US Census International Trade Data Scraper

Extract US import and export trade data from the official Census Bureau International Trade API. Get trade values, quantities, and commodity descriptions by HS code, country, and port.

Features

• Import & Export Data: Query US imports, exports, or both
• Multiple Data Levels: By HS code, port, NAICS industry, or end-use category
• Flexible Filtering: Filter by commodity (HS code), country, port, date range
• Quantity Data: Includes quantities and units of measure
• Date Ranges: Query single months or multi-month ranges (2013-present)
• No API Key Required: Works without authentication (key optional for higher limits)

Data Available

Field	Description
tradeType	"import" or "export"
time	Month (YYYY-MM format)
commodityCode	HS code (2, 4, 6, or 10 digits)
commodityDescription	Human-readable commodity name
countryName	Trading partner country
countryCode	Census country code
tradeValueMonthly	Trade value in USD for the month
tradeValueYTD	Year-to-date trade value (optional)
quantity	Quantity traded
unit	Unit of measure (e.g., NO, KG, LTR)
portCode	Port district code (if port-level)
portName	Port name (if port-level)

Input Examples

All US-China trade in vehicles (HS 87) for 2024

{
  "tradeType": "both",
  "hsCode": "87",
  "countryCode": "5700",
  "startMonth": "2024-01",
  "endMonth": "2024-12",
  "aggregationLevel": "HS4"
}

Semiconductor imports by port

{
  "tradeType": "imports",
  "dataLevel": "porths",
  "hsCode": "8542",
  "startMonth": "2024-06"
}

All exports to Mexico, broad categories

{
  "tradeType": "exports",
  "countryCode": "2010",
  "startMonth": "2024-01",
  "aggregationLevel": "HS2"
}

Common Country Codes

Code	Country
5700	China
2010	Mexico
1220	Canada
5880	Japan
4280	Germany
4120	United Kingdom
5830	South Korea
5330	India

Common HS Codes

Code	Category
84	Machinery, mechanical appliances
85	Electrical machinery, equipment
87	Vehicles
27	Mineral fuels, oils
90	Optical, medical instruments
8471	Computers
8542	Integrated circuits
8703	Motor cars
2709	Crude petroleum

API Information

• Source: US Census Bureau International Trade API
• Data Range: Monthly from 2013-present
• Update Frequency: Monthly (approximately 6-week lag)
• Documentation: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/data-sets/international-trade.html

Output

Results are saved to the default dataset. Each record includes:

• Trade type (import/export)
• Time period
• Commodity code and description
• Country information
• Trade value in USD
• Quantity and unit (if available)
• Port information (if port-level query)

Notes

• Large queries may be limited by the API. Use filters to narrow results.
• API key is optional but recommended for heavy usage.
• Get a free API key at: https://api.census.gov/data/key_signup.html