This document lists the Customs Houses that handle classification requests according to the chapters in the tariff.
For your convenience we have enclosed guidelines and a general explanation of the tariff and classification.

Receiving Classification Information form the Department of Customs and V.A.T. - General Information
Required Documents
Who Should you contact?
General Information on Customs Tariff Ordinance, Classification/Customs Headings
Receiving Information - Division according to Customs Houses

1. Receiving Information from The Department of Customs and V.A.T. - General Information

One of the services provided to the public by the Department of Customs and V.A.T. is classification information, that is an eight digit customs code.

This service is provided free of charge for up-to three products per request.

The Classification of goods includes information on duties and fees and often entails information regarding the requirements for authorizations from other authorized institutions and other agencies. This information falls under the responsibility of agencies other than the Department of Customs and V.AT., such as the Standards Institute, and other Government Ministries (the Ministries of Health, Communication, Agriculture, Environmental Protection etc.). For information concerning other agencies, you must contact the specific agency directly.

Classification of goods is a very complex subject matter. Therefore, we recommend that you contact a customs agent who has been authorized to handle all matters related to clearance of imported goods from customs.

Trained valuators are stationed at all of the customs houses, whose role it is, among other things to check if the classification given by the customs agent is correct.

If you have decided to contact the Department of Customs, please read this document carefully, and contact the appropriate Customs House as explained below.

2. Required Documents

When requesting classification information, you should send a detailed description of the goods, and include a catalog and/or prospects which contain the technical information and/or any other relevant information.

In addition, you may be requested to submit one or more of the following:
• A sample of the material/product.
• Laboratory results.
• Authorizations from institutes/authorized government agencies.
• Importation License.
• Other documents as required by the specific Customs Houses .

3. Who should you contact?

The Department of Customs has assigned each Customs House with the subjects that they are responsible for classification purposes, according to the Chapters of the Customs Tariff. Each Customs House provides classification on different Customs Headings .
At the end of this document you will find a list of the Customs Houses and the types of goods that they provide classification for.

4. General Information on The Israeli Customs Tariff Ordinance, Classification/Customs Heading

"Customs and Purchase Tax Ordinance"

The Department of Customs and V.A.T. provides the preliminary and main information on commercial importation of goods to Israel - that is, classification of the goods.

This information appears in the Israeli "Customs and Purchase Tax Ordinance".

The Ordinance is published by the Department of Customs and V.A.T. on a yearly basis, and is continuously updated when changes need to be made.

The publication may be purchased at the "Ministry of Defense Publication" Services.

The publication is divided into 22 Sections according to various subjects.
For example:
Section I deals with Live Animals and Animal Products
Section V deals with Mineral Products

The ordinance is further divided into 97 Chapters.
For Example:
Section I contains Chapters 1-5
Section IV contains Chapters 25-27

The Chapters are further divided into Headings and Subheadings.

This division is in accordance to the international system called the Harmonized System, which was formulated by the World Customs Organization's (W.C.O.) Joint Committee for Classification.

In addition to the 97 Chapters, there are annexes which are applicable to Israel only and are listed at the end of the Ordinance. These annexes include import regulations for new immigrants ("Olim"), returning residents, tourists, diplomats, and information on Trade Agreements which Israel has signed with other countries.

Each Section and Chapter contains terms and rules regarding that Section/Chapter.
These rules are very important, and there are instances when certain products are taken out of the group of products, or additional rules apply to them.

"Classification"

Classification is the determination of which "Customs Code" the particular products falls under, for the purpose of importation to Israel and clearance from Customs.
Classification is determined according to principles formulated by the W.C.O.'s Committee for Classification.

"H.S. Code"

The H.S. Code is an eight digit number which contains the heading and subheading of a particular product in the Israeli Customs Tariff. Each Customs Heading contains the following information:

• The customs rate which applies to the particular product, relating to the country in which it was manufactured and imported from (this is due to the existence of Trade Agreements between Israel and several countries).
• Purchase Tax Rate
• "TAMA" (Importation Addition) Rate
• Measuring Unit (Kilogram, Liter, etc.).

Receiving Classification Information
Division according to Customs Houses

SECTION I: LIVE ANIMALS; ANIMAL PRODUCTS
SECTION II: VEGETABLE PRODUCTS
SECTION III: ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE FATS AND OILS AND THEIR CLEAVAGE PRODUCTS; PREPARED EDIBLE FATS; ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE WAXES
SECTION IV: PREPARED FOODSTUFFS; BEVERAGES; SPIRITS AND VINEGAR; TOBACCO AND MANUFACTURED TOBACCO SUBSTITUTES
SECTION V: MINERAL PRODUCTS
SECTION VI: PRODUCTS OF THE CHEMICAL OR ALLIED INDUSTRIES
SECTION VII: PLASTICS AND ARTICLES THEREOF; RUBBER AND ARTICLES THEREOF
SECTION VIII: RAW HIDES AND SKINS, LEATHER, FURSKINS AND ARTICLES THEREOF; SADDLERY AND HARNESS; TRAVEL GOODS,
HANDBAGS AND SIMILAR CONTAINERS; ARTICLES OF ANIMAL
GUT (OTHER THAN SILK-WORM GUT)
SECTION IX: WOOD AND ARTICLES OF WOOD; WOOD CHARCOAL; CORK AND ARTICLES OF CORK; MANUFACTURES OF STRAW, OF ESPARTO
OR OF OTHER PLAITING MATERIALS; BASKETWARE AND WICKERWORK
SECTION X: PULP OF WOOD OR OF OTHER FIBERS CELLULOSIC MATERIAL; RECOVERED (WASTE AND SCRAP) PAPER OR PAPERBOARD;
PAPER AND PAPERBOARD AND ARTICLES THEREOF
SECTION XI: TEXTILES AND TEXTILES ARTICLES
SECTION XII: FOOTWEAR, HEADGEAR, UMBRELLAS, SUN UMBRELLAS,
WALKING-STICKS, SEAT-STICKS, WHIPS, RIDING-CROPS AND PARTS THEREOF; PREPARED FEATHERS AND ARTICLES MADE THEREWITH; ARTIFICIAL FLOWERS; ARTICLES OF HUMAN HAIR
SECTION XIII: ARTICLES OF STONE, PLASTER, CEMENT, ASBESTOS, MICA OR SIMILAR MATERIALS; CERAMIC PRODUCTS; GLASS AND GLASSWARE
SECTION XIV: NATURAL OR CULTURED PEARLS, PRECIOUS OR
SEMI-PRECIOUS STONES, PRECIOUS METALS, METALS CLAD
WITH PRECIOUS METAL, AND ARTICLES THEREOF; IMITATION
JEWELLERY; COIN
SECTION XV: BASE METALS AND ARTICLES OF BASE METAL
SECTION XVI: MACHINERY AND MECHANICAL APPLIANCES; ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT; PARTS THEREOF; SOUND RECORDERS AND
REPRODUCERS, TELEVISION IMAGE AND SOUND RECORDERS AND REPRODUCERS, AND PARTS AND ACCESSORIES OF SUCH ARTICLES
SECTION XVII: VEHICLES, AIRCRAFT, VESSELS AND ASSOCIATED TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT
SECTION XVIII: OPTICAL, PHOTOGRAPHIC, CINEMATOGRAPHIC, MEASURING, CHECKING, PRECISION MEDICAL OR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS AND APPARATUS; CLOCKS AND WATCHES; MUSICAL
INSTRUMENTS; PARTS AND ACCESSORIES THEREOF
SECTION XIX: ARMS AND AMMUNITION; PARTS AND ACCESSORIES THEREOF
SECTION XX: MISCELLANEOUS MANUFACTURED ARTICLES
SECTION XXI: WORKS OF ART, COLLECTORS' PIECES AND ANTIQUES