Where can I look up the 8-digit HSN code for a product?

Three places give you the same official list. Our HSN Code Finder searches it by product name. The GST portal has an HSN/SAC search under Services. And the customs tariff on ICEGATE lists the 8-digit lines that imports and exports are classified under. Start with the finder because you can search by name, then confirm the code on the GST portal.

Is an 8-digit HSN code compulsory on a domestic invoice?

No. On domestic GST documents the rule is a minimum of 4 digits up to ₹5 crore turnover and 6 digits above it, so 8 digits is optional. You need all 8 digits on a bill of entry or shipping bill. Our HSN code 4, 6 or 8 digits post has the full table.

I sell goods and services on the same bill. Which code do I use?

If the goods and the service are separate lines, give each line its own code: an HSN code for the goods and a SAC code for the service. If they are sold as one package where one part is the main supply, the invoice follows the code and rate of that main supply. If you are unsure which applies to you, ask your CA before you issue the invoice.

Two codes seem to fit my product. Which one should I pick?

Pick the one whose description names your product most precisely, not the broader one. The classification rules prefer a specific description over a general one. Then read the rate entry for that code. If both codes still look equally right, ask your supplier or CA instead of guessing, because the wrong code can change your tax rate.

Can I copy the HSN code from my supplier's invoice?

Use it as a starting point, then check it. Search the code in the finder and see whether the description matches what you sell. Your supplier may have rounded up to a broad heading, or classified a slightly different product. You are the one who answers to the GST department for your own invoices.

How to Find the HSN or SAC Code for Your Product (2026)

Most people looking for an HSN code do not know the code. They know the product: a laptop, a cotton T-shirt, a printed book, or a service like management consulting. The question is how to get from that name to the right code, and how to be sure it is the right one before it goes on an invoice.

The short answer

To find an HSN or SAC code from a product or service name:

Decide whether you sell goods (HSN) or a service (SAC).
Search the plain name in the HSN Code Finder.
Open the 4-digit heading, then go down to the 6 and 8 digit lines under it.
Pick the most specific line that describes what you sell.
Read the GST rate shown for that line, and confirm it on the GST portal's HSN/SAC search.

The rest of this post shows each step with real examples.

HSN or SAC: which one do you need?

Both are classification codes, and both go on the same GST invoice. The difference is what you sell.

	HSN code	SAC code
Stands for	Harmonized System of Nomenclature	Services Accounting Code
Used for	Goods	Services
How to spot it	Chapters 01 to 97, so it starts with 01 to 97	Always starts with 99
Length	4, 6 or 8 digits	6 digits
Example	8471 (computers)	998311 (management consulting)

If the first two digits are 99, it is a service. Anything else is goods.

Step by step: from a name to a code

1. Search with the everyday word

Type "laptop", "t-shirt" or "consulting" into the finder. The official list uses formal wording, so a laptop appears as "automatic data processing machines" and "portable automatic data processing machines". If the everyday word finds nothing, try a more general one, or type the first two or four digits of a code you already half know.

2. Start at the 4-digit heading

The heading tells you whether you are in the right family of products. Each pair of digits narrows it down: 2 digits is the chapter, 4 the heading, 6 the international subheading and 8 India's own tariff item. Our 4, 6 or 8 digits post explains what each level means and when you need it.

3. Go down to the most specific line

Under the heading you will see 6-digit and 8-digit lines. Read their descriptions and choose the one that fits your goods best. "Other" is the last resort, and you should use it only when no named line fits.

4. Read the rate for that line

The same heading can hold more than one rate, so look at the entry for your exact line. The finder shows every entry in the rate notifications that names the code.

5. Confirm on the GST portal

The finder reads the official HSN and SAC master and the rate notifications. The GST portal is still the final reference, so check the code and rate there before you save it in your billing software.

Worked examples

Here are five products and services, taken through the finder. Rates are as shown in the finder in October 2026.

What you sell	Code	Level found	GST rate
Laptop	847130	Heading 8471, subheading 847130 (portable computers up to 10 kg)	18%
Cotton T-shirt	61091000	Heading 6109, tariff item "of cotton"	5% up to ₹2,500 per piece, 18% above
Printed book	49011010	Heading 4901, tariff item "printed books"	Nil
Management consulting	998311	Heading 9983, SAC for management consulting	18%
Website or software development	998314	Heading 9983, SAC for IT design and development	18%

A few things to notice in these:

No 8-digit line says "laptop". Portable computers sit under 847130, and the 8-digit lines below it are "personal computer" (84713010) and "other" (84713090). Choose the one that matches your product. See HSN code 8471 for what the heading covers.
The T-shirt's rate depends on its price, not its code. The same code carries 5% or 18% depending on the sale value per piece. See HSN code 6109.
Books and leaflets sit under the same heading with different rates. Printed books are nil-rated, while brochures and leaflets under the same heading 4901 are taxed at 5%. See HSN code 4901.
Services share one heading but split at the sixth digit. Management consulting is 998311, business consulting is 998312, and IT consulting is 998313, all under heading 9983. See SAC 9983.

How many digits should I use?

Finding the 8-digit line is a good habit even when you do not have to print it. For domestic invoices, GSTR-1 and e-way bills you need at least 4 digits up to ₹5 crore turnover and at least 6 digits above it. For imports and exports you need all 8. Saving the full code once in your billing software means you never have to look it up again. The 4, 6 or 8 digits post has the full table.

Check the GST rate before you invoice

A code tells you what the product is. It does not always tell you the rate. Rates come from the GST rate notifications, and they can change after a GST Council meeting. Before you use a rate:

Check it on the GST portal's HSN/SAC search.
See our new GST rates post for the current slabs.
Work out the tax with the GST Calculator, or put the code on each line of the GST Invoice Generator.

Common mistakes

Using the heading for everything. A broad 4-digit heading can cover products with different rates. Go down to the line that describes your product.
Copying a competitor's code. They may have it wrong, and you are responsible for your own invoices.
Using an HSN code for a service, or a SAC code for goods. If the code starts with 99 it is a service.
Assuming the rate from the digits. More digits do not change the rate. The description in the rate entry does.
Never re-checking. Codes and rates are revised. Re-check your most-sold items when the GST Council changes rates.

Summary

HSN is for goods, SAC is for services. SAC codes always start with 99.
Search the product name in the HSN Code Finder, open the heading, and pick the most specific line.
Use at least 4 digits up to ₹5 crore turnover and 6 digits above it. Use 8 for imports and exports.
The GST rate depends on the exact entry for your product, so read it and confirm it on the GST portal.

Sources

This post is correct as of 7 October 2026. GST rates and HSN classifications can change, so confirm the code and rate on the GST portal before you file or invoice.