HS Code 9701Paintings, drawings and pastels, executed entirely by hand; not drawings of heading no. 4906 and not hand-painted, hand-decorated manufactured articles; collages, mosaics and similar decorative plaques
6 six-digit codes · Heading 1 of 6 in Chapter 97 · World Customs Organization Harmonized System
HS code 9701 is the heading for original paintings, drawings, pastels, collages and mosaics that an artist makes by hand. After you confirm a work fits, the next question is how old it is.
No heading in Chapter 97 is cut finer than 9701. Its 6 six-digit codes, 970121 to 970199, are the most any single heading in the chapter carries — “Paintings, drawings and pastels, executed entirely by hand; not drawings of heading no. 4906 and not hand-painted, hand-decorated manufactured articles; collages, mosaics and similar decorative plaques” is where this chapter gets specific. The heading is number 1 of 6 in Chapter 97, Works of art; collectors' pieces and antiques, which runs to 19 six-digit codes in all.
Six-digit codes under heading 9701
| HS Code | Import–export description |
|---|---|
| 970121 | Paintings, drawings and pastels; executed entirely by hand, other than drawings of heading no. 4906, of an age exceeding 100 years |
| 970122 | Mosaics; executed entirely by hand, other than drawings of heading no. 4906, of an age exceeding 100 years |
| 970129 | Artwork; other than paintings, drawings, pastels mosaics, executed entirely by hand, other than drawings of heading no. 4906, of an age exceeding 100 years |
| 970191 | Paintings, drawings and pastels; executed entirely by hand, other than drawings of heading no. 4906, of an age not exceeding 100 years |
| 970192 | Mosaics; executed entirely by hand, other than drawings of heading no. 4906, of an age not exceeding 100 years |
| 970199 | Artwork; other than paintings, drawings, pastels mosaics, executed entirely by hand, other than drawings of heading no. 4906, of an age not exceeding 100 years |
What HS code 9701 covers
Think of this heading as the home of hand-painted artwork. The artist works with brush, pencil, chalk or tiles, not with a machine. Collages and decorative plaques of the same kind also fit. Some sellers write it as HSN 9701 or HTS 9701, but it is the same Harmonized System heading.
Two things stay out. One is the group of drawings that belong to heading 4906. The other is a manufactured good with hand decoration, such as a plate or a chair with a painted pattern. The object is still a plate or a chair, and the art on it does not change that.
The heading sits in a part of the tariff built around collectibles. That is why the age of the work shapes the codes below.
Over 100 years vs not over 100 years
Each type of work comes in an older and a newer version. The first three codes, 970121 to 970129, are for works older than 100 years. The last three, 970191 to 970199, are for works that are 100 years old or less. The type of work stays the same inside each group.
That is the whole difference between 970121 and 970191. A recent hand-painted canvas goes to 970191. An antique painting goes to 970121. The same rule links the other pairs.
- Paintings, drawings and pastels: 970121 for the older group, 970191 for the newer group
- Mosaics: 970122 for the older group, 970192 for the newer group
- Other artwork, such as collages: 970129 for the older group, 970199 for the newer group
How to pick the right code for a painting or mosaic
Work through these checks in order. Most pieces are sorted by the third one.
If an item still looks unclear, try the HS code classifier.
- First, confirm that the artist did all the work by hand.
- Second, rule out drawings of heading 4906 and manufactured articles with hand decoration.
- Third, name the type: painting, drawing or pastel, mosaic, or other artwork such as a collage.
- Fourth, decide the age side: older than 100 years, or 100 years and under.
- Fifth, look at the neighbours. Original prints go to 9702, original sculptures go to 9703, and general antiques older than one hundred years go to 9706.
Related headings in Chapter 97
Each nearby heading covers a different kind of collectible, so a wrong guess can send a shipment to the wrong code.
Heading 9704 is for stamps, first-day covers and postal stationery. Heading 9705 is for collections and collectors' pieces with archaeological, historical, zoological or similar interest. Heading 9706 is for antiques. If your item is a hand-made painting, stay on 9701.
Import and export data for heading 9701
EximDataX shows shipment-level import and export records from official customs sources. Coverage: 43 direct customs feeds plus 184 mirror-derived countries. Named buyers and named suppliers are available in 38 of the 43 direct markets. Most markets refresh weekly and some refresh daily.
You can search by HS code to see who imports and exports a product, and book a free demo. Open the live records for paintings and mosaics, then use the buyer and supplier pages to look at the companies behind them.
Related
- Chapter 97: works of art and antiques
- HS 9702 original prints and lithographs
- HS 9703 original sculptures
- HS 9704 stamps and postal stationery
- HS 9705 collectors' pieces
- HS 9706 antiques over 100 years
- All HS code chapters
- Import data
- Export data
- Buyers of paintings
- Suppliers of paintings
- HS code classifier
- Book a free demo
Nearby headings in Chapter 97
- 9702Engravings, prints and lithographs; original2 codes
- 9703Sculptures and statuary; original, in any material2 codes
- 9704Stamps, postage or revenue; stamp-postmarks, first-day covers, postal…1 code
- 9705Collections and collectors' pieces; of archaeological, ethnographic…6 codes
- 9706Antiques; of an age exceeding one hundred years2 codes
Who ships under 9701?
EximDataX tracks the live import–export records filed under this heading and the 6 codes beneath it: named buyers, suppliers, quantities and values from official customs feeds.
Section XXI: Works of Art, Collectors' Pieces and Antiques, chapters 97–97.
HS Code 9701: common questions
What is HS code 9701?
It is the Harmonized System heading for paintings, drawings, pastels, collages and mosaics that are done entirely by hand. It belongs to the works of art part of the tariff.
What is the HS code for oil paintings?
A hand-painted oil painting goes to 970191 when it is 100 years old or less. If it is older than that, use 970121.
What is the difference between HS 970121 and 970191?
Age is the only difference. 970121 is for works older than 100 years, and 970191 is for works that are not.
What is the HS code for hand-made mosaics?
Use 970122 for an older mosaic and 970192 for a newer one. Both need the mosaic to be done entirely by hand.
Is a hand-painted vase classified under 9701?
No. A vase is a manufactured article, and the heading text leaves out hand-decorated manufactured articles.
Where do prints and lithographs go, 9701 or 9702?
This heading is for paintings, drawings, pastels and similar hand-done work.
Who imports paintings under this heading?
Search the heading on EximDataX to see live import and export records. The buyer data and supplier data pages then help you look at the companies.
See what your buyers are buying.Then decide.
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