HS Code for Candle
Candles are classified under HTS heading 3406, which covers candles, tapers and the like. This is a single, self-contained heading reported as 3406.00.00.00, and it applies regardless of wax type, shape, scent or decoration. Candles enter the United States duty-free at a 0% general rate. The important point to review for candles is not the duty rate but whether a shipment may fall within the scope of the longstanding antidumping duty order on petroleum-wax candles from China.
| HTS Code | Description | Duty Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3406.00.00.00 | Candles, tapers and the like All candles regardless of wax type, shape, scent or decoration | Free |
Candles are associated with heading 3406 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, a concise heading covering candles, tapers and similar articles. Unlike many product categories, candles do not branch into multiple subheadings by material or form — the heading is reported as 3406.00.00.00 whether the candle is a pillar, taper, votive, tealight, container candle, scented, decorative or plain.
The general duty rate is free, so the duty calculation itself is straightforward. The more consequential question for candle imports is trade-remedy scope. The United States maintains a longstanding antidumping duty order on petroleum-wax candles from China, and merchandise found to be within that scope can be subject to substantial additional antidumping duties on top of the (free) regular duty. Whether a particular candle falls within or outside that scope depends on the wax composition and the specifics of the order, so it is worth reviewing carefully for candles of Chinese origin.
A few classification edge cases are also worth keeping in mind. Articles where the candle is incidental to a larger decorative or functional object may take the classification of the whole article rather than 3406, and products that are essentially decorative figurines that happen to contain a wick can raise classification questions. For ordinary candles, however, heading 3406 is the clear home.
Candles under heading 3406 enter the United States duty-free at a 0% general rate, regardless of wax type, shape or decoration. The figure that matters most for candle imports is therefore not the regular duty but potential antidumping duties: petroleum-wax candles from China have been subject to a longstanding antidumping duty order, and in-scope merchandise can carry significant additional duties. Reviewing the wax composition and country of origin against the scope of that order is the key duty consideration for candles.