HS 30Regulated

HS Code for Pharmaceuticals (Chapter 30)

Chapter 30 covers medicaments, vaccines, blood fractions and dressings. Most APIs and finished formulations are duty-free in WTO Pharma Agreement countries - but regulatory approval, not tariff, is the real gate.

Reviewed against WCO HS · WTO IDB · National customs schedules2 authoritative sourcesLast reviewed July 2026

Sample 6-digit codes

Code	Description
3003.90	Medicaments in bulk form (not measured doses)
3004.90	Medicaments in measured doses for retail
3002.41	Vaccines for human medicine
3002.15	Immunological products (measured doses)
3005.90	Wadding, gauze, bandages
3006.30	Diagnostic reagents for administration to patients

Need to check a specific code? Use the free HS code lookup tool.

Typical import duty by market

Market	Duty
United States (MFN)	0% Under the WTO Pharma Agreement.
European Union	0%
India (BCD)	10% Plus IGST at 5% or 12%; specific life-saving drugs are exempt.
UAE	0% Registered pharmaceuticals; VAT zero-rated.

Worked landed-cost example

Finished vaccine consignment (HS 3002.41), CIF Delhi USD 500,000

Assessable valueUSD 500,000

BCD @ 10%USD 50,000

SWS @ 10% of BCDUSD 5,000

IGST @ 5%USD 27,750

Landed cost ≈ USD 582,750 - some vaccines qualify for BCD/IGST exemption via customs notification.

Run your own numbers in the import duty & tax calculator.

Regulatory checkpoints

· US FDA registration and 510(k)/NDA/BLA prior to importation.
· EU CE mark + EMA/decentralised authorisation; QP release.
· India CDSCO import licence; registered manufacturer + product.
· GDP-compliant cold chain for temperature-sensitive products.
· GS1 barcode / DSCSA serialisation for US, EU FMD, India Track & Trace.

Top exporting countries

· Germany
· Switzerland
· United States
· Belgium
· India
· Ireland

Frequently asked questions

Are APIs duty-free everywhere?

The WTO Pharma Agreement covers ~9,000 tariff lines and its participants apply 0% duty. But it is not universal - check destination-specific schedules and any anti-dumping duties on named APIs.

Do vaccines need a special HS code?

Yes - 3002.41 (human) or 3002.42 (veterinary), separated from other immunological products. Correct code affects cold-chain declarations and regulatory routing.