Reptiles (including snakes and turtles)

Live reptiles including snakes and turtles

AQCS CLEARANCE · WCCB CLEARANCE

HSN 0106 20 00 (Reptiles, including snakes and turtles) is subject to Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS) veterinary quarantine clearance and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) CITES permit requirements, with import classified as Restricted under ITC (HS) Policy Condition No. 6 of Chapter 01 administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). A CITES Certificate and Veterinary Quarantine Certificate must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before customs out-of-charge.

What this is

HSN code

0106 20 00

Chapter

01 · Live animals

Primary regulator

AQCS · ITC (HS) Restricted import policy, Chapter 01, Policy Condition No. 6

Customs documentation

CITES Certificate from WCCB
Veterinary Quarantine Certificate from AQCS
Veterinary Health Certificate from exporting country

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

AQCSAQCS·Animal Quarantine and Certification Services

WCCBWCCB·Wildlife Crime Control Bureau

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

Compliance steps

1
Obtain a CITES Certificate (document code 626000) from the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau covering the specific reptile species to be imported. The certificate must be current and uploaded in e-Sanchit before the bill of entry is filed; consignments without a valid CITES Certificate are liable to seizure under the Wildlife (Protection) Act.
ITC (HS) Policy Condition No. 6 of Chapter 01 · CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022
2
Upload the AQCS Veterinary Quarantine Certificate (document code 629000) and the Veterinary Health Certificate issued by the exporting country (document code 853AQ1) in e-Sanchit at the bill of entry. Additionally, upload the Laboratory Report or Certificate of Analysis (document code 001AQ1) for CTIs listed in Annexure A (Sl. No. 2) of CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus.
CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022 · Annexure A, Sl. No. 1 and Sl. No. 2

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating the CITES Certificate as the sole clearance document and filing the bill of entry without the AQCS Veterinary Quarantine Certificate or the exporting-country Veterinary Health Certificate. Both WCCB and AQCS clearances are independent of each other; a consignment cleared by WCCB but lacking the AQCS documents will be detained at the port of entry and held at the importer's cost until all four document codes — 626000, 629000, 853AQ1, and 001AQ1 — are verified in e-Sanchit.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0106 20 00 require BIS certification?

No, live reptiles fall entirely outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by Animal Quarantine and Certification Services under ITC (HS) Policy Condition No. 6 of Chapter 01, with a concurrent Wildlife Crime Control Bureau CITES permit requirement for CITES-listed species.

Which document codes must be uploaded in e-Sanchit for reptile imports?

Four document codes apply: CITES Certificate (626000), Veterinary Quarantine Certificate (629000), Veterinary Health Certificate from the exporting country (853AQ1), and Laboratory Report or Certificate of Analysis (001AQ1), per CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022.

Does the CITES requirement apply to all reptile species under this tariff line?

The CITES Certificate requirement applies to species listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species; importers must confirm the CITES Appendix status of the specific species before shipment, as unlisted species still require AQCS quarantine clearance but may not require a WCCB CITES permit.

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