HS Code 9809.00 : Public documents, whether or not in the form of microfilm, microfiches, or similar film media (including exposed and developed motion picture and other films, recorded video tapes and sound recordings) issued essentially at the instance and expense of a foreign government, of a political subdivision of a foreign country or of an international organization the membership of which includes two or more foreign countries
MODULE 2: EXTRACTABLE ANSWER (AEO / SPEAKABLE)
EN (Official WCO)
FR (Pending)
ES (Pending)
The 6-digit Harmonized System (HS) code for public documents, whether or not in the form of microfilm, microfiches, or similar film media (including exposed and developed motion picture and other films, recorded video tapes and sound recordings) issued essentially at the instance and expense of a foreign government, of a political subdivision of a foreign country or of an international organization the membership of which includes two or more foreign countries is 9809.00. Under the 2026 European Union (TARIC), the representative MFN general duty rate is 0.00 % [EU TARIC 2026].
MODULE 3: SIGNATURE A: HS DECODE VISUAL HIERARCHY
Chapter 98
Public documents, whether or not in the form of microfilm, microfiches, or similar film media (including exposed and developed motion picture and other films, recorded video tapes and sound recordings) issued essentially at the instance and expense of a foreign government, of a political subdivision of a foreign country or of an international organization the membership of which includes two or more foreign countries
Heading 9809
Public documents, whether or not in the form of microfilm, microfiches, or similar film media (including exposed and developed motion picture and other films, recorded video tapes and sound recordings) issued essentially at the instance and expense of a foreign government, of a political subdivision of a foreign country or of an international organization the membership of which includes two or more foreign countries
Subheading .00
.00
Public documents, whether or not in the form of microfilm, microfiches, or similar film media (including exposed and developed motion picture and other films, recorded video tapes and sound recordings) issued essentially at the instance and expense of a foreign government, of a political subdivision of a foreign country or of an international organization the membership of which includes two or more foreign countries
MODULE 4: SIGNATURE B: TARIFF MATRIX
Import Duty Rates by Destination
European Union (EU TARIC / CN 2026)
9809000000
MODULE 5: EU IMPORT DUTY & VAT BREAKDOWN
EU Customs De Minimis
€150.00
Duty-free threshold
Official EU Classification Rulings: Search European Binding Tariff Information [EBTI Database ↗]
Notice: EU customs duties are uniform across all 27 Member States under the EU Customs Union. Import VAT is assessed locally by destination customs authorities.
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MODULE 6: Mandatory Customs Entry Document Matrix
Rule-Derived Customs Entry Package Checklist
UNIVERSAL DOCUMENT
Commercial Invoice
Itemized description, currency, Incoterms, seller/buyer details, and country of origin.
UNIVERSAL DOCUMENT
Packing List & Bill of Lading
Gross/net weight, container/seal numbers, piece count, and transport B/L or Air Waybill.
PREFERENTIAL RULE
Certificate of Origin (If Claiming FTA)
Required only when claiming zero-duty preference under USMCA, KORUS, or GSP.
MODULE 7: Regulatory Compliance & Partner Government Agency (PGA) Flags
Standard Entry
This commodity does not carry mandatory PGA pre-clearance flags under the ACE message set.
MODULE 8: EU Trade Defence Measures & Carbon Adjustment (CBAM)
EU Anti-Dumping Defence
Standard TARIC Duties
EU Steel Safeguards
Exempt (Non-Steel Commodity)
EU CBAM Carbon Alert
Not in Scope
MODULE 9: Free Trade Agreements (FTA) & Rules of Origin (RoO)
| Agreement Code | Trade Agreement / Program | Preferential Rate | Rules of Origin (RoO) Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| TCA | EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement | Free | Statement on Origin by registered exporter. |
| CETA | EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement | Free | CETA Origin Declaration on commercial invoice. |
| EPA | EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement | Free | Statement on Origin or importer knowledge under EU-Japan EPA. |
MODULE 10: Logistics, Freight & Transport Specifications
Standard 20ft Container
~28 CBM / 28,000 kg Payload
Standard 40ft High-Cube
~68 CBM / 28,600 kg Payload
Stowage Factor & Handling
Standard commercial packaging for Public documents, whether or not in the form of microfilm, microfiches, or similar film media (including exposed and developed motion picture and other films, recorded video tapes and sound recordings) issued essentially at the instance and expense of a foreign government, of a political subdivision of a foreign country or of an international organization the membership of which includes two or more foreign countries
MODULE 11: European Binding Tariff Information (EBTI)
Legally binding tariff classification decisions valid across all 27 EU Member States for HS 9809.00.
Query the official European Commission EBTI classification rulings database:
Search EU Commission EBTI Database for 9809.00 →EU TARIC Declarable Commodity Lines (9809.00)
| HTS Code | Description | General Rate | Special (FTA) Rate | Column 2 Rate | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9809.00.10 | Public documents, whether or not in the form of microfilm, microfiches, or similar film media (including exposed and developed motion picture and other films, recorded video tapes and sound recordings) issued essentially at the instance and expense of a foreign government, of a political subdivision of a foreign country or of an international organization the membership of which includes two or more foreign countries | Free | Free | Free | — |
| 9809.00.20 | Upon the request of the Department of State, office supplies and equipment and other articles for the official use of representatives of foreign governments or of personnel of public international organizations, on duty in the United States | Free | Free | Free | — |
| 9809.00.30 | Articles for the official use of members of the armed forces of any foreign country on duty in the United States | Free | Free | Free | — |
| 9809.00.40 | Articles which, while in the United States, will remain the property of such government or of such organization and will be used only in connection with noncommercial functions of such government or of such organization, including exhibitions which are sponsored by or participated in by such government or such organization and which are not commercial in character or connected with commercial undertakings | Free | Free | Free | — |
| 9809.00.50 | Prosthetic appliances furnished by a foreign government to former members of its armed forces who reside in the United States | Free | Free | Free | — |
| 9809.00.60 | Headstones furnished by a foreign government for graves of its war veterans buried in the United States | Free | Free | Free | — |
| 9809.00.70 | Articles for presentation as gifts to the United States Government, to any State or local government or to any public institution organized in the United States | Free | Free | Free | — |
| 9809.00.80 | Public documents, whether or not in the form of microfilm, microfiches, or similar film media (including exposed and developed motion picture and other films, recorded video tapes and sound recordings) issued essentially at the instance and expense of a foreign government, of a political subdivision of a foreign country or of an international organization the membership of which includes two or more foreign countries, Printed matter, not containing advertising matter, for free distribution | Free | Free | Free | — |
MODULE 12: Candidate Subheadings & Related Codes
| Related HS Code | Heading Category | Action |
|---|
Official Primary Sources & Authority References
European Commission TARIC Database (CN 2026) ↗
Official EU Common Customs Tariff and Member State measures.
EU Taxation and Customs Union ↗
European Commission customs union and VAT rules.
MODULE 14: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Operational Guide
What is the 6-digit WCO tariff classification and European Union (TARIC) general duty for Public documents, whether or not in the form of microfilm, microfiches, or similar film media (including exposed and developed motion picture and other films, recorded video tapes and sound recordings) issued essentially at the instance and expense of a foreign government, of a political subdivision of a foreign country or of an international organization the membership of which includes two or more foreign countries?
Under WCO Harmonized System 2022 and European Union (TARIC), Public documents, whether or not in the form of microfilm, microfiches, or similar film media (including exposed and developed motion picture and other films, recorded video tapes and sound recordings) issued essentially at the instance and expense of a foreign government, of a political subdivision of a foreign country or of an international organization the membership of which includes two or more foreign countries is classified under HS 9809.00 (Heading 9809, Chapter 98). The representative EU MFN general duty rate is 0.00 %.
How is HS 9809.00 distinguished within Heading 9809 (Public documents, whether or not in the form of microfilm, microfiches, or similar film media (including exposed and developed motion picture and other films, recorded video tapes and sound recordings) issued essentially at the instance and expense of a foreign government, of a political subdivision of a foreign country or of an international organization the membership of which includes two or more foreign countries)?
Heading 9809 covers Public documents, whether or not in the form of microfilm, microfiches, or similar film media (including exposed and developed motion picture and other films, recorded video tapes and sound recordings) issued essentially at the instance and expense of a foreign government, of a political subdivision of a foreign country or of an international organization the membership of which includes two or more foreign countries. Subheading 9809.00 specifically isolates Public documents, whether or not in the form of microfilm, microfiches, or similar film media (including exposed and developed motion picture and other films, recorded video tapes and sound recordings) issued essentially at the instance and expense of a foreign government, of a political subdivision of a foreign country or of an international organization the membership of which includes two or more foreign countries. Importers must verify whether physical characteristics, processing state, or composition require alternative subheadings under Heading 9809.
What are the primary candidate subheadings related to HS 9809.00?
Related subheadings under Heading 9809 include . Classification depends on processing stage, decaffeination, purity, or material form.
What mandatory commercial entry documents are required to import Public documents, whether or not in the form of microfilm, microfiches, or similar film media (including exposed and developed motion picture and other films, recorded video tapes and sound recordings) issued essentially at the instance and expense of a foreign government, of a political subdivision of a foreign country or of an international organization the membership of which includes two or more foreign countries into the European Union?
Importers require an EU Single Administrative Document (SAD / Import Declaration), active EU EORI number, Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Bill of Lading, and phytosanitary or conformity certificates where applicable.
Can goods under HS 9809.00 enter duty-free under EU Free Trade Agreements?
Yes. Eligible goods originating in EU FTA partner territories (e.g. UK TCA, CETA, Japan EPA, South Korea FTA) enter duty-free under EUR.1 movement certificates or registered exporter (REX) statements.
What is the EU customs duty de minimis threshold for shipments of Public documents, whether or not in the form of microfilm, microfiches, or similar film media (including exposed and developed motion picture and other films, recorded video tapes and sound recordings) issued essentially at the instance and expense of a foreign government, of a political subdivision of a foreign country or of an international organization the membership of which includes two or more foreign countries?
Commercial consignments valued up to €150 imported into the European Union enter customs duty-free under EU Common Customs Tariff rules.
How can an importer obtain a European Binding Tariff Information (EBTI) ruling for HS 9809.00?
Importers may apply to any EU Member State customs authority for an EBTI ruling under Regulation (EU) No 952/2013. An EBTI ruling is legally binding across all 27 EU Member States for 3 years.
How is Import VAT assessed on HS 9809.00 across EU Member States?
Import VAT is assessed by the destination EU Member State (ranging from 17% in Luxembourg to 27% in Hungary, ~19% average) on total landed CIF value + CCT duty.
What is the EU EORI registration requirement for commercial imports under HS 9809.00?
All economic operators importing into the EU must hold a valid Economic Operators Registration and Identification (EORI) number issued by an EU Member State customs authority.
How does the EU Import One-Stop Shop (IOSS) e-commerce VAT scheme work?
The EU IOSS allows online sellers to collect import VAT at the point of sale for B2C consignments valued up to €150 imported into any EU Member State.
What EU Trade Defence measures (Anti-Dumping & Countervailing duties) apply?
Importers must check the TARIC database for active EU trade defence measures, anti-dumping duties, or tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) affecting specific countries of origin.
What REACH & CE Marking product safety compliance rules apply to HS 9809.00 in the EU?
Articles imported into the EU must satisfy EU Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 (REACH chemical restrictions) and display CE marking declarations of conformity where required.
Are there entry processing fees or harbor taxes in the European Union?
No. The European Union does not charge additional entry processing fees or harbor taxes beyond standard Common Customs Tariff duties and destination Member State import VAT.