Other

Live bees, other than honeybees

AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 0106 41 90 (live bees, other than the common honeybee) is subject to Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS) veterinary quarantine clearance under Policy Condition 6 of Chapter 01 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy, administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). The tariff line is Restricted under the ITC (HS) policy, and a Veterinary Quarantine Certificate, Veterinary Health Certificate, and Laboratory Certificate of Analysis must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before customs out-of-charge.

What this is

HSN code

0106 41 90

Chapter

01 · Live animals

Primary regulator

AQCS · ITC (HS) Restricted import policy, Policy Condition 6 of Chapter 01

Customs documentation

Veterinary Quarantine Certificate from AQCS
Veterinary Health Certificate from exporting country
Laboratory Certificate of Analysis 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 clearance and ensure the Veterinary Quarantine Certificate (document code 629000) is uploaded in e-Sanchit before the bill of entry is filed. The proper officer will verify this upload prior to granting out-of-charge; consignments lacking this document will be detained at the port of entry.
Policy Condition 6 of Chapter 01, ITC (HS) Import Policy · CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022
2
Upload the Veterinary Health Certificate issued by the competent authority of the exporting country (document code 853AQ1) and the Laboratory Reports or Certificate of Analysis (document code 001AQ1) in e-Sanchit. These are mandatory for CTIs listed in Annexure A (Sl. No. 1 and Sl. No. 2, respectively) 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 Veterinary Quarantine Certificate as the sole AQCS requirement and overlooking the two additional e-Sanchit uploads — the Veterinary Health Certificate (853AQ1) and the Laboratory Certificate of Analysis (001AQ1). All three documents are independently mandatory; a bill of entry missing any one of them will not receive out-of-charge, and the resulting detention of live animals carries demurrage and ground rent liability that accrues rapidly given the perishable, welfare-sensitive nature of the cargo.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0106 41 90 require BIS certification?

No, live bees fall entirely outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers live animals. Import is governed by Animal Quarantine and Certification Services under the ITC (HS) Restricted-import policy, Policy Condition 6 of Chapter 01, administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

Which document codes must be uploaded in e-Sanchit for this tariff line?

Three documents are mandatory: the Veterinary Quarantine Certificate (629000), the Veterinary Health Certificate issued by the exporting country (853AQ1), and the Laboratory Reports or Certificate of Analysis (001AQ1), all per CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022.

Does Policy Condition 6 of Chapter 01 restrict the category of importer permitted to bring in live bees?

Policy Condition 6 of Chapter 01 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy governs the conditions under which Restricted-category live animals may be imported; the importer should confirm specific eligibility and end-use conditions under that condition before placing a purchase order.

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