Heading 1209

Seeds, fruits and spores of a kind used for sowing

60 declarable lines

Heading 1209 covers seeds, fruits and spores of a kind used for sowing, not seeds meant for eating, crushing or planting as live plants. It starts with sugar beet seeds, then splits into forage plant seeds (alfalfa, clover, fescue, Kentucky blue grass, rye grass and other grasses), seeds of herbaceous plants grown mainly for their flowers, vegetable seeds, and a residual group for tree, shrub, tobacco and other seeds. Duty rates run from Free up to 5.9 cents/kg depending on the line.

Products in this heading

Alfalfa (lucerne) seed for sowing
White and ladino clover seed
Tall fescue and creeping red fescue seed
Kentucky blue grass seed
Annual and perennial rye grass seed
Petunia seed for flower production
Onion, tomato and carrot vegetable seed
Sugar beet seed

How to choose the right subheading

End use: the goods must be seeds, fruits or spores of a kind used for sowing, not for food, oil or feed.
Plant group: forage plant seeds, flower seeds, vegetable seeds, or the residual other group each take a different subheading path.
Species or genus: alfalfa, clover, fescue, Kentucky blue grass, rye grass and the named grasses each have their own line.
Certification status: certified and other alfalfa seed, and certified and other creeping red fescue, are split into separate lines.
Vegetable type: named vegetables such as cauliflower, celery, onion, parsley and pepper have dedicated lines; the rest fall under the other vegetable seeds groupings.

Often confused with

Soybeans for sowing or crushing
Soybeans have their own heading in chapter 12 regardless of end use.
Heading 1201
Peanuts in the shell or shelled
Ground-nuts are classified by their own heading, not as sowing seeds.
Heading 1202
Alfalfa hay, meal or pellets for feed
Forage products sold as feed rather than as seed belong to heading 1214.
Heading 1214
Hop cones and lupulin
Hops are covered by a separate chapter 12 heading.
Heading 1210
Live plants and seedlings for planting
Plants with roots, cuttings and seedlings are classified in chapter 6, not as seeds.
Heading 0602

Frequently asked questions

What is the HTS code for alfalfa seed?

Certified alfalfa seed is 1209.21.00.20 and other alfalfa seed is 1209.21.00.40, both at a general (MFN) rate of 1.5 cents/kg.

What is the duty on tomato seed?

Tomato seed is classified under 1209.91.80.70 and carries a general (MFN) rate of 1.5 cents/kg.

How do I classify grass seed for sowing?

Tall fescue seed goes under 1209.23.00.20 at a general (MFN) rate of Free, Kentucky blue grass seed goes under 1209.24.00.00 at 1.2 cents/kg, and annual rye grass seed goes under 1209.25.00.20 at 1.4 cents/kg.

Guide written from the official schedule text. Rates quoted are general (MFN) rates; check the line page for trade agreement rates and the classification of your exact product.