Pickling preparations for metal surfaces — HTS 3810
Pickling preparations for metal surfaces; fluxes and other auxiliary preparations for soldering, brazing or welding; soldering, brazing or welding powders and pastes consisting of metal and other materials; preparations of a kind used as cores or coatings for welding electrodes or rods
Chapter 38 › Heading 3810
2026 HTS Rev 19 Synced Rules verified Operational
Written to help non-specialists understand this page. Rates, dates, and legal facts come from the official records above and on the linked source.
HTS heading 3810 is a broad product category for chemical preparations used in metalworking and joining. It groups together pickling preparations that clean or condition metal surfaces; fluxes and other auxiliary preparations used for soldering, brazing, or welding; soldering, brazing, or welding powders and pastes made from metal mixed with other materials; and preparations used as cores or coatings for welding electrodes or rods.
To narrow a product to a specific 8-digit HTSUS code, first identify its primary function and physical form. The classification may turn on whether it is a pickling preparation, a flux or other auxiliary preparation, a metal-containing powder or paste, or an electrode or rod core/coating preparation. Product composition, including the metal and other ingredients, packaging, and intended industrial use may then distinguish the more detailed statistical code. Confirm the current HTSUS wording and any applicable classification notes before filing.
What to check
- Read the full product formulation and technical data sheet, not just the marketing name.
- Identify the product's principal use: metal-surface pickling, fluxing, soldering or brazing, welding, or electrode/rod manufacture.
- For powders and pastes, document the metal content and the nonmetal materials; do not assume every welding compound belongs in the same subcategory.
- Check whether the product is sold as a standalone preparation, an electrode or rod core/coating material, or an auxiliary product used during joining.
- Compare the complete 8-digit HTSUS descriptions and seek customs-broker or classification advice when composition or intended use is ambiguous.
HTS heading 3810 summary
Pickling preparations for metal surfaces is a 4-digit product category containing 1 published product-code lines in this snapshot. A heading does not carry one universal duty rate; classification must be narrowed to the line matching the product facts.
How to find your code in this category
A heading is a product category. To get the exact duty, narrow from this 4-digit heading to a sub-category (usually by material), then open the 8-digit code that matches your product.
Open any code in the tables below to see its exact duty rate, a duty calculator (enter your shipment value → estimated duty and landed cost), the rate-change history chart, and the country-by-country breakdown (including Section 301/232 add-on duties).
Why you have to click in: a single category can contain products with very different duties. The rate depends on the specific product — its material and construction — and on the country of origin, and those only get pinned down at the 8-digit code level. That is why this page points you to codes instead of showing one rate for the whole category.
Sub-categories
| Code | Description |
|---|---|
| 3810.90 | Other |
Product codes & duty rates
👇 Each row is a specific product code — click a blue code to open its full page with exact duty rates by country, the rate-history chart, and a duty calculator. 👉
| Code | Description | General (MFN) | Special | Column 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3810.10.00.00 👉 | Pickling preparations for metal surfaces; soldering, brazing or welding powders and pastes consisting of metal and other materials | 5% | Free | 25% |
"Special" shows the free-trade-agreement rate; open a code to see exactly which countries qualify.
Common questions
What products fall under HTS heading 3810?
Pickling preparations for metal surfaces; fluxes and other auxiliary preparations for soldering, brazing or welding; soldering, brazing or welding powders and pastes consisting of metal and other materials; preparations of a kind used as cores or coatings for welding electrodes or rods. To classify a specific item you must pick the matching sub-category and 8-digit code above; the right choice usually depends on the material and construction of the product.
How do I choose the right code within this category?
Start from the sub-categories (typically divided by material—for example cotton versus man-made fibers), then open the active 8- or 10-digit code that matches the product. When unsure, a licensed customs broker or a CBP binding ruling can confirm the classification.
Reference information only, not customs, legal, or classification advice. Confirm the current code and rate against the official HTS before you import.