4902.90 Newspapers, journals and periodicals; whether or not illustrated or containing advertising material, appearing less frequently than four times a week
A full HS code. These six digits are what goes on a customs declaration, and they mean the same thing in every country that uses the Harmonized System.
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
- 02 Heading Newspapers, journals and periodicals, whether or not illustrated or containing advertising material
- 90 Subheading Newspapers, journals and periodicals; whether or not illustrated or containing advertising material, appearing less frequently than four times a week
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.
All of chapter 49Other codes under 49.02
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 under 4902.90? A customs hold shows up as a milestone that stops moving — follow the container or the air waybill from departure to delivery.
Track a shipment4902.90 FAQ
4902.90 covers newspapers, journals and periodicals; whether or not illustrated or containing advertising material, appearing less frequently than four times a week. It sits under heading 49.02 (newspapers, journals and periodicals, whether or not illustrated or containing advertising material) in chapter 49, Section X of the Harmonized System.
It is the international part of it. Six digits are the same in every country that applies the Harmonized System; the importing country then extends them to eight or ten for its own tariff and statistics. Declare 4902.90 plus whatever national digits the destination’s tariff schedule adds to it.
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.