The heading
`0904` covers pepper of the genus *Piper*, and dried, crushed or ground fruits of the genus *Capsicum* or *Pimenta*.
- 0904.11 — pepper, neither crushed nor ground (whole peppercorns).
- 0904.12 — pepper, crushed or ground.
- 0904.21 / 0904.22 — dried Capsicum/Pimenta, whole vs crushed or ground.
The processing state, not the plant, decides the subheading. Grinding a shipment after arrival does not change the code it was imported under; grinding before export does.
Documents customs commonly asks for
- Commercial invoice and packing list with net and gross weights per lot.
- Certificate of origin — required for any preferential duty claim.
- Phytosanitary certificate — standard for plant products under IPPC-based national rules.
- Certificate of analysis — moisture, admixture, volatile oil, and often ash content.
- Fumigation certificate where the importing country requires it.
- Health certificate where the destination treats spices as food products requiring one.
Control checkpoints that stop shipments
- Moisture — above spec, and the lot may be rejected or downgraded; it is also where mould claims begin.
- Aflatoxins and ochratoxin A — spice consignments are routinely sampled in the EU and Gulf markets; keep lot-level lab results.
- Pesticide residues (MRLs) — the destination's limits govern, not the origin's.
- Irradiation and fumigant declarations — some markets require disclosure or prohibit specific treatments.
- Labelling — botanical name, origin, lot code and best-before in the required language.
Classification edges to watch
- Mixtures of spices move to `0910.91` (mixtures) rather than staying in 0904.
- Pepper in retail spice blends with salt or other non-spice ingredients may fall in Chapter 21 as a food preparation.
- Pepper oleoresin is an extract and belongs in Chapter 13, not 09.
- Green pepper in brine is preserved, not dried — a different heading entirely.
Practical advice
Request an advance ruling from the importing customs administration when your product sits near one of those edges. It is free in most jurisdictions and converts a risk into a written answer.
*References: WCO Harmonized System Nomenclature, Chapter 9; IPPC phytosanitary certification framework; Codex Alimentarius standards for spices.*