HS Code for Stickers
Stickers do not have a single HS code; the most appropriate classification depends mainly on the material and the product's function. Decorative printed paper stickers are generally reviewed as printed pictures under heading 4911 (duty-free). Self-adhesive plastic (vinyl) stickers and decals point toward heading 3919, which carries a general duty rate of roughly 5.8% to 6.5%. Printed paper labels point toward heading 4821 (duty-free), and transfers or decalcomanias toward heading 4908 (duty-free). Because material is the biggest driver, the same shape of sticker can land in very different headings.
HTS Codes for Stickers
| HTS Code | Description | Duty Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 4911.91.20.40 | Printed pictures, designs and photographs, paper, not over 0.51 mm thick - other Decorative printed paper stickers (thin) - printed-matter route | Free |
| 4911.91.40.40 | Printed pictures, designs and photographs, paper, over 0.51 mm thick - other Decorative printed paper stickers (thick/laminated) - printed-matter route | Free |
| 3919.90.10.00 | Self-adhesive plates, sheets, film of plastics - having a light-reflecting surface Reflective self-adhesive plastic stickers/decals | 6.5% |
| 3919.90.50.60 | Self-adhesive plates, sheets, film of plastics - other Vinyl / plastic stickers and decals, sheets larger than 20 cm wide | 5.8% |
| 3919.10.10.50 | Self-adhesive plastics in rolls not over 20 cm wide - having a light-reflecting surface / other Plastic sticker/tape rolls up to 20 cm wide, reflective | 6.5% |
| 3919.10.20.40 | Self-adhesive plastics in rolls not over 20 cm wide - other Plastic sticker/label rolls up to 20 cm wide | 5.8% |
| 4821.10.20.00 | Paper or paperboard labels, printed - printed in whole or in part by a lithographic process Printed paper labels (lithographic), incl. adhesive paper labels | Free |
| 4821.10.40.00 | Paper or paperboard labels, printed - other Printed paper labels, other processes | Free |
| 4908.90.00.00 | Transfers (decalcomanias) - other Decals and transfers | Free |
How to Approach Classification for Stickers
There is no single 'sticker' heading in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule. Two questions drive the classification: what the sticker is made of, and whether its essential character is a printed picture, a label, a transfer, or simply self-adhesive plastic.
Decorative stickers whose essential character is a printed picture, design or photograph on paper are generally reviewed under heading 4911 (other printed matter), where printed pictures and designs sit at 4911.91 and are duty-free. The statistical breakouts there distinguish by paper thickness.
Self-adhesive stickers and decals made of plastic (the familiar vinyl die-cut sticker) point instead toward heading 3919, which covers self-adhesive plates, sheets and film of plastics. Within 3919, products in narrow rolls (not over 20 cm wide) are separated from wider sheets, and a light-reflecting surface is broken out separately. This is the heading that carries a duty, generally in the 5.8% to 6.5% range, so identifying a sticker as plastic rather than paper has a real duty consequence.
Stickers that function as labels (bearing product, shipping or identification information) point toward heading 4821 when made of paper or paperboard, and these printed paper labels are duty-free. Transfers and decalcomanias, which release a printed design onto another surface, point toward heading 4908 and are also duty-free.
The practical approach is to review the material first (paper versus plastic), then the function (decorative picture, label, or transfer). A printed paper decal and a vinyl die-cut sticker may look similar but sit in different headings with different duty outcomes.
Duty Rate Overview
Duty treatment for stickers hinges on material. Paper-based stickers, decorative printed pictures (heading 4911), printed paper labels (heading 4821) and paper transfers (heading 4908), are generally duty-free. Self-adhesive plastic (vinyl) stickers and decals under heading 3919 carry a general rate of roughly 5.8% for ordinary products and up to about 6.5% for those with a light-reflecting surface. Preferential rates under free trade agreements may reduce or eliminate the plastic-sticker duty for qualifying origins. The single most important factor for the duty owed is whether the sticker is paper or plastic.