it in the destination tariff before quoting. Source: UN Comtrade HS nomenclature.
Heading 0904 is split into two families. The first is pepper of the genus Piper, with 090411 for neither crushed nor ground and 090412 for crushed or ground. The second is fruits of the genus Capsicum or Pimenta, 090420 in general, with 090421 for dried, whole and 090422 for crushed or ground.
Black pepper is the Piper branch, so whole peppercorns are 090411. The same subheading captures white and green dried peppercorns, since the lines refer to the species and to the whole or milled form, not the colour. A shipment description that reads white pepper still shares the code.
Cracked, coarse or fine ground pepper moves to 090412. That is the line where consumer-ready powder and industrial grinds are counted, and it is where a buyer who mills in-country will not appear.
A blend of pepper with other spices is a mixture and does not take either pepper line. Pepper oil and oleoresin extracts, which flavour manufacturers buy, are outside chapter 9. Green peppercorns preserved in brine are also treated elsewhere, so check the invoice description for the state of the berry.
Search 090411 for the whole-berry flow, which is what most importers and repackers buy. Cross-check with 090412 to see buyers who take finished grinds. The description often carries the grade or origin label, which helps distinguish bulk lots from packed goods.
Quality checks such as moisture, admixture and contaminant limits are not part of the code but attach to import conditions. Confirm the destination’s eight-digit line and any pest or residue requirements with its customs authority.
Whole black peppercorns are classified under 090411, and crushed or ground black pepper under 090412. Both are in heading 0904.
At six digits, no. The Piper lines are defined by species and by whole or milled form, so white pepper shares 090411 and 090412 with black pepper.
Chilli is in the same heading but a different branch, 090420, with 090421 for whole dried fruit and 090422 for crushed or ground.
A blend of several spices is not covered by the pepper subheadings and is typically classed as a mixture. Ask your customs broker to confirm the treatment in the destination.
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