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HSChapter 49
U.S. imports of printed books, brochures, leaflets & similar printed matter (nesoi) (HS 490199) totaled $209.2M in July 2026, traded with 109 countries.
Importers of Printed Books, Brochures, Leaflets & Similar Printed Matter (NESOI) paid $5.5M in duties in July 2026 — an effective duty rate of 8.2% on $67.4M in dutiable value, based on actual customs collections rather than the published tariff schedule.
Last updated: July 2026 dataThe broadest printed-books subheading in the US schedule, 490199 encompasses textbooks (4901990010), technical and scientific books (4901990050), art and pictorial books at multiple value thresholds, hardbound books (4901990070), rack-size paperbacks (4901990075), religious texts (4901990040), directories (4901990030), and a range of printed matter lines differentiated by page count. China is the leading supplier — reflecting its dominant role in commercial book printing — followed by the United Kingdom, Canada, Italy, and Mexico. Correct line selection within this subheading depends on book type, binding style, and per-unit value, making it one of the more granular classification exercises in Chapter 49.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
9.0K shipments/mo
The schedule separates art and pictorial books into three lines: a parent line for those not in single sheets (4901990055), a value-based line for copies valued under $5 each (4901990060), and a line for copies valued $5 or more each (4901990065). The per-unit transaction value on the commercial invoice determines which value-based line applies. Importers of art books should ensure invoice unit values are accurately stated, as misclassification between these lines is a common audit finding.
Technical, scientific, and professional books (4901990050) are distinguished by their specialized subject matter directed at professional or academic audiences — engineering manuals, medical references, and scientific monographs are typical examples. General-interest hardbound books that do not meet this standard fall under 4901990070. Importers should retain publisher catalogs, title descriptions, and intended-audience documentation to substantiate a technical/scientific classification if questioned by CBP.
Supplier Network
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ImportsExports
Imports
$209.2MYoY · Pro
Exports
$130.3MYoY · Pro
12-mo low · imports
YoY · ProThrough July 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
HS10 import codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
| Code | Description | Import Value | Effective Tariff % | Dutiable Share | Duty Collected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4901990070 | Hardbound Books, NESOI | $70.9M | 3.93% | 48.85% | $2.8M |
| 4901990093 | Printed Matter NESOI 49 or More Pages Ea Ex Covers | $49.7M | 2.34% | 29.66% | $1.2M |
| 4901990040 | Bibles/Testaments/Prayer Books Oth Religious Books | $31.2M | 0.19% | 1.90% | $58K |
| 4901990010 | Textbooks | $30.6M | 1.96% | 24.56% | $598K |
| 4901990075 | Rack Size Paperbound Books, NESOI | $9.5M | 2.02% | 26.59% | $192K |
| 4901990092 | Printed Matter NESOI 5-48 Pages Each Excl Covers | $5.8M | 5.54% | 58.30% | $324K |
| 4901990050 | Technical, Scientific and Professional Books | $5.4M | 3.26% | 33.69% | $175K |
| 4901990065 | Art and Pictorial Books Valued $5 or More Each | $3.0M | 2.10% | 22.17% | $62K |
| 4901990060 | Art and Pictorial Books Valued Under $5 Each | $1.4M | 5.22% | 66.99% | $73K |
| 4901990091 | Printd Matter Nt Ov 4 Pages Each Excl Covers NESOI | $1.0M | 1.73% | 16.38% | $17K |
| 4901990030 | Directories | $425K | 5.56% | 55.61% | $24K |
| 4901990020 | Newspaper/Journals/Periodicals Bound Ex Paper, Set | $300K | 7.66% | 55.93% | $23K |
HS10 export codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Schedule B export classification.
Import lines come from the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule and export lines from Schedule B. The two are numbered by different agencies, so the same 10-digit code can appear in both tables describing a different product.
Imports · July 2026
origin
China and United Kingdom together supply 56% of it.
customs district
destination
entry
rate provision · imports
67.7% enters free of duty; the effective duty rate is 2.63%.