49 Printed books, newspapers, pictures and other products of the printing industry; manuscripts, typescripts and plans
The broadest level of the Harmonized System. Pick the heading below that fits your goods, then the six-digit code under it — that last one is what you declare.
Section X, Pulp, Paper & Print — wood pulp, paper, paperboard, printed books and newspapers.
- 49 Chapter Printed books, newspapers, pictures and other products of the printing industry; manuscripts, typescripts and plans
- —— Heading Pick one of the 11 headings below
- —— Subheading Six digits, the level every country shares
Chapter 49 covers printed books, newspapers, pictures and other products of the printing industry; manuscripts, typescripts and plans. Many countries admit printed books duty-free under long-standing trade agreements aimed at supporting literacy and the free flow of information. Classification tip: Duty-free treatment for books typically applies to books and printed matter specifically, not to related items like calendars, diaries or advertising material, which have their own subheadings and duty rates.
11 headings in chapter 49
Four-digit groups. Pick the one that fits, then the six-digit code inside it.
- 49.01 Printed books, brochures, leaflets and similar printed matter, whether or not in single sheets 3 codes
- 49.02 Newspapers, journals and periodicals, whether or not illustrated or containing advertising material 2 codes
- 49.03 Children's picture, drawing or colouring books 1 code
- 49.04 Music, printed or in manuscript, whether or not bound or illustrated 1 code
- 49.05 Maps and hydrographic or similar charts of all kinds, including atlases, wall maps, topographical plans and globes, printed 2 codes
- 49.06 Plans and drawings; for architectural, engineering, industrial, commercial, topographical or similar, being originals drawn by hand; hand-written texts; photo- graphic reproductions; their carbon copies 1 code
- 49.07 Unused postage, revenue or similar stamps of current or new issue in the country in which they have, or will have, a recognised face value; stamp-impressed paper; cheque forms; banknotes, stock, share or bond certificates and the like of similar title 1 code
- 49.08 Transfers (decalcomanias) 2 codes
- 49.09 Printed or illustrated postcards; printed cards bearing personal greetings, messages or announcements, whether or not illustrated, with or without envelopes or trimmings 1 code
- 49.10 Calendars of any kind, printed, including calendar blocks 1 code
- 49.11 Printed matter, n.e.c., including printed pictures and photographs 3 codes
Other chapters in Section X
The wording above is the Harmonized System nomenclature as published by the World Customs Organization, HS 2022 edition. It is a classification reference, not a tariff: it carries no duty rates, and it stops at six digits — the importing country adds its own beyond that.
Classification is decided by the General Rules of Interpretation and the section and chapter notes, and it is the importing country’s customs authority that makes it binding.
Shipping goods from chapter 49? A customs hold shows up as a milestone that stops moving — follow the container or the air waybill from departure to delivery.
Track a shipmentChapter 49 FAQ
Chapter 49 covers printed books, newspapers, pictures and other products of the printing industry; manuscripts, typescripts and plans. Many countries admit printed books duty-free under long-standing trade agreements aimed at supporting literacy and the free flow of information. Classification tip: Duty-free treatment for books typically applies to books and printed matter specifically, not to related items like calendars, diaries or advertising material, which have their own subheadings and duty rates.
Pick the heading below that describes the goods, then the six-digit subheading under it. Six digits is the level the Harmonized System defines and the level customs everywhere recognises; anything beyond that is added by the importing country.
The General Rules of Interpretation, read together with the notes to Section X and to chapter 49. A description that reads right is not enough on its own — the notes routinely pull goods out of the chapter they obviously belong to and put them somewhere else. Where duty or licensing turns on the answer, ask the importing country’s customs authority for a binding ruling.
A wrong or missing code is one of the common reasons customs holds a container, and a hold shows up as a milestone that stops moving. Watch for it in the container tracking app, on the air waybill in the air cargo tracker, or through the tracking API.