Chapter 73 covers articles of iron or steel, including tubes, profiles, wire, plates and other semi-finished products and various finished products, such as structural parts, containers, fasteners, springs, chains, etc. This chapter does not include ferrous waste and scrap (Chapter 72), machine parts (Chapter 84) or vehicle parts (Chapter 87). Wood screws, as fasteners of iron or steel, are typical goods of this chapter. Heading 7318 covers screws, bolts, nuts, washers, rivets, pins, cotter pins, washers and similar articles of iron or steel. It includes wood screws, self-tapping screws, machine screws, hex bolts, square head bolts, nuts, spring washers, etc. However, it does not include screws for railway tracks (7318.11), or parts specially designed for machines or equipment (which must be classified according to the machine). First 2 digits 73: Chapter 73, articles of iron or steel. Digits 3-4: 18: Heading 7318, screws, bolts, nuts, washers, rivets and similar fasteners of iron or steel. Digits 5-6: 12: Subheading 7318.12, specifically wood screws. This subheading is not further subdivided; all wood screws of iron or steel are classified under this code. Wood screws are characterized by deeper threads, larger pitch, and sharp points, specifically designed for wood or soft materials. Wood screws have a unique design with coarse threads, sharp points, and deep threads, specifically used for wood fastening, and are fundamentally different from self-tapping screws (7318.14) and machine screws (7318.15) in thread shape and use. Therefore, they are classified under 7318.12, not other subheadings.

Product name: The specific name of the declared commodity, such as "wood screw", "iron wood screw", etc., which must be consistent with the actual product. Material: The material of the declared screw, such as "iron or steel", "stainless steel", "carbon steel", etc., with specific composition noted. Specification and model: The dimensions of the declared screw, such as diameter, length, thread specification, etc., usually expressed as "M" or "#". Brand: The brand or trademark of the declared commodity; if no brand, fill in "no brand". Surface treatment: The surface treatment method of the declared screw, such as "galvanized", "black oxide", "phosphated", etc. Use: The use of the declared screw, such as "for wood fastening", "furniture assembly", etc. Packaging specification: The packaging method of the declared commodity, such as "boxed", "bulk", "1000 pieces per box", etc. Product name: Wood screw; Material: Carbon steel; Specification: M4×40mm; Brand: No brand; Surface treatment: Galvanized; Use: For wooden furniture assembly; Packaging: 500 pieces per box, 20 boxes per carton. Confusing wood screws with self-tapping screws; self-tapping screws have denser threads and are used for sheet metal, and should be classified under 7318.14. Not specifying the material as iron or steel; if it is stainless steel, note that it may involve other subheadings. Incomplete specification and model filling, causing customs unable to confirm product attributes.

The core basis for classification is the "Import and Export Tariff" and customs classification decisions. The key criteria for wood screws are: ① Material is iron or steel; ② Features of coarse threads, sharp point, deep threads; ③ Specifically used for wood or soft materials. If the threads are finer and the head has a cross slot, etc., it may be a self-tapping screw. Also refer to the description of 7318.12 in the "Tariff Explanatory Notes". 7318.14 Self-tapping screws: Self-tapping screws have denser threads and blunter points, used for sheet metal or plastics, while wood screws have coarse threads and sharp points, used for wood. 7318.15 Other screws and bolts: Includes machine screws, hex bolts, etc., usually used with nuts, without sharp points, and threads are machine threads. 7318.11 Railway track screws: Specifically used for railway track fastening, with special shape and strength requirements, and has a dedicated subheading. 7318.13 Square head screws: Square head screws have a square head, used for heavy timber structures, while wood screws mostly have cross or slotted heads. Is the material iron or steel? Are the threads coarse and deep? Is the point sharp? Is the use for wood fastening? Is it confused with self-tapping screws?

What is the difference in HS codes between wood screws and self-tapping screws? Wood screws are classified under 7318.12, and self-tapping screws under 7318.14. The main difference is in the threads: wood screws have coarse threads, large pitch, and sharp points, specifically for wood; self-tapping screws have dense threads, small pitch, and blunter points, used for sheet metal. Accurate description of features is required when declaring. Are stainless steel wood screws also classified under 7318.12? Yes, 7318.12 covers all wood screws of iron or steel, including stainless steel. However, note that if stainless steel wood screws have special properties (such as corrosion resistance), they are still classified under this code. Material must be declared as stainless steel. Which declaration elements for wood screws are most prone to errors? Common errors include: generic product name "screw" without distinguishing wood screws; material not specified as iron or steel; incomplete specification and model; use not clearly specified as for wood. It is recommended to strictly follow customs declaration standards and provide detailed specifications and use. How to inquire about the import tariff rate for wood screws? Tariff rates vary by country, trade agreements, origin, etc. The latest rates can be obtained through the General Administration of Customs website, tariff inquiry platforms, or by consulting a customs broker. Note the differences between MFN rates, general rates, and agreement rates. What regulatory conditions are required for exporting wood screws? Generally, there are no special regulatory conditions for exporting wood screws, but they must comply with the standards of the destination country. If involving brands or patents, an authorization letter is required. Specifics can be checked in the customs regulatory condition codes. Does the packaging specification of wood screws affect classification? Packaging specification does not affect classification, but affects the filling of declaration elements. Customs may pay attention to whether the packaging is suitable for retail, but classification is still based on the characteristics of the goods themselves. It is recommended to declare the packaging method truthfully. If wood screws are used for furniture, are they classified under 9403? No, wood screws as fasteners, even if specifically for furniture, are still classified under 7318.12. If furniture parts are declared separately, they need to be classified according to material and use, but screws themselves are general fasteners. How is the HS code for wood screws applied in cross-border e-commerce? Cross-border e-commerce sellers need to accurately declare the HS code to calculate tariffs and VAT. 7318.12 applies to most platforms. It is recommended to use customs-recognized classification decisions to avoid customs clearance delays due to classification errors.