Journals and periodicals

Journals and periodicals appearing at least four times a week

NO PGA · STANDARD CUSTOMS PROCEDURE

HSN 4902 10 20 (journals and periodicals appearing at least four times a week) is not covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order and carries no Partner Government Agency clearance requirement at the tariff-line level. Import follows the standard customs procedure: Importer-Exporter Code (IEC), bill of entry, commercial invoice, packing list. Periodicals appearing less frequently, books, or printed matter containing certain content categories may be classified under different tariff lines within Chapter 49 that attract separate regulatory scrutiny.

No partner government agency notification covers this tariff line.

A word of counsel

Although this tariff line carries no product-specific compliance, printed matter entering India remains subject to general customs examination for content permissibility and correct classification. Misclassification risk is real where a publication straddles the boundary between a journal and a trade catalogue, or where frequency of publication shifts it to a less-frequent periodical subheading — either scenario can trigger re-classification and retrospective duty recovery. Confirm publication frequency and editorial character against the customs tariff before each shipment.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 4902 10 20 require any pre-import registration?

A valid Importer-Exporter Code is required for any commercial import; no product-specific registration applies to this tariff line.

What changes if the periodical appears fewer than four times a week?

Publications appearing less frequently fall under a different subheading within Chapter 49 and may attract a distinct duty rate and, depending on content, separate regulatory treatment.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: BIS / DGFT / Indian Customs CUSDATA.