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Section X: Pulp of Wood or of Other Fibrous Cellulosic Material; Paper and Paperboard; Articles Thereof

Chapter 49: Printed books, newspapers, pictures and other products of the printing industry; manuscripts, typescripts and plans

Chapter 49 of the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule covers Printed books, newspapers, pictures and other products of the printing industry; manuscripts, typescripts and plans and sits within Section X: Pulp of Wood or of Other Fibrous Cellulosic Material; Paper and Paperboard; Articles Thereof.

About Chapter 49

Chapter 49 contains 50 10-digit statistical lines grouped under 5 4-digit headings. Brokers, importers, and customs counsel use these codes to declare printed books, newspapers, pictures and other products of the printing industry; manuscripts, typescripts and plans on entry summaries (CBP Form 7501) and to look up the applicable Column 1, Special, and Column 2 duty rates.

All 50 10-digit lines in this chapter enter duty-free under the general (Column 1) rate. Country-of-origin overlays (Section 301 for China, Section 232 for steel/aluminum, IEEPA reciprocal tariffs, AD/CVD orders) can still apply on top of the base rate — open any code for the live overlay stack.

Every code page links into the Tandom Tariff Calculator with the HTS code prefilled, so you can compute the full landed duty for a specific shipment by entering value, country of origin, and (where relevant) material content or date of entry. Tandom's data refreshes daily from USITC HTSUS, CBP CSMS, the Federal Register, and the Department of Commerce — the same authoritative sources the trade community files against.

4901Printed books, brochures, leaflets and similar printed matter, whether or not in single sheets:

CodeDescriptionGeneralColumn 2SpecialUnits
4901.10.00In single sheets, whether or not foldedFreeFree
4901.10.00.20·Reproduction proofskg
4901.10.00.40·Otherkg
4901.91.00·Dictionaries and encyclopedias, and serial installments thereofFreeFree
4901.91.00.20··Dictionaries (including thesauruses)No.
4901.91.00.40··EncyclopediasNo.
4901.99.00·OtherFreeFree
4901.99.00.10··TextbooksNo.
4901.99.00.20··Bound newspapers, journals and periodicals provided for in Legal Note 3 to this chapterNo.
4901.99.00.30··DirectoriesNo.
4901.99.00.40···Bibles, testaments, prayer books and other religious booksNo.
4901.99.00.50···Technical, scientific and professional booksNo.
4901.99.00.60····Valued under $5 eachNo.
4901.99.00.65····Valued $5 or more eachNo.
4901.99.00.70····Hardbound booksNo.
4901.99.00.75····Rack size paperbound booksNo.
4901.99.00.91·····Containing not more than 4 pages each (excluding covers)No.
4901.99.00.92·····Containing 5 or more pages each, but not more than 48 pages each (excluding covers)No.
4901.99.00.93·····Containing 49 or more pages each (excluding covers)No.

4902Newspapers, journals and periodicals, whether or not illustrated or containing advertising material:

CodeDescriptionGeneralColumn 2SpecialUnits
4902.10.00.00Appearing at least four times a weekFreeFreekg
4902.90Other:
4902.90.10.00·Newspaper supplements printed by a gravure processFree25%No.
4902.90.20·OtherFreeFree
4902.90.20.20··Newspapers appearing less than four times per weekkg
4902.90.20.40··Other business and professional journals and periodicals (including single issues tied together for shipping purposes)No.
4902.90.20.60··Other (including single issues tied together for shipping purposes)No.

4903Children's picture, drawing or coloring books

CodeDescriptionGeneralColumn 2SpecialUnits
4903.00.00.00Children's picture, drawing or coloring booksFreeFreeNo.

4904

CodeDescriptionGeneralColumn 2SpecialUnits
4904.00.00Music, printed or in manuscript, whether or not bound or illustratedFreeFree
4904.00.00.20Sheet music, whether or not stapled or folded, but not otherwise boundkg
4904.00.00.40OtherNo.

4905Maps and hydrographic or similar charts of all kinds, including atlases, wall maps, topographical plans and globes, printed:

CodeDescriptionGeneralColumn 2SpecialUnits
4905.20.00.00In book formFreeFreeNo.
4905.90Other:
4905.90.20.00·GlobesFree35%kg
4905.90.60.00·OtherFreeFreekg

4906Plans and drawings for architectural, engineering, industrial, commercial, topographical or similar purposes, being originals drawn by hand; handwritten texts; photographic reproductions on sensitized paper and carbon copies of the foregoing

CodeDescriptionGeneralColumn 2SpecialUnits
4906.00.00.00Plans and drawings for architectural, engineering, industrial, commercial, topographical or similar purposes, being originals drawn by hand; handwritten texts; photographic reproductions on sensitized paper and carbon copies of the foregoingFree25%kg

4907Unused postage, revenue or similar stamps of current or new issue in the country in which they have, or will have, a recognized face value; stamp-impressed paper; banknotes; check forms; stock, share or bond certificates and similar documents of title

CodeDescriptionGeneralColumn 2SpecialUnits
4907.00.00.00Unused postage, revenue or similar stamps of current or new issue in the country in which they have, or will have, a recognized face value; stamp-impressed paper; banknotes; check forms; stock, share or bond certificates and similar documents of titleFree66¢/kgkg

4908Transfers (decalcomanias):

CodeDescriptionGeneralColumn 2SpecialUnits
4908.10.00.00Transfers (decalcomanias), vitrifiableFree66¢/kg + 15%kg
4908.90.00.00OtherFree88¢/kgkg

4909

CodeDescriptionGeneralColumn 2SpecialUnits
4909.00Printed or illustrated postcards; printed cards bearing personal greetings, messages or announcements, whether or not illustrated, with or without envelopes or trimmings:
4909.00.20.00PostcardsFree25%thousands
4909.00.40.00OtherFree45%kg

4910

CodeDescriptionGeneralColumn 2SpecialUnits
4910.00Calendars of any kind, printed, including calendar blocks:
4910.00.20.00·Not over 0.51 mm in thicknessFree66¢/kgkg
4910.00.40.00·Over 0.51 mm in thicknessFree19¢/kgkg
4910.00.60.00OtherFree35%kg

4911Other printed matter, including printed pictures and photographs:

CodeDescriptionGeneralColumn 2SpecialUnits
4911.10.00Trade advertising material, commercial catalogs and the likeFreeFree
4911.10.00.20·Printed catalogs relating principally to current offers for the sale of United States productsNo.
4911.10.00.40·Printed catalogs, price lists or trade notices, relating to offers, by a person whose principal place of business or bonafide residence is in a foreign country, to sell or rent products of a foreign country or to furnish foreign or international transportation or commercial insurance servicesNo.
4911.10.00.60·Tourist and other literature (including posters), containing geographic, historical, hotel, institutional, timetable, travel or similar information, principally with respect to places, travel facilities or educational opportunities outside the customs territory of the United Stateskg
4911.10.00.80·Otherkg
4911.91·Pictures, designs and photographs:
4911.91.10.00··Printed over 20 years at time of importationFreeFreekg
4911.91.15.00···Suitable for use in the production of articles of heading 4901FreeFreekg
4911.91.20·····Not over 0.51 mm in thicknessFree66¢/kg
4911.91.20.20·····Posterskg
4911.91.20.40·····Otherkg
4911.91.30.00·····Over 0.51 mm in thicknessFree19.3¢/kgkg
4911.91.40····OtherFree25%
4911.91.40.20·····Posterskg
4911.91.40.40·····Otherkg
4911.99·Other:
4911.99.20.00··International customs forms (carnets) and parts thereof, in English or French (whether or not in additional languages)FreeFreekg
4911.99.60.00···Printed on paper in whole or in part by a lithographic processFree66¢/kg + 0.4%kg
4911.99.80.00···OtherFree35%kg

Frequently asked questions

What does HTS Chapter 49 cover?

Chapter 49 of the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTSUS) covers Printed books, newspapers, pictures and other products of the printing industry; manuscripts, typescripts and plans. It sits within Section X: Pulp of Wood or of Other Fibrous Cellulosic Material; Paper and Paperboard; Articles Thereof. Tandom's catalog lists all 50 10-digit statistical lines and 5 4-digit headings in this chapter.

What is the typical U.S. duty rate for Chapter 49 imports?

Most lines in this chapter enter duty-free under the general (Column 1) rate. Use the calculator linked from each code page to compute the full landed rate, including Section 301/232 overlays, IEEPA tariffs, and AD/CVD deposits where applicable.

Are Section 301 or Section 232 tariffs applied to Chapter 49 products?

Section 301 (China) and Section 232 (steel, aluminum, copper) tariffs are layered on top of the base HTSUS rate via Chapter 99 provisions. Whether they apply to a specific 10-digit line in Chapter 49 depends on the product's country of origin, material content, and the active proclamation. Open any code in this chapter to see the live overlay stack and effective rate.

Are there antidumping or countervailing duty (AD/CVD) orders covering Chapter 49 products?

AD/CVD orders are issued at the case level by the Department of Commerce against specific products from specific countries. Tandom's AD/CVD catalog cross-references every active order to the HTS codes it covers — open any code in Chapter 49 to see flagged orders, deposit rates, and the underlying scope determinations.