Mules and hinnies as livestock

Live mules and hinnies imported as livestock

AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 0101 90 30 (Mules and hinnies as livestock) is subject to Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS) veterinary quarantine clearance, with a Veterinary Quarantine Certificate and Veterinary Health Certificate required at the bill of entry. The tariff line is Restricted under the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), and import is permitted only upon AQCS NOC.

What this is

HSN code

0101 90 30

Chapter

01 · Live animals

Primary regulator

AQCS · Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (veterinary quarantine clearance)

Customs documentation

Veterinary Quarantine Certificate from AQCS
Veterinary Health Certificate from exporting country
Laboratory Reports from AQCS

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

AQCSAQCS·Animal Quarantine and Certification Services

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

Compliance steps

1
Obtain AQCS NOC and ensure the Veterinary Quarantine Certificate (document code 629000) is uploaded in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry. The customs proper officer will verify this upload before granting out-of-charge; consignments arriving without it are detained pending document production.
AQCS veterinary quarantine clearance · CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022 · document code 629000
2
Upload the Veterinary Health Certificate issued by the exporting country (document code 853AQ1) and the Laboratory Reports or Certificate of Analysis (document code 001AQ1) in e-Sanchit at the bill of entry stage, in accordance with Annexure A (Sl. No. 1 and Sl. No. 2) of CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus.
CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022 · document codes 853AQ1 and 001AQ1
3
Confirm the import satisfies the ITC (HS) Restricted-import policy condition for Chapter 01 as administered by DGFT before placing the purchase order. Restricted status means no import is lawful without the operative AQCS clearance and policy compliance.
ITC (HS) Import Policy, Chapter 01 · DGFT

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating the Veterinary Health Certificate from the exporting country and the Veterinary Quarantine Certificate as interchangeable. They are distinct documents with separate e-Sanchit codes — 853AQ1 and 629000 respectively — and both must be uploaded independently. A bill of entry missing either code will not obtain out-of-charge, and live animals detained at port accrue demurrage and ground rent while generating immediate animal-welfare compliance obligations.

Need a regulatory steer on this product?

Speak to a regulatory counsel about your specific HSN, IS, and supplier situation.

Speak to an Expert

Frequently asked

Does HSN 0101 90 30 require BIS certification?

No, live mules and hinnies are not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by Animal Quarantine and Certification Services veterinary quarantine requirements, with the tariff line carrying Restricted status under the ITC (HS) import policy administered by DGFT.

What are the three e-Sanchit document codes required at the bill of entry for this tariff line?

The Veterinary Quarantine Certificate (629000), the Veterinary Health Certificate from the exporting country (853AQ1), and the Laboratory Reports or Certificate of Analysis (001AQ1) must all be uploaded in e-Sanchit per CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022.

Can customs clear a consignment of live mules without routing through AQCS for NOC?

No. For PGA-facilitated bills not routed through AQCS for NOC, the customs proper officer is required to verify that all mandatory documents are uploaded in e-Sanchit before granting out-of-charge; clearance without AQCS compliance is not permitted.

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