Heading · Chapter 49
4911: Other printed matter, including printed pictures and photographs
3 subheadings make up heading 4911 in chapter 49 (printed books, newspapers, pictures and other products of the printing industry).
Duty rates compared
UK Free Third-country duty 5 tariff lines 
EU Free Third-country duty 4 tariff lines 
Türkiye Free Third-country duty 7 tariff lines 
USA Free General (MFN) 9 tariff lines 
Canada Free General (MFN) 7 tariff lines 
Mexico 5% – 25% General (MFN) 16 tariff lines · average 11.3% 
Brazil Free – 16% General (MFN) 4 tariff lines · average 11.2% 
Argentina Free – 16% General (MFN) 22 tariff lines · average 15.3% 
Peru 6% General (MFN) 3 tariff lines 
New Zealand Free General (MFN) 12 tariff lines 
Japan Free General (MFN) 4 tariff lines 
Taiwan Free General (MFN) 4 tariff lines 
GCC 5% General (MFN) 10 tariff lines 
Switzerland Free General (MFN) 3 tariff lines 
Norway Free General (MFN) 8 tariff lines 
North Macedonia Free – 10% General (MFN) 4 tariff lines · average 7.5% 
Nigeria 20% General (MFN) 5 tariff lines Subheadings 3
EU: imports by month
World trade in 2024
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$200kUS$200k+US$15m+US$89m+> US$444m
Exports: 220
- China: US$2bn
- United States: US$1bn
- Germany: US$1bn
- Netherlands: US$490m
- Italy: US$469m
- Poland: US$463m
- France: US$444m
- United Kingdom: US$403m
- Canada: US$391m
- Mexico: US$381m
- Belgium: US$346m
- Austria: US$304m
- Spain: US$242m
- Czechia: US$234m
- Switzerland: US$195m
- Japan: US$154m
- Singapore: US$146m
- Hungary: US$118m
- Greece: US$102m
- South Korea: US$99m
- Slovenia: US$93m
- Malaysia: US$89m
- Sweden: US$86m
- Türkiye: US$83m
- Slovakia: US$80m
- Ireland: US$72m
- Russia: US$71m
- Denmark: US$65m
- India: US$52m
- Malta: US$50m
- Taiwan: US$46m
- Vietnam: US$44m
- Portugal: US$42m
- Romania: US$35m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$31m
- Lithuania: US$29m
- Serbia: US$27m
- Finland: US$25m
- Peru: US$24m
- Norway: US$23m
- United Arab Emirates: US$23m
- Croatia: US$22m
- Thailand: US$22m
- Latvia: US$21m
- Brazil: US$21m
- Estonia: US$20m
- Bulgaria: US$18m
- South Africa: US$18m
- Israel: US$17m
- Indonesia: US$17m
- Australia: US$17m
- Guatemala: US$16m
- Kenya: US$15m
- El Salvador: US$10m
- Colombia: US$10m
- Ukraine: US$7m
- New Zealand: US$7m
- Chile: US$7m
- Tunisia: US$7m
- Niger: US$6m
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$4mUS$4m+US$24m+US$93m+> US$413m
Imports: 223
- United States: US$2bn
- Germany: US$959m
- France: US$637m
- Canada: US$580m
- Switzerland: US$467m
- Netherlands: US$413m
- United Kingdom: US$413m
- China: US$318m
- Japan: US$283m
- Italy: US$266m
- Austria: US$253m
- Mexico: US$243m
- Belgium: US$212m
- Spain: US$188m
- Czechia: US$187m
- Poland: US$174m
- Vietnam: US$165m
- Australia: US$153m
- Denmark: US$122m
- Hungary: US$108m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$96m
- Sweden: US$96m
- South Korea: US$93m
- Indonesia: US$89m
- Norway: US$88m
- Singapore: US$87m
- India: US$82m
- Ireland: US$78m
- Taiwan: US$73m
- Portugal: US$63m
- Thailand: US$59m
- Romania: US$57m
- United Arab Emirates: US$53m
- Russia: US$49m
- Saudi Arabia: US$49m
- Slovakia: US$43m
- Malaysia: US$40m
- Bulgaria: US$37m
- Finland: US$37m
- Türkiye: US$36m
- Philippines: US$35m
- Greece: US$34m
- Egypt: US$32m
- Iraq: US$31m
- Colombia: US$31m
- New Zealand: US$30m
- Kenya: US$30m
- Slovenia: US$30m
- Brazil: US$29m
- Israel: US$29m
- Nepal: US$28m
- Costa Rica: US$27m
- Serbia: US$26m
- Nigeria: US$25m
- Croatia: US$25m
- South Africa: US$24m
- Côte d’Ivoire: US$24m
- Kazakhstan: US$21m
- Guatemala: US$21m
- Bangladesh: US$19m
Top exporters
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  China | US$2bn | 15.5% |
| 2 | United States | US$1bn | 12.9% |
| 3 |  Germany | US$1bn | 10.3% |
| 4 |  Netherlands | US$490m | 4.7% |
| 5 |  Italy | US$469m | 4.5% |
| 6 |  Poland | US$463m | 4.4% |
| 7 |  France | US$444m | 4.2% |
| 8 | United Kingdom | US$403m | 3.9% |
| 9 | Canada | US$391m | 3.7% |
| 10 | Mexico | US$381m | 3.6% |
Top importers
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | US$2bn | 17.2% |
| 2 | Germany | US$959m | 9.2% |
| 3 | France | US$637m | 6.1% |
| 4 | Canada | US$580m | 5.5% |
| 5 | Switzerland | US$467m | 4.5% |
| 6 | Netherlands | US$413m | 4% |
| 7 | United Kingdom | US$413m | 3.9% |
| 8 | China | US$318m | 3% |
| 9 | Japan | US$283m | 2.7% |
| 10 | Italy | US$266m | 2.5% |
In the UK Global Tariff, heading 4911 covers 5 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free.
The EU Combined Nomenclature divides heading 4911 into 4 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
In the Turkish Customs Tariff Schedule, heading 4911 covers 7 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free.
The Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States divides heading 4911 into 9 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
In the Customs Tariff of Canada, heading 4911 covers 7 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free.
The Mexican Tariff (TIGIE) divides heading 4911 into 16 tariff lines; the duty is between 5% and 25% (average 11.3%).
In the Brazilian Tariff (NCM/TEC), heading 4911 covers 4 tariff lines and the duty is between 0% and 16%. 1 of them is duty-free.
The Argentine Tariff (NCM-SIM) divides heading 4911 into 22 tariff lines; the duty is between 0% and 16% (average 15.3%). 1 of them is duty-free.
In the Customs Tariff of Peru, heading 4911 covers 3 tariff lines and the duty is 6%.
The Working Tariff Document of New Zealand divides heading 4911 into 12 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
In the Customs Tariff Schedules of Japan, heading 4911 covers 4 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free.
The Customs Import Tariff of Taiwan divides heading 4911 into 4 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
In the GCC Common Customs Tariff, heading 4911 covers 10 tariff lines and the duty is 5%.
The Swiss Customs Tariff (Tares) divides heading 4911 into 3 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
In the Customs Tariff of Norway, heading 4911 covers 8 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free.
The Customs Tariff of North Macedonia divides heading 4911 into 4 tariff lines; the duty is between 0% and 10% (average 7.5%). 1 of them is duty-free.
In the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (Nigeria), heading 4911 covers 5 tariff lines and the duty is 20%.
World trade in heading 4911 goods reached US$10bn in 2024, down 1.8% on 2023.
China was the largest exporter with 15.5% of the total, ahead of the United States.
The United States imported the most (US$2bn).
The United Kingdom ranked 8th among 220 exporters with US$403m.
The United Kingdom imported US$413m.
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 other printed matter, including printed pictures and photographs?
Other printed matter, including printed pictures and photographs fall under HS heading 4911, part of chapter 49, in section X of the Harmonized System.
What is the import duty on other printed matter in the UK?
Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 4911 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 other printed matter in the EU?
Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 4911 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 other printed matter?
China, with US$2bn in 2024 (15.5% of world exports).