HSN chapter guide
Chapter 49 — Printed books & newspapers
34 eight-digit tariff lines. Rates below are from the Indian Customs Tariff First Schedule. Use the AI HSN classifier if you only have a product description. Reviewed by the CustomsAI compliance desk · 24 August 2026.
Chapter notes
- This Chapter does not cover: (a) Photographic negatives or positives on transparent bases (Chapter 37); (b) Maps, plans or globes, in relief, whether or not printed (heading 90.23); (c) Playing cards or other goods of Chapter 95; (d) Original engravings, prints or lithographs (heading 97.02), postage or revenue stamps, stamp-postmarks, first-day covers, postal stationery or the like of heading 97.04, antiques of an age exceeding one hundred years or other articles of Chapter 97.
- For the purposes of Chapter 49, the term 'printed' also means reproduced by means of a duplicating machine, produced under the control of an automatic data processing machine, embossed, photographed, photocopied, thermocopied or typewritten.
- Newspapers, journals and periodicals which are bound otherwise than in paper, and sets of newspapers, journals or periodicals comprising more than one number under a single cover are to be classified in heading 49.01, whether or not containing advertising material.
- Subject to Note 3, heading 49.01 does not cover publications which are essentially devoted to advertising (for example, brochures, pamphlets, leaflets, trade catalogues, year books published by trade associations, tourist propaganda). Such publications are to be classified in heading 49.11.
Sample 8-digit lines
| HSN | Description | BCD |
|---|---|---|
| 4901 10 10 | Printed books | 5% |
| 4901 10 20 | Pamphlets, booklets, brochures, leaflets and similar printed matter | 5% |
| 4901 91 00 | Dictionaries and encyclopaedias, and serial instalments thereof | 5% |
| 4901 99 00 | Other | 5% |
| 4902 10 10 | Newspapers | 0% |
| 4902 10 20 | Journals and periodicals | 0% |
| 4902 90 10 | Newspapers | 0% |
| 4902 90 20 | Journals and periodicals | 0% |
| 4903 00 10 | Picture books | 10% |
| 4903 00 20 | Drawing or colouring books | 10% |
| 4904 00 00 | MUSIC, PRINTED OR IN MANUSCRIPT, WHETHER OR NOT BOUND OR ILLUSTRATED | 0% |
| 4905 20 00 | In book form | 0% |
| 4905 90 10 | Geographical, hydrological, astronomical maps or charts | 0% |
| 4905 90 20 | Globe | 0% |
| 4905 90 90 | Other | 0% |
| 4906 00 00 | PLANS AND DRAWINGS FOR ARCHITECTURAL, ENGINEERING, INDUSTRIAL, COMMERCIAL, TOPOGRAPHICAL OR SIMILAR PURPOSES, BEING ORIGINALS DRAWN BY HAND; HANDWRITTEN TEXTS; PHOTOGRAPHIC REPRODUCTIONS ON SENSITSED PAPER AND CARBON COPIES OF THE FOREGOING | 0% |
| 4907 00 10 | Unused postage, revenue or similar stamps of current or new issue in the country in which they have, or will have, a recognized face value | 10% |
| 4907 00 20 | Bank notes | 10% |
| 4907 00 30 | Documents of title conveying the right to use Information Technology software | 10% |
| 4907 00 90 | Other | 10% |
| 4908 10 00 | Transfers (decalcomanias), vitrifiable | 10% |
| 4908 90 00 | Other | 10% |
| 4909 00 10 | Greeting or wedding cards | 10% |
| 4909 00 90 | Other | 10% |
| 4910 00 10 | Advertising calendar | 10% |
| 4910 00 90 | Other | 10% |
| 4911 10 10 | Posters, printed | 10% |
| 4911 10 20 | Commercial catalogues | 10% |
| 4911 10 30 | Printed inlay cards | 10% |
| 4911 10 90 | Other | 10% |
| 4911 91 00 | Pictures, designs and photographs | 10% |
| 4911 99 10 | Hard copy (printed) of computer software | 10% |
| 4911 99 20 | Plan and drawings for architectural engineering, industrial, commercial, topographical or similar purposes reproduced with the aid of computer or any other devices | 10% |
| 4911 99 90 | Other | 10% |