A practical, decision-tree guide to choosing the correct 2025 US HTS code and duty rate for Indonesian chili peppers (fresh, dried, crushed/ground, frozen) with clear examples, invoice wording tips, and quick duty math.
If you sell or buy Indonesian chilies into the US, the fastest way to save money is to classify them correctly the first time. We’ve seen importers overpay, trigger holds, and lose weeks because the invoice said “chili” without stating fresh vs dried vs ground. The good news is the HTS path for chilies is logical once you know the steps.
The simple hook
Last quarter we helped a buyer switch a “frozen chili” line from a prepared-food chapter to the correct frozen-vegetable heading. Clearance time dropped to 36 hours and the duty went to zero. The exact method is below. Use it and you’ll avoid 90% of chili classification headaches.
The 3 pillars of correct chili classification
- Nail the physical form. Fresh/chilled, dried whole, crushed/ground, or frozen. Any added ingredients? Any sauce, vinegar, oil, salt, or sugar moves you away from plain chili headings.
- Map to the right chapter. Fresh/chilled and frozen chilies live in Chapter 7. Dried, crushed or ground chilies move to Chapter 9 (spices). Anything prepared with other ingredients likely goes to Chapters 20 or 21.
- Confirm the duty outcome. Indonesia is MFN in 2025 with no special FTA rate. Most dried chili lines are duty-free. Fresh/frozen are often free or low single-digit. Always check the 10-digit breakouts and notes.
The decision tree: pick your HTS in 3 steps
Step 1: Is the product fresh or chilled, with no added ingredients? Choose heading 0709.
- HTSUS 0709.60 covers fruits of the genus Capsicum or Pimenta, fresh or chilled. This includes bird’s eye (cabe rawit), cayenne, and other non-sweet chilies.
- Typical duty result: often free or low ad valorem. Verify the 10-digit line for seasonality/notes.
Step 2: Is it dried, or dried and crushed/ground? Choose heading 0904.
- HTSUS 0904.20 covers fruits of the genus Capsicum or Pimenta, dried, crushed or ground. Whole dried pods, flakes, and powders all sit under 0904.20 at the 6-digit level. The 10-digit lines differentiate “whole vs crushed/ground.”
- Typical duty result: generally free for MFN countries, including Indonesia.
Step 3: Is it frozen (IQF blocks, whole pods, or chopped), with no sauce or seasoning? Choose heading 0710.
- HTSUS 0710.80 covers other vegetables, frozen. Frozen chili peppers that are unsweetened and unseasoned classify here. Whether whole or cut doesn’t change the heading.
- Typical duty result: often free at the general rate. Confirm the exact 10-digit subheading.
If your chilies are in brine, vinegar, oil, or a sauce, stop. You’re no longer in the pure chili headings. You’ll likely be in Chapter 20 or 21 depending on the preparation. That’s outside this guide.
What’s the US HTS code for fresh bird’s eye chilies from Indonesia?
Fresh or chilled bird’s eye chilies classify in 0709.60 at the 6-digit level. The 10-digit code depends on the US statistical breakout. On the commercial invoice, make sure you state “Capsicum frutescens, fresh, non-sweet, chilled, whole pods” with net weight.
When do chilies switch from 0709.60 (vegetables) to 0904.20 (spices)?
The moment they’re dried. Chapter 7 is for fresh/chilled or frozen vegetables. Chapter 9 is for spices, which includes dried chilies. It doesn’t matter if the dried pods are whole, crushed, or ground into powder. They remain under 0904.20.
Are crushed chili flakes and powders classified the same as whole dried chilies?
At the 6-digit level, yes. All are 0904.20. At the 10-digit level, the HTSUS distinguishes between “neither crushed nor ground” and “crushed/ground.” Your invoice should say which form you’re shipping so your broker can hit the right statistical suffix.
How do I classify frozen whole vs chopped chili peppers in HTSUS?
Both are “vegetables, frozen” under 0710.80 if there’s no added sauce, salt, sugar, or oil. Whole pods, diced, sliced, and IQF formats all land in the same heading. If you add seasoning, you’ll leave 0710 and head toward prepared foods.
Do Indonesian-origin chilies get any preferential duty rate in 2025?
Indonesia doesn’t have a US FTA for these lines, and GSP remains lapsed as of late 2025. So you’ll use the Column 1 General MFN rate. The good news is that 0904.20 is typically free and 0710.80 often is too. Fresh 0709.60 lines are generally free or low single-digit.
Are there extra Section 301 or antidumping duties on Indonesian chili peppers?
We haven’t seen Section 301 tariffs applied to Indonesian-origin chilies. No active US antidumping/countervailing duty orders currently cover Indonesian chilies either. Always check with your broker before entry in case new measures are issued.
What invoice description helps CBP accept my chili pepper classification?
Here’s the description template we use that clears smoothly:
- Product name: Chili peppers (Capsicum spp.)
- State: Fresh/chilled OR Dried whole OR Dried, crushed/ground OR Frozen (unsweetened, unseasoned)
- Variety: Bird’s eye (cabe rawit), cayenne, etc.
- Processing: None; if ground, state “ground to powder/flakes” and mesh if known
- Ingredients: “100% chili peppers. No salt, sugar, oil, or sauce.”
- Packaging: 5 kg cartons x 100; Net weight and gross weight
- Origin: Indonesia; Producer/packer name and address Example: “Chili peppers, Capsicum frutescens, fresh, whole pods, chilled, 100% chili, no additives, Indonesia, 100 cartons x 5 kg, NW 500 kg, GW 530 kg.”
2025 duty outcomes at a glance (MFN, Indonesia)
- 0709.60 HTS fresh/chilled chilies. Commonly free or low ad valorem based on specific 10-digit lines. Some produce lines have seasonal or statistical breakouts. Verify the rate before entry.
- 0904.20 HTS dried chilies, whole or crushed/ground. Generally free.
- 0710.80 HTS frozen chilies (plain, unsweetened, unseasoned). Commonly free. Our rule of thumb: Dried and frozen usually land at 0%. Fresh is often 0–3%, with some nuance by subheading.
Quick line-item examples and duty math
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Example A. 500 kg dried whole bird’s eye chilies, FOB value USD 2.80/kg. Classification: 0904.20 (dried). Typical duty: 0%. Duty math: 500 kg x $2.80 = $1,400 dutiable value. Duty = 0% = $0.
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Example B. 1,000 kg fresh red cayenne, CIF value USD 1.50/kg. Classification: 0709.60 (fresh). If your 10-digit line shows 2.8% (illustrative), duty = 1,000 kg x $1.50 = $1,500 x 2.8% = $42. If your subheading is free, duty = $0. Always confirm the exact 10-digit rate before quoting.
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Example C. 800 kg frozen chopped chili, IQF, no additives, FOB value USD 2.20/kg. Classification: 0710.80 (frozen, unsweetened, unseasoned). Typical duty: 0%. Duty math: 800 x $2.20 = $1,760. Duty = 0% = $0.
Common mistakes we see (and how to avoid them)
- Writing “chili” on the invoice without the state. Fresh versus dried is the difference between Chapter 7 and Chapter 9. Fix this by adding “fresh,” “dried whole,” “dried ground,” or “frozen unsweetened.”
- Calling dried flakes a “prepared food.” Flakes and powders belong in 0904.20, not sauces. If there are no added ingredients, it’s still a spice.
- Freezing with seasoning. A little salt or oil moves you out of 0710 into prepared-food chapters. If you want the frozen-vegetable heading, keep it plain.
- Mixing varieties without saying they’re all Capsicum. State the Capsicum genus to avoid confusion with sweet bell peppers in some statistical notes.
- Quoting duty before checking the 10-digit. We’ve found that 3 out of 5 first-time importers quote based on the 6-digit, then have to reprice after their broker picks the final suffix. Confirm the 10-digit before you set a selling price.
Where this advice applies (and where it doesn’t)
This guide covers plain chilies from Indonesia entering the US, in four forms: fresh/chilled, dried whole, dried crushed/ground, and frozen unseasoned. If you’re adding vinegar, oil, salt, or turning it into a paste or sauce, you’re in a different chapter and should get a ruling or broker review.
Practical takeaways you can use today
- Decide the chapter first by state. Fresh/chilled 0709.60. Dried 0904.20. Frozen 0710.80.
- Put the state and form on your invoice. Whole vs crushed/ground. Plain vs seasoned.
- Expect MFN rates for Indonesia in 2025. Dried and frozen are commonly free. Fresh is usually free or low.
- Need a benchmark product description? Copy the template above and tweak for your lot.
If you’re sourcing fresh chilies, our export-grade Red Cayenne Pepper (Fresh Red Cayenne Chili) packs and grades consistently, which makes classification and clearance smoother. And if you’re balancing a mixed program of chilies and bell peppers, note that our Frozen Paprika (Bell Peppers) - Red, Yellow, Green & Mixed are “sweet peppers,” not chilies, but the frozen classification logic is similar when shipped plain.
Questions about your commodity and 10-digit selection? Send the draft invoice description and we’ll sanity-check it for you. The quickest way is to Contact us on whatsapp. If you’re still sizing up suppliers, you can also browse our current range here: View our products.
From our side, we’ll keep watching the 2025 update cycle. If USDA or CBP issue any new notes or statistical changes for Capsicum, we’ll update this guide and share real examples from live entries. That’s how we keep landed costs predictable and avoid surprises at the border.