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HSChapter 49
U.S. imports of printed books, brochures, leaflets & similar printed matter (nesoi) (HS 490199) totaled $245.7M in April 2026, traded with 99 countries.
Importers of Printed Books, Brochures, Leaflets & Similar Printed Matter (NESOI) paid $4.8M in duties in April 2026 — an effective duty rate of 8.4% on $57.1M in dutiable value, based on actual customs collections rather than the published tariff schedule. Printed Books, Brochures, Leaflets & Similar Printed Matter (NESOI) imports of $245.7M in April 2026 ran 31% above the year-to-date monthly average of $187.7M.
Last updated: April 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.
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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| Country | Imports | Exports | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| UNITED KINGDOM | $56.1M | $21.3M | -$34.8M |
| CANADA | $19.9M | $55.8M | +$35.9M |
| CHINA | $55.1M | $1.4M | -$53.7M |
| MEXICO | $13.6M | $9.2M | -$4.4M |
| FRANCE | $15.8M | $156K | -$15.6M |
Monthly import values over time
HS10 import codes under this HS6 parent. Source: U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
| Code | Description | Import Value | Effective Tariff % | Duty Collected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4901990070 | HARDBOUND BOOKS, NESOI | $109.8M | 7.80% | $1.6M |
| 4901990093 | PRINTED MATTER NESOI 49 OR MORE PAGES EA EX COVERS | $52.7M | 8.23% | $906K |
| 4901990010 | TEXTBOOKS | $24.5M | 7.68% | $642K |
| 4901990040 | BIBLES/TESTAMENTS/PRAYER BOOKS OTH RELIGIOUS BOOKS | $22.3M | 9.98% | $64K |
| 4901990050 | TECHNICAL, SCIENTIFIC AND PROFESSIONAL BOOKS | $14.4M | 9.95% | $938K |
| 4901990075 | RACK SIZE PAPERBOUND BOOKS, NESOI | $9.4M | 7.55% | $197K |
| 4901990092 | PRINTED MATTER NESOI 5-48 PAGES EACH EXCL COVERS | $6.2M | 9.12% | $263K |
| 4901990065 | ART AND PICTORIAL BOOKS VALUED $5 OR MORE EACH | $3.4M | 9.92% | $47K |
| 4901990060 | ART AND PICTORIAL BOOKS VALUED UNDER $5 EACH | $1.5M | 8.14% | $58K |
| 4901990020 | NEWSPAPER/JOURNALS/PERIODICALS BOUND EX PAPER, SET | $778K | 13.43% | $39K |
| 4901990091 | PRINTD MATTER NT OV 4 PAGES EACH EXCL COVERS NESOI | $407K | 13.42% | $11K |
| 4901990030 | DIRECTORIES | $245K | 7.88% | $6K |
HARDBOUND BOOKS, NESOI
PRINTED MATTER NESOI 49 OR MORE PAGES EA EX COVERS
TEXTBOOKS
BIBLES/TESTAMENTS/PRAYER BOOKS OTH RELIGIOUS BOOKS
TECHNICAL, SCIENTIFIC AND PROFESSIONAL BOOKS
RACK SIZE PAPERBOUND BOOKS, NESOI
PRINTED MATTER NESOI 5-48 PAGES EACH EXCL COVERS
ART AND PICTORIAL BOOKS VALUED $5 OR MORE EACH
ART AND PICTORIAL BOOKS VALUED UNDER $5 EACH
NEWSPAPER/JOURNALS/PERIODICALS BOUND EX PAPER, SET
PRINTD MATTER NT OV 4 PAGES EACH EXCL COVERS NESOI
DIRECTORIES
HS10 export codes under this HS6 parent. Source: U.S. Schedule B export classification.
| Code | Description | Export Value |
|---|---|---|
| 4901990093 | PRINTED MATTER NESOI 49 OR MORE PAGES EA EX COVERS | $32.1M |
| 4901990070 | HARDBOUND BOOKS, NESOI | $23.9M |
| 4901990075 | RACK SIZE PAPERBOUND BOOKS, NESOI | $23.1M |
| 4901990010 | TEXTBOOKS | $18.6M |
| 4901990050 | TECHNICAL, SCIENTIFIC AND PROFESSIONAL BOOKS | $8.6M |
| 4901990020 | NEWSPAPER/JOURNALS/PERIODICALS BOUND EX PAPER, SET | $5.8M |
| 4901990040 | BIBLES/TESTAMENTS/PRAYER BOOKS OTH RELIGIOUS BOOKS | $5.5M |
| 4901990092 | PRINTED MATTER NESOI 5-48 PAGES EACH EXCL COVERS | $2.3M |
| 4901990055 | ART AND PICTORIAL BOOKS PRINTED NOT SINGLE SHEETS | $1.7M |
| 4901990091 | PRINTD MATTER NT OV 4 PAGES EACH EXCL COVERS NESOI | $1.2M |
| 4901990030 | DIRECTORIES | $34K |
PRINTED MATTER NESOI 49 OR MORE PAGES EA EX COVERS
9.5M no
HARDBOUND BOOKS, NESOI
2.2M no
RACK SIZE PAPERBOUND BOOKS, NESOI
2.7M no
TEXTBOOKS
1.8M no
TECHNICAL, SCIENTIFIC AND PROFESSIONAL BOOKS
634.9K no
NEWSPAPER/JOURNALS/PERIODICALS BOUND EX PAPER, SET
1.5M no
BIBLES/TESTAMENTS/PRAYER BOOKS OTH RELIGIOUS BOOKS
1.3M no
PRINTED MATTER NESOI 5-48 PAGES EACH EXCL COVERS
3.1M no
ART AND PICTORIAL BOOKS PRINTED NOT SINGLE SHEETS
268.9K no
PRINTD MATTER NT OV 4 PAGES EACH EXCL COVERS NESOI
2.2M no
DIRECTORIES
38.9K no
PRINTED BOOKS/BROCHURES/LEAFLETS ETC,SINGLE SHEETS
HS 490110
| Port | Imports | Exports | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| JFK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, NY | $62.3M | $6.8M | -$55.5M |
| NEWARK, NJ | $40.5M | $7.3M | -$33.2M |
| LOS ANGELES, CA | $28.2M | -- | -$28.2M |