U.S. Import and Export Data
Printed books, newspapers, pictures and other products of the printing industry; manuscripts, typescripts and plans HS Chapter 49
Overview
IMPORTS
2008
2020
Top Origin Country
China
Top Destination State
California
EXPORTS
2008
2020
Top Destination Country
Canada
Top Origin State
New York
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Request a quoteImport Export Rankings (2022)
| U.S. Import Rank (amongst 2 digit HS Codes) | 50th (of 98) |
| U.S. Export Rank (amongst 2 digit HS Codes) | 43rd |
| Top Importing States | California ($567,480,944), New York ($369,755,732), Illinois ($268,799,740), and Oklahoma ($210,521,559) |
| Top Exporting States | New Jersey ($393,435,227), New York ($280,398,795), California ($246,161,867), and Wisconsin ($245,663,763) |
| Top Countries Importing from the U.S. | Canada ($1,594,288,636), United Kingdom ($500,506,924), Mexico ($367,791,957), and China ($121,203,359) |
| Top Countries Exporting to the U.S. | China ($1,849,264,569), Canada ($472,718,680), United Kingdom ($297,592,812), and Mexico ($238,147,924) |
CHAPTER 49
PRINTED BOOKS, NEWSPAPERS, PICTURES AND OTHER
PRODUCTS OF THE PRINTING INDUSTRY; MANUSCRIPTS,
TYPESCRIPTS AND PLANS
X
49-1
Notes
- 1. 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 9023);
- (c) Playing cards or other goods of chapter 95; or
- (d) Original engravings, prints or lithographs (heading 9702), postage or revenue stamps, stamp-postmarks, first-day covers, postal stationery or the like of heading 9704, antiques of an age exceeding one hundred years or other articles of chapter 97.
- 2. 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.
- 3. Newspapers, journals and periodicals which are bound otherwise than in paper, and sets of newspapers, journals or periodicals comprising more than one issue under a single cover are to be classified in heading 4901, whether or not containing advertising material.
- 4. Heading 4901 also covers:
- (a) A collection of printed reproductions of, for example, works of art or drawings, with a relative text, put up with numbered pages in a form suitable for binding into one or more volumes;
- (b) A pictorial supplement accompanying and subsidiary to, a bound volume; and
- (c) Printed parts of books or booklets, in the form of assembled or separate sheets or signatures, constituting the whole or a part of a complete work and designed for binding.
However, printed pictures or illustrations not bearing a text, whether in the form of signatures or separate sheets, fall in heading 4911. - 5. Subject to note 3 of this chapter, heading 4901 does not cover publications which are essentially devoted to advertising (for example, brochures, pamphlets, leaflets, trade catalogs, yearbooks published by trade associations and tourist promotional literature). Such publications are to be classified in heading 4911.
- 6. For the purposes of heading 4903, the expression "children's picture books" means books for children in which the pictures form the principal interest and the text is subsidiary.
Additional U.S. Notes
- 1. For the purposes of determining the classification of printed matter produced in whole or in part by a lithographic process, the thickness of such printed matter is that of the thinnest paper contained therein, except that the thickness of a permanently mounted lithograph is the combined thickness of the lithograph and its mounting.
- 2. Currency in current circulation in any country imported for monetary purposes and securities and similar evidences of value provided for in heading 4907 shall be admitted without formal customs consumption entry or the payment of duty. This does not affect any requirement under other provisions of law to the effect that transfers of monetary instruments into or through the United States, in an amount exceeding $10,000 on any one occasion, shall be reported as prescribed therein.
Compiler's Note
The provisions of subchapter II of chapter 99 (Miscellaneous Tariff Bills or MTBs), the provisions of the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) found in General Note 4 and most product exclusions from the additional tariffs on products of China in subchapter III of chapter 99 expired on December 31, 2020. However, no endnotes or footnotes relating to these provisions have been deleted as of the issue date of this edition.
U.S. Tariff Rates
| Heading/ Subheading |
Article Description |
Unit of Quantity |
General | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4901 | Printed books, brochures, leaflets and similar printed matter, whether or not in single sheets: | |||
| 4901.10.00 | In single sheets, whether or not folded | Free | ||
| 4901.10.00.20 | Reproduction proofs | kg | ||
| 4901.10.00.40 | Other | kg | ||
| 4901.91.00 | Dictionaries and encyclopedias, and serial installments thereof | Free | ||
| 4901.91.00.20 | Dictionaries (including thesauruses) | No. | ||
| 4901.91.00.40 | Encyclopedias | No. | ||
| 4901.99.00 | Other | Free | ||
| 4901.99.00.10 | Textbooks | No. | ||
| 4901.99.00.20 | Bound newspapers, journals and periodicals provided for in Legal Note 3 to this chapter | No. | ||
| 4901.99.00.30 | Directories | No. | ||
| 4901.99.00.40 | Bibles, testaments, prayer books and other religious books | No. | ||
| 4901.99.00.50 | Technical, scientific and professional books | No. | ||
| 4901.99.00.60 | Valued under $5 each | No. | ||
| 4901.99.00.65 | Valued $5 or more each | No. | ||
| 4901.99.00.70 | Hardbound books | No. | ||
| 4901.99.00.75 | Rack size paperbound books | No. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 4902 | Newspapers, journals and periodicals, whether or not illustrated or containing advertising material: | |||
| 4902.10.00.00 | Appearing at least four times a week | kg | Free | |
| 4902.90 | Other: | |||
| 4902.90.10.00 | Newspaper supplements printed by a gravure process | No. | Free | |
| 4902.90.20 | Other | Free | ||
| 4902.90.20.20 | Newspapers appearing less than four times per week | kg | ||
| 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. | ||
| 4903.00.00.00 | Children's picture, drawing or coloring books | No. | Free | |
| 4904.00.00 | Music, printed or in manuscript, whether or not bound or illustrated | Free | ||
| 4904.00.00.20 | Sheet music, whether or not stapled or folded, but not otherwise bound | kg | ||
| 4904.00.00.40 | Other | No. | ||
| 4905 | Maps and hydrographic or similar charts of all kinds, including atlases, wall maps, topographical plans and globes, printed: | |||
| 4905.20.00.00 | In book form | No. | Free | |
| 4905.90 | Other: | |||
| 4905.90.20.00 | Globes | kg | Free | |
| 4905.90.60.00 | Other | kg | Free | |
| 4906.00.00.00 | Plans 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 | kg | Free | |
| 4907.00.00.00 | 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; stamp-impressed paper; banknotes; check forms; stock, share or bond certificates and similar documents of title | kg | Free | |
| 4908 | Transfers (decalcomanias): | |||
| 4908.10.00.00 | Transfers (decalcomanias), vitrifiable | kg | Free | |
| 4908.90.00.00 | Other | kg | Free | |
| 4909.00 | Printed or illustrated postcards; printed cards bearing personal greetings, messages or announcements, whether or not illustrated, with or without envelopes or trimmings: | |||
| 4909.00.20.00 | Postcards | thousands | Free | |
| 4909.00.40.00 | Other | kg | Free | |
| 4910.00 | Calendars of any kind, printed, including calendar blocks: | |||
| 4910.00.20.00 | Not over 0.51 mm in thickness | kg | Free | |
| 4910.00.40.00 | Over 0.51 mm in thickness | kg | Free | |
| 4910.00.60.00 | Other | kg | Free | |
| 4911 | Other printed matter, including printed pictures and photographs: | |||
| 4911.10.00 | Trade advertising material, commercial catalogs and the like | Free | ||
| 4911.10.00.20 | Printed catalogs relating principally to current offers for the sale of United States products | No. | ||
| 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 services | No. | ||
| 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 States | kg | ||
| 4911.10.00.80 | Other | kg | ||
| 4911.91 | Pictures, designs and photographs: | |||
| 4911.91.10.00 | Printed over 20 years at time of importation | kg | Free | |
| 4911.91.15.00 | Suitable for use in the production of articles of heading 4901 | kg | Free | |
| 4911.91.20 | Not over 0.51 mm in thickness | Free | ||
| 4911.91.20.20 | Posters | kg | ||
| 4911.91.20.40 | Other | kg | ||
| 4911.91.30.00 | Over 0.51 mm in thickness | kg | Free | |
| 4911.91.40 | Other | Free | ||
| 4911.91.40.20 | Posters | kg | ||
| 4911.91.40.40 | Other | kg | ||
| 4911.99 | Other: | |||
| 4911.99.20.00 | International customs forms (carnets) and parts thereof, in English or French (whether or not in additional languages) | kg | Free | |
| 4911.99.60.00 | Printed on paper in whole or in part by a lithographic process | kg | Free | |
| 4911.99.80.00 | Other | kg | Free |
Ruling
No rulings related to HS Code 49.