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HomeHSNChapter 49HSN 4911 99 10

Hard copy (printed) of computer software

Printed hard copy of computer software documentation

NO PGA · STANDARD CUSTOMS PROCEDURE

HSN 4911 99 10 (hard copy, printed, of computer software) 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. Other printed matter within Chapter 49 — or software imported on physical media or electronically — may attract different classification or compliance treatment depending on format and intended use.

No partner government agency notification covers this tariff line.
A word of counsel

The principal risk at this tariff line is misclassification: software delivered on optical disc or USB media falls outside Chapter 49 entirely, and customs re-examination of the physical goods may prompt reclassification to a media-specific tariff line, triggering retrospective duty recovery. The distinction between accompanying printed documentation and standalone printed manuals is a recurring examination point. Verify that the imported goods are genuinely printed paper output accompanying software, not a mixed consignment that bundles media.

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Frequently asked
Does HSN 4911 99 10 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 software is imported on a physical medium such as a disc or drive rather than as printed matter?
Software on physical media is classified outside Chapter 49 and may attract a distinct tariff treatment and, depending on content or end use, scrutiny under separate regulatory frameworks.
Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: BIS / DGFT / Indian Customs CUSDATA.
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