Chapter 32 at a glance
- HS chapter
- 32
- Section
- VI — Products of the chemical & allied industries
- Tariff headings
- 15 (45 subheadings)
- General customs duty
- 0% – 10%
- Import VAT
- 15% on the added tax value (ATV)
- Products listed
- 4
As at 2026-08-06. Source: SARS Tariff Book, Schedule 1 Part 1.
HS Chapter 32 covers tanning & dyeing extracts; paints, inks & pigments. Every tariff heading in the chapter is listed below, with its subheadings. Headings we have researched carry a duty page link showing the South African customs duty, a worked landed-cost example and any anti-dumping or ITAC permit exposure.
Duty pages in this chapter
3208.90
Paints & varnishes (solvent-based)
10% duty + 15% VAT
3209.10
Paints (water-based, acrylic)
10% duty + 15% VAT
3214.10
Mastics, fillers & glazing sealants
0% duty + 15% VAT
3215.19
Printing inks
0% duty + 15% VAT
All 15 tariff headings in Chapter 32
Harmonised System HS 2022 nomenclature — the same headings and subheadings the SARS Tariff Book is built on. South Africa classifies to 8 digits, so confirm the last two digits of your line in the Tariff Book before you clear.
3201 Tanning extracts of vegetable origin; tannins and their salts, ethers, esters and other derivatives
- 3201.10 Tanning extracts of vegetable origin; quebracho extract
- 3201.20 Tanning extracts of vegetable origin; wattle extract
- 3201.90 Tanning extracts of vegetable origin; tannins and their salts, ethers, esters and other derivatives, (excluding quebracho or wattle extract)
3202 Tanning substances; synthetic organic or inorganic tanning substances; tanning preparations, whether or not containing natural tanning substances, enzymatic preparations for pre-tanning
- 3202.10 Tanning substances; synthetic organic tanning substances
- 3202.90 Tanning substances; inorganic tanning substances; tanning preparations, whether or not containing natural tanning substances; enzymatic preparations for pre- tanning
3203 Colouring matter of vegetable or animal origin (including dyeing extracts, not animal black); whether or not chemically defined; preparations based on colouring matter of vegetable or animal origin
- 3203.00 Colouring matter of vegetable or animal origin, including dyeing extracts not animal black, whether or not chemically defined; preparations based on colouring matter of vegetable or animal origin
3204 Synthetic organic colouring matter and preparations based thereon; synthetic organic products used as fluorescent brightening agents or as luminophores; whether or not chemically defined
- 3204.11 Dyes; disperse dyes and preparations based thereon
- 3204.12 Dyes; acid, whether or not premetallised and preparations based thereon, mordant dyes and preparations based thereon
- 3204.13 Dyes; basic dyes and preparations based thereon
- 3204.14 Dyes; direct dyes and preparations based thereon
- 3204.15 Dyes; vat dyes (including those usable in that state as pigments) and preparations based thereon
- 3204.16 Dyes; reactive dyes and preparations based thereon
- 3204.17 Dyes; pigments and preparations based thereon
- 3204.18 Dyes; carotenoid colouring matters and preparations based thereon
- 3204.19 Dyes; n.e.c., including mixtures of colouring matter of two or more of those from item no. 3204.11 to 3204.19
- 3204.20 Dyes; synthetic organic products of a kind used as fluorescent brightening agents
- 3204.90 Dyes; synthetic organic products n.e.c. in heading no. 3204 (e.g. of a kind used as luminophores), whether or not chemically defined
3205 Colour lakes; preparations based on colour lakes as specified in note 3 to this chapter
- 3205.00 Colour lakes; preparations based on colour lakes as specified in note 3 to this chapter
3206 Colouring matter and preparations thereof n.e.c. in heading no. 3203, 3204, 3205; inorganic products, kind used as luminophores whether or not chemically defined
- 3206.11 Colouring matter; pigments and preparations based on titanium dioxide, containing 80% or more by weight of titanium dioxide calculated on the dry matter
- 3206.19 Colouring matter; pigments and preparations based on titanium dioxide, containing less than 80% by weight of titanium dioxide calculated on the dry weight
- 3206.20 Colouring matter; pigments and preparations based on chromium compounds
- 3206.41 Colouring matter; ultramarine and preparations based thereon
- 3206.42 Colouring matter; lithopone and other pigments and preparations based on zinc sulphide
- 3206.49 Colouring matter; other preparations n.e.c. in item no. 3206.4
- 3206.50 Colouring matter; inorganic products of a kind used as luminophores
3207 Pigments, prepared; opacifiers, colours, vitrifiable enamels, glazes, engobes (slips), liquid lustres etc as used in the ceramic enamelling or glass industry; glass frit and powder, granules or flakes
- 3207.10 Pigments; prepared pigments, opacifiers, colours and similar preparations
- 3207.20 Enamels and glazes; vitrifiable enamels and glazes, engobes (slips) and similar preparations
- 3207.30 Lustres; liquid lustres and similar preparations
- 3207.40 Glass; glass frit and other glass, in the form of powder, granules or flakes
3208 Paints, varnishes; (enamels and lacquers) based on synthetic polymers or chemically modified natural polymers, dispersed or dissolved in a non-aqueous medium
- 3208.10 Paints and varnishes; based on polyesters, dispersed or dissolved in a non-aqueous medium
- 3208.20 Paints and varnishes; based on acrylic or vinyl polymers, dispersed or dissolved in a non-aqueous medium
- 3208.90 Paints and varnishes; based on polymers n.e.c. in heading no. 3208, dispersed or dissolved in a non-aqueous medium 10% duty
3209 Paints and varnishes (including enamels and lacquers) based on synthetic or chemically modified natural polymers, dispersed or dissolved in an aqueous medium
- 3209.10 Paints and varnishes; based on acrylic or vinyl polymers, dispersed or dissolved in an aqueous medium 10% duty
- 3209.90 Paints and varnishes; (based on polymers other than acrylic or vinyl), dispersed or dissolved in an aqueous medium
3210 Paints and varnishes (including enamels, lacquers and distempers), excluding those of heading no. 3209, prepared water pigments of a kind used for finishing leather
- 3210.00 Paints and varnishes; (including enamels, lacquers and distempers), prepared water pigments of a kind used for finishing leather
3211 Driers; prepared
- 3211.00 Driers; prepared
3212 Pigments (metallic powders and flakes) dispersed in non-aqueous media in liquid or paste form, as used in manufacture of paints (including enamels); stamping foils, dyes etc in forms, packing for retail sale
- 3212.10 Pigments; of a kind used in the manufacture of paints, stamping foils
- 3212.90 Pigments; of a kind used in the manufacture of paints, other than stamping foils
3213 Colours; artists, students, or signboard painters, modifying tints, amusement colours and the like; in tablets, tubes, jars, bottles, pan or in similar forms or packings
- 3213.10 Colours; in sets, of a kind used by artists, students or signboard painters
- 3213.90 Colours; (other than in sets), of a kind used by artists, students or signboard painters
3214 Glaziers' putty, grafting putty, resin cements, caulking compounds and other mastics; painters' fillings; non-refractory surfacing preparations for facades, indoor walls, floors, ceilings or the like
- 3214.10 Mastics; painters' fillings 0% duty
- 3214.90 Mastics; n.e.c. in heading no. 3214
3215 Ink; printing, writing or drawing ink and other inks; whether or not concentrated or solid
- 3215.11 Ink; for printing, black, whether or not concentrated or solid
- 3215.19 Ink; for printing, other than black, whether or not concentrated or solid 0% duty
- 3215.90 Ink; writing, drawing and other inks, n.e.c. in heading no. 3215, whether or not concentrated or solid