HSN Code
HSN Code 4901 — Printed Books
HSN heading 4901 covers printed books and similar printed matter — but not frequent periodicals or children's picture books, coded elsewhere.
4901 covers printed books and similar printed matter — brochures, leaflets, and bound printed material generally. It's a distinct category from other printing-industry products in the same chapter: newspapers and frequently-published periodicals have their own heading, and so do certain categories of children's books.
The frequency of publication is actually part of what separates a "book" from a "newspaper/periodical" in this classification — newspapers, journals, and periodicals appearing more than four times a week are classified under a different heading (4902) from books and less-frequent publications.
Children's picture, drawing, or colouring books are also carved out into their own heading (4903), separate from ordinary printed books, since the tariff treats them as a distinct product category.
GST rate for 4901
GST rate: Nil, 5% or 18% — depends on exactly what the goods are
- NilPrinted books, including Braille booksNotification 10/2025, S. No. 132 — covers 4901
- 5%Brochures, leaflets and similar printed matter, whether or not in single sheetsNotification 9/2025, Schedule I, S. No. 324 — covers 4901
- 18%Anything under 4901 that none of the entries above describeNotification 9/2025, Schedule II, S. No. 639 — the catch-all entry
Full GST (IGST; split equally into CGST and SGST within a state), from Notification 9/2025-Integrated Tax (Rate), as amended by 19/2025-IT(Rate) and 01/2026-IT(Rate), Notification 10/2025-Integrated Tax (Rate) and Notifications 02/2026 and 03/2026-Integrated Tax (Rate), 27 October 2026 (from 1 November 2026). The table below shows the rates each more specific code can carry.
What's included
- Printed books (fiction, non-fiction, textbooks, reference)
- Brochures and leaflets
- Printed maps and charts (in book/bound form)
Commonly confused — classified elsewhere
- Newspapers, journals and periodicals appearing more than 4 times a week — 4902
- Children's picture, drawing, or colouring books — 4903
- Notebooks, registers, and other stationery — 4820
All 7 codes under 4901
6-digit subheadings in bold, with their 8-digit tariff items beneath. From the GST portal's official HSN/SAC master, updated 3 Jun 2026.
| Code | Description | GST |
|---|---|---|
| 490110 | In single sheets, whether or not folded | Nil / 5% / 18% |
| 49011010 | Printed books | Nil / 5% / 18% |
| 49011020 | Pamphlets, booklets, brochures, leaflets and similar printed matter | Nil / 5% / 18% |
| 490191 | Dictionaries and encyclopaedias, and serial instalments thereof | Nil / 5% / 18% |
| 49019100 | Dictionaries and encyclopaedias, and serial instalments thereof | Nil / 5% / 18% |
| 490199 | Other | Nil / 5% / 18% |
| 49019900 | Other | Nil / 5% / 18% |
Check the entry's conditions, then confirm on the portal
- Go to the GST portal's HSN/SAC search page and pick the "HSN Code" tab.
- Pick the most specific code from the list above that matches your product or service, and search for it.
- Check the GST rate shown there — it's tied to the exact line, not the 4-digit heading, and can change.
Frequently asked questions
Are newspapers classified the same as books under 4901?
No — newspapers, journals, and periodicals published more than four times a week have their own heading (4902), separate from books and less-frequent printed matter under 4901.
Do children's colouring books count as "printed books" under 4901?
No — children's picture, drawing, and colouring books have their own dedicated heading (4903), distinct from ordinary printed books.
Is the GST treatment the same for all products under 4901?
No. Printed books, including Braille books, are nil-rated (Notification 10/2025, S. No. 132), while brochures, leaflets and similar printed matter are 5% (Notification 9/2025, Schedule I, S. No. 324).