GST on Books in India
Printed books are exempt from GST in India under HSN 4901, so no tax is charged on textbooks, novels or reference books. E-books of a printed title attract 5%.
Exempt and taxable printed matter
The exemption for reading material is one of the widest in the GST schedule and it survived the GST 2.0 rationalisation intact. But the word 'book' does a lot of work here, and several printed items that look like books are taxed. The table sets out where the lines fall.
| Item | HSN | GST rate |
|---|---|---|
| Printed books, textbooks, novels | 4901 | Nil |
| Newspapers, journals, periodicals | 4902 | Nil |
| Children's picture & colouring books | 4903 | Nil |
| Maps and atlases | 4905 | Nil |
| Exercise books & notebooks | 4820 | Nil (since 22 Sep 2025) |
| E-books (electronic version of a printed book) | SAC 998431 | 5% |
| Online databases, digital content with no print edition | SAC 998431 | 18% |
| Brochures & leaflets | 4901 | 5% |
| Advertising catalogues, posters | 4911 | 18% |
The e-book gap
Buy a novel in paperback and you pay nothing. Buy the identical title as a Kindle download and you pay 5%. The reason is classification rather than content: a printed book is exempt goods under 4901, while a digital supply is a service. Under Notification 13/2018-Central Tax (Rate), an e-book gets the concessional 5% only where it is the electronic version of a book that is printed and falls under heading 4901. That condition does the real work: digital content with no print edition, such as an online database, a subscription research portal or an app-only title, is not an e-book for this purpose and is taxed at 18%. So the format changes the rate, and whether a print edition exists changes it again.
Notebooks became exempt in 2025
The most recent change here is easy to miss. Exercise books and notebooks under HSN 4820 moved to Nil on 22 September 2025, alongside pencils, erasers and sharpeners. Many rate lists still show the old 12% or 18% figure. But read the entry carefully: the Nil applies to exercise books and notebooks specifically, not to everything sharing heading 4820. Registers, account books, letterheads and business forms sit in the same heading and remain at 18%. Do not assume the whole chapter is exempt.
Brochures, catalogues and the purpose test
Printed matter splits on what it is for. A plain informational leaflet under 4901 attracts 5%. A promotional catalogue, trade advertising sheet or printed poster is classified under 4911 and attracts 18%. The distinction is purpose, not appearance, and where a print job is clearly advertising material it should be treated as 4911. Under Circular 11/11/2017-GST, there is a further rule for printers: if the customer supplies only the content and the printer uses its own paper, it is a supply of printing service rather than goods.
Exemption and the bookseller's credit
Exemption is not the same as zero-rating, and the difference bites. Because book sales are exempt rather than zero-rated, a bookseller cannot claim input tax credit on the costs of selling them, such as rent, packaging or logistics. That credit becomes an embedded cost. A business dealing only in exempt books may not need to register at all, but the moment it also sells stationery, e-books or advertising print it is making taxable supplies and the ₹40 lakh threshold applies. Publishers and retailers should map each product to its own HSN in their item masters so exempt and taxable turnover are reported separately.
Frequently asked questions
No. Printed books under HSN 4901 are exempt from GST, including textbooks, novels, reference books and children's books. Newspapers, journals and maps are also Nil-rated.
An e-book attracts 5% GST where it is the electronic version of a printed book falling under HSN 4901, under Notification 13/2018-Central Tax (Rate). The printed edition itself is Nil-rated. Digital content with no print edition, such as an online database or an app-only title, is taxed at 18% instead.
Exercise books and notebooks under HSN 4820 moved to Nil on 22 September 2025. Many rate lists still show the old figure. Note that other items in heading 4820, such as registers and account books, remain at 18%.
No. Informational brochures and leaflets under HSN 4901 attract 5%, while promotional catalogues, advertising material and printed posters under HSN 4911 attract 18%. The classification turns on purpose.
Not on exempt book sales. Because books are exempt rather than zero-rated, the GST paid on costs like rent and packaging cannot be claimed and becomes an embedded cost. A seller dealing only in exempt books may not need to register at all.