Petroleum resins — HTS 3911

HTS heading 3911 is a broad product category for certain synthetic resins and other chemical products in “primary forms.” It groups petroleum resins, coumarone-indene resins, polyterpenes, polysulfides, polysulfones, and other products covered by chapter note 3, when they are not more specifically classified elsewhere. “Primary forms” generally means basic forms such as liquids, pastes, dispersions, solutions, powders, flakes, granules, and similar bulk forms—not finished articles made from the material.

To narrow a shipment from heading 3911 to an 8-digit HTSUS code, first identify the material’s chemical identity and the applicable product description. Subheadings commonly distinguish products by resin or polymer type and, where relevant, by characteristics such as physical form or composition. Confirm that heading 3911 applies at all: a more specific heading, a finished product heading, or a different chapter note may control. The final classification may require reviewing the HTSUS notes, the product’s technical data, and customs-broker or classification-specialist judgment.

What to check

• Obtain the product’s SDS, technical data sheet, and supplier formulation or composition statement; identify the resin or polymer by its recognized chemical name.
• Confirm the goods are in a primary form and are not finished articles, mixtures, or products covered more specifically elsewhere in the HTSUS.
• Compare the material and product description with each heading 3911 subheading, including any distinctions based on polymer type, formulation, or physical form.
• Check the chapter notes, section notes, and the General Rules of Interpretation rather than relying only on a commercial name or supplier’s suggested code.
• Verify the current 8-digit HTSUS provision and obtain customs-broker or professional classification advice when the formulation, mixture, or intended use creates uncertainty.