{
  "summary": "Children’s picture books imported into the United States are usually classified under HS code 4903.00 when it is a children’s picture, drawing or colouring book. It sits in heading 49.03, “Children's picture, drawing or colouring books”. The tariff of the United States has 1 national line under this code. The general (MFN) duty in the United States on the national lines under 4903.00 is free.",
  "updatedAt": "2026-10-11",
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Most likely code",
      "value": "4903.00",
      "source": null,
      "url": "https://border.bot/hs-codes/490300"
    },
    {
      "label": "Chapter",
      "value": "49: Printed books, newspapers, pictures and other products of the printing industry; manuscripts, typescripts and plans",
      "source": null,
      "url": "https://border.bot/hs-codes/49"
    },
    {
      "label": "Candidate codes",
      "value": "1",
      "source": null
    },
    {
      "label": "HS edition",
      "value": "HS2022",
      "source": null
    },
    {
      "label": "National lines",
      "value": "1",
      "source": "https://hts.usitc.gov/reststop/exportList?from=0000000000&to=9999999999&format=CSV&styles=false"
    },
    {
      "label": "General duty (MFN)",
      "value": "free",
      "source": "https://hts.usitc.gov/reststop/exportList?from=0000000000&to=9999999999&format=CSV&styles=false"
    }
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "question": "What is the HS code for children’s picture books?",
      "answer": "Children’s picture books imported into the United States are usually classified under HS code 4903.00 when it is a children’s picture, drawing or colouring book. It sits in heading 49.03, “Children's picture, drawing or colouring books”."
    },
    {
      "question": "Does the type of book change the HS code for children’s picture books?",
      "answer": "Yes. Use 4903.00 when it is a children’s picture, drawing or colouring book. Use 4901.99 when it is an ordinary printed book for children rather than a picture, drawing or colouring book."
    },
    {
      "question": "What is the duty on children’s picture books imported into the United States?",
      "answer": "The general (MFN) duty in the United States on the national lines under 4903.00 is free. Import VAT or sales tax is charged on top, and de minimis rules can change what is due; the landed cost calculator works it out for a shipment."
    }
  ],
  "sections": [
    {
      "id": "choose",
      "title": "How to choose the right code",
      "text": [
        "Is it a picture, drawing or colouring book for children, or an ordinary book with text? Use 4903.00 when it is a children’s picture, drawing or colouring book. Use 4901.99 when it is an ordinary printed book for children rather than a picture, drawing or colouring book.",
        "Some similar goods are classified elsewhere: 4901.99 applies when it is an ordinary printed book for children rather than a picture, drawing or colouring book."
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "codes",
      "title": "Codes for children’s picture books",
      "text": [
        "Each code is listed with its legal text from the HS2022 Harmonized System release, quoted as published, and the condition under which it applies to children’s picture books."
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "lines",
      "title": "National lines in the United States",
      "text": [
        "The tariff of the United States splits this code into 1 national line, listed with their published text and general duty.",
        "The general (MFN) duty in the United States on the national lines under 4903.00 is free. Import VAT or sales tax is charged on top, and de minimis rules can change what is due; the landed cost calculator works it out for a shipment."
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "similar",
      "title": "Similar products",
      "text": [
        "Products in the same category as children’s picture books, or classified under the same headings."
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "check",
      "title": "Check your exact product",
      "text": [
        "Describe your product, or paste its page, and the classifier suggests the code in the tariff of the United States with its reasons."
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "note",
      "title": "Classification depends on the exact product",
      "text": [
        "The right code depends on what the product is made of, how it is made and what it is for, so two products sold as children’s picture books can fall under different codes.",
        "Guidance from published tariff data, not a binding ruling. For a decision customs must follow, apply to the destination’s customs authority for a binding tariff ruling."
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "sources",
      "title": "Sources and updates",
      "text": [
        "The legal texts are from the HS2022 Harmonized System release, live on border.bot since 11 October 2026.",
        "The national lines are from the tariff release of the United States (2026HTSRev21), live on border.bot since 9 October 2026.",
        "The duty rates are from the live rates release, live on border.bot since 9 October 2026.",
        "The conditions and questions on this page were written for children’s picture books by border.bot and checked against those legal texts; the page changes when a new release goes live or the topic is reviewed again."
      ]
    }
  ],
  "data": {
    "type": "country-product-topic",
    "topic": {
      "slug": "childrens-picture-books",
      "name": "Children’s picture books",
      "singular": "children’s picture book",
      "plural": "children’s picture books",
      "synonyms": [
        "colouring book",
        "coloring book",
        "drawing book",
        "picture book"
      ],
      "category": {
        "id": "books-media",
        "name": "Books and media"
      }
    },
    "edition": "HS2022",
    "country": {
      "code": "US",
      "name": "United States",
      "slug": "united-states"
    },
    "ratesLive": true,
    "codes": [
      {
        "code": "490300",
        "role": "likely",
        "when": "it is a children’s picture, drawing or colouring book",
        "legalText": "Children's picture, drawing or colouring books",
        "levels": [
          "Children's picture, drawing or colouring books"
        ],
        "heading": {
          "code": "4903",
          "description": "Children's picture, drawing or colouring books"
        },
        "chapter": {
          "code": "49",
          "description": "Printed books, newspapers, pictures and other products of the printing industry; manuscripts, typescripts and plans"
        }
      },
      {
        "code": "490199",
        "role": "elsewhere",
        "when": "it is an ordinary printed book for children rather than a picture, drawing or colouring book",
        "legalText": "Other: Other",
        "levels": [
          "Other",
          "Other"
        ],
        "heading": {
          "code": "4901",
          "description": "Printed books, brochures, leaflets and similar printed matter, whether or not in single sheets"
        },
        "chapter": {
          "code": "49",
          "description": "Printed books, newspapers, pictures and other products of the printing industry; manuscripts, typescripts and plans"
        }
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        "codes": [
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          "490199"
        ],
        "question": "Is it a picture, drawing or colouring book for children, or an ordinary book with text?"
      }
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    "lines": [
      {
        "code": "490300",
        "lines": [
          {
            "code": "4903000000",
            "description": "Children's picture, drawing or coloring books",
            "levels": [],
            "general": {
              "code": "4903000000",
              "dutyText": "Free",
              "startDate": null,
              "endDate": null,
              "unit": null
            },
            "measures": []
          }
        ]
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    "similar": [
      {
        "slug": "books",
        "name": "Books",
        "category": {
          "id": "books-media",
          "name": "Books and media"
        },
        "codes": [
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        ]
      },
      {
        "slug": "posters",
        "name": "Posters",
        "category": {
          "id": "books-media",
          "name": "Books and media"
        },
        "codes": [
          "491191"
        ]
      },
      {
        "slug": "vinyl-records",
        "name": "Vinyl records",
        "category": {
          "id": "books-media",
          "name": "Books and media"
        },
        "codes": [
          "852380"
        ]
      }
    ],
    "otherCountries": [],
    "provenance": [
      {
        "dataset": "GLOBAL:hs",
        "country": "GLOBAL",
        "kind": "hs",
        "seq": 2,
        "version": "mytraddal hs2022.csv (HS 2022)",
        "liveAt": "2026-10-11T06:04:17.693Z",
        "origin": "upload",
        "sourceUrls": []
      },
      {
        "dataset": "US:hs",
        "country": "US",
        "kind": "hs",
        "seq": 1,
        "version": "2026HTSRev21",
        "liveAt": "2026-10-09T21:15:50.043Z",
        "origin": "source",
        "sourceUrls": [
          "https://hts.usitc.gov/reststop/exportList?from=0000000000&to=9999999999&format=CSV&styles=false"
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      },
      {
        "dataset": "US:rates",
        "country": "US",
        "kind": "rates",
        "seq": 1,
        "version": "2026HTSRev21",
        "liveAt": "2026-10-09T21:15:36.287Z",
        "origin": "source",
        "sourceUrls": [
          "https://hts.usitc.gov/reststop/exportList?from=0000000000&to=9999999999&format=CSV&styles=false"
        ]
      }
    ],
    "dateModified": "2026-10-11T08:23:53.439Z",
    "seo": {
      "canonicalPath": "/countries/united-states/hs-codes/for/childrens-picture-books",
      "robots": "index",
      "sitemap": true,
      "reasons": [
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  "links": {
    "self": "https://border.bot/countries/united-states/hs-codes/for/childrens-picture-books.json",
    "html": "https://border.bot/countries/united-states/hs-codes/for/childrens-picture-books",
    "canonical": "https://border.bot/countries/united-states/hs-codes/for/childrens-picture-books",
    "markdown": "https://border.bot/countries/united-states/hs-codes/for/childrens-picture-books.md",
    "tools": {
      "classifier": "https://border.bot/tools/hs-code-classifier?product=children%E2%80%99s+picture+book&destination=US",
      "calculator": "https://border.bot/tools/landed-cost-calculator",
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  },
  "attribution": "border.bot tariff reference (border.bot), compiled from the official publishers named on each page.",
  "terms": "https://border.bot/legal/terms",
  "notice": "Guidance from published tariff data, not a binding ruling. For a decision customs must follow, apply to the destination’s customs authority for a binding tariff ruling.",
  "catalogVersion": "08bc53aa"
}