Heading · Chapter 49
4901: Printed books, brochures, leaflets and similar printed matter, whether or not in single sheets
Heading 4901 is divided into 3 six-digit subheadings and sits in chapter 49, printed books, newspapers, pictures and other products of the printing industry.
Duty rates compared
UK Free Third-country duty 3 tariff lines 
EU Free Third-country duty 3 tariff lines 
Türkiye Free Third-country duty 5 tariff lines 
USA Free General (MFN) 3 tariff lines 
Canada Free General (MFN) 13 tariff lines 
Mexico Free – 15% General (MFN) 12 tariff lines · average 2.5% 
Brazil Free General (MFN) 3 tariff lines 
Argentina Free General (MFN) 23 tariff lines 
Peru Free General (MFN) 5 tariff lines 
New Zealand Free General (MFN) 8 tariff lines 
Japan Free General (MFN) 3 tariff lines 
Taiwan Free General (MFN) 4 tariff lines 
GCC Free General (MFN) 32 tariff lines 
Switzerland Free General (MFN) 3 tariff lines 
Norway Free General (MFN) 9 tariff lines 
North Macedonia Free General (MFN) 5 tariff lines 
Nigeria Free General (MFN) 4 tariff lines Subheadings 3
EU: imports by month
World trade in 2024
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$238kUS$238k+US$11m+US$102m+> US$488m
Exports: 222
- China: US$2bn
- United Kingdom: US$2bn
- United States: US$2bn
- Germany: US$1bn
- France: US$748m
- Poland: US$748m
- Italy: US$488m
- Spain: US$477m
- Czechia: US$367m
- India: US$355m
- Canada: US$334m
- Netherlands: US$315m
- Belgium: US$253m
- South Korea: US$246m
- Mexico: US$223m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$222m
- Malaysia: US$177m
- Singapore: US$160m
- Japan: US$146m
- Slovakia: US$117m
- Latvia: US$117m
- Türkiye: US$102m
- Denmark: US$96m
- Taiwan: US$91m
- Israel: US$90m
- Lithuania: US$87m
- Hungary: US$87m
- United Arab Emirates: US$81m
- Vietnam: US$70m
- Sweden: US$69m
- Slovenia: US$67m
- Austria: US$65m
- Switzerland: US$64m
- Australia: US$63m
- Greece: US$60m
- Russia: US$51m
- South Africa: US$46m
- Colombia: US$45m
- Brazil: US$41m
- Ireland: US$40m
- Estonia: US$37m
- Egypt: US$37m
- Lebanon: US$30m
- Romania: US$30m
- Bosnia & Herzegovina: US$29m
- Croatia: US$23m
- Serbia: US$23m
- Bulgaria: US$23m
- Argentina: US$20m
- Portugal: US$19m
- Thailand: US$15m
- Peru: US$15m
- Finland: US$14m
- Saudi Arabia: US$13m
- Guatemala: US$11m
- Pakistan: US$9m
- Kenya: US$8m
- Uruguay: US$8m
- Ecuador: US$8m
- Norway: US$7m
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$7mUS$7m+US$34m+US$121m+> US$497m
Imports: 224
- United States: US$2bn
- Germany: US$1bn
- France: US$902m
- Canada: US$871m
- United Kingdom: US$833m
- Netherlands: US$551m
- Switzerland: US$497m
- Austria: US$423m
- Poland: US$388m
- Mexico: US$370m
- Belgium: US$360m
- Spain: US$356m
- China: US$311m
- Australia: US$294m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$284m
- Italy: US$222m
- Czechia: US$216m
- Ireland: US$173m
- Singapore: US$166m
- Denmark: US$164m
- Sweden: US$140m
- Norway: US$121m
- India: US$121m
- United Arab Emirates: US$120m
- Japan: US$112m
- Saudi Arabia: US$97m
- Brazil: US$93m
- South Korea: US$93m
- Slovakia: US$85m
- Portugal: US$82m
- Malaysia: US$77m
- South Africa: US$74m
- New Zealand: US$73m
- Argentina: US$69m
- Chile: US$68m
- Taiwan: US$66m
- Romania: US$65m
- Peru: US$64m
- Uzbekistan: US$62m
- Morocco: US$61m
- Thailand: US$60m
- Colombia: US$59m
- Indonesia: US$56m
- Türkiye: US$55m
- Philippines: US$55m
- Finland: US$51m
- Bahrain: US$50m
- Luxembourg: US$49m
- Mozambique: US$47m
- Slovenia: US$46m
- Dominican Republic: US$44m
- Hungary: US$40m
- Greece: US$40m
- Israel: US$39m
- Ecuador: US$36m
- Costa Rica: US$34m
- Guatemala: US$32m
- Kazakhstan: US$31m
- Cyprus: US$31m
- Libya: US$30m
Top exporters
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  China | US$2bn | 15.1% |
| 2 | United Kingdom | US$2bn | 12.4% |
| 3 | United States | US$2bn | 12.4% |
| 4 |  Germany | US$1bn | 9.9% |
| 5 |  France | US$748m | 5.1% |
| 6 |  Poland | US$748m | 5.1% |
| 7 |  Italy | US$488m | 3.4% |
| 8 |  Spain | US$477m | 3.3% |
| 9 |  Czechia | US$367m | 2.5% |
| 10 |  India | US$355m | 2.4% |
Top importers
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | US$2bn | 15.9% |
| 2 | Germany | US$1bn | 8.7% |
| 3 | France | US$902m | 6.2% |
| 4 | Canada | US$871m | 6% |
| 5 | United Kingdom | US$833m | 5.7% |
| 6 |  Netherlands | US$551m | 3.8% |
| 7 | Switzerland | US$497m | 3.4% |
| 8 |  Austria | US$423m | 2.9% |
| 9 | Poland | US$388m | 2.7% |
| 10 | Mexico | US$370m | 2.5% |
The UK Global Tariff divides heading 4901 into 3 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
In the EU Combined Nomenclature, heading 4901 covers 3 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free.
The Turkish Customs Tariff Schedule divides heading 4901 into 5 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
In the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, heading 4901 covers 3 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free.
The Customs Tariff of Canada divides heading 4901 into 13 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
In the Mexican Tariff (TIGIE), heading 4901 covers 12 tariff lines and the duty is between 0% and 15%. 10 of them are duty-free.
The Brazilian Tariff (NCM/TEC) divides heading 4901 into 3 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
In the Argentine Tariff (NCM-SIM), heading 4901 covers 23 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free.
The Customs Tariff of Peru divides heading 4901 into 5 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
In the Working Tariff Document of New Zealand, heading 4901 covers 8 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free.
The Customs Tariff Schedules of Japan divides heading 4901 into 3 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
In the Customs Import Tariff of Taiwan, heading 4901 covers 4 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free.
The GCC Common Customs Tariff divides heading 4901 into 32 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
In the Swiss Customs Tariff (Tares), heading 4901 covers 3 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free.
The Customs Tariff of Norway divides heading 4901 into 9 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
In the Customs Tariff of North Macedonia, heading 4901 covers 5 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free.
The ECOWAS Common External Tariff (Nigeria) divides heading 4901 into 4 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
In 2024, countries exported heading 4901 goods worth US$15bn (−1.1% year on year).
The largest exporter was China (US$2bn), followed by the United Kingdom.
The biggest buyer was the United States, with imports of US$2bn.
The United Kingdom ranked 2nd among 222 exporters with US$2bn.
The United Kingdom imported US$833m.
Legal notes
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 100 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 number 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 to this chapter, heading 4901 does not cover publications which are essentially devoted to advertising (for example, brochures, pamphlets, leaflets, trade catalogues, yearbooks published by trade associations, tourist propaganda). 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.
Products classified here
Questions and answers
What is the HS code for printed books, brochures, leaflets and similar printed matter, whether or not in single sheets?
Printed books, brochures, leaflets and similar printed matter, whether or not in single sheets fall under HS heading 4901, part of chapter 49, in section X of the Harmonized System.
What is the import duty on printed books, brochures, leaflets and similar… in the UK?
Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 4901 from countries without a preferential agreement are free of duty. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
What is the import duty on printed books, brochures, leaflets and similar… in the EU?
Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 4901 from countries without a preferential agreement are free of duty. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
Which country exports the most printed books, brochures, leaflets and similar…?
China, with US$2bn in 2024 (15.1% of world exports).