Access IndiaPLATFORM
Home›HSN›Chapter 03›HSN 0306 31 00

Rock lobster and other sea crawfish (Palinurus spp., Jasus spp.)

Live, fresh, chilled or frozen rock lobster and sea crawfish

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 0306 31 00 (Rock lobster and other sea crawfish) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence and mandatory foreign-manufacturer registration under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, as a high-risk seafood product. Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS) Sanitary Import Permit clearance applies concurrently, and consignments are permitted only through 79 designated food-import ports with effect from 1 March 2023.

What this is
HSN code
0306 31 00
Chapter
03 · Fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates
Primary regulator
FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (high-risk food regime)
Customs documentation
  • Import Licence from FSSAI
  • Sanitary Import Permit from AQCS
  • Health Certificate from AQCS
Applicable Partner Government Agencies
FSSAIFSSAI·Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
AQCSAQCS·Animal Quarantine and Certification Services

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.

Compliance steps
  1. 1
    Confirm the foreign manufacturing or processing facility is registered with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the high-risk-food foreign-manufacturer registration scheme. The FSSAI Import Licence must be current and uploaded in e-Sanchit before the bill of entry is filed; imports from unregistered facilities are not permitted.
    CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus dated 14-11-2022 · FSSAI order dated 10-10-2022
  2. 2
    Obtain the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit (document code 911DF1) issued and uploaded by Animal Quarantine and Certification Services in e-Sanchit. Quote the corresponding IRN on the bill of entry to obtain the AQCS NOC; the requirement applies to crustaceans listed under Annexure A (Sl. No. 3) of CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus.
    CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023
  3. 3
    Route the consignment exclusively through one of the 79 designated food-import ports notified under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Upload the Specimen Copy of Label and ensure compliance with the rectifiable-labelling regime before out-of-charge; non-rectifiable labelling defects attract detention.
    CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus dated 08-02-2023 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022 · FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022
A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating the FSSAI Import Licence as the sole clearance and overlooking the independent AQCS Sanitary Import Permit, which is a separate animal-origin overlay not subsumed by food-safety approval. A consignment arriving at a designated port with a current FSSAI licence but without the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit IRN quoted on the bill of entry is detained pending NOC issuance, accruing demurrage and ground rent; the rectifiable-labelling concession under FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022 applies to labelling defects only and does not cure a missing PGA clearance.

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 0306 31 00 require BIS certification?
No. Rock lobster and sea crawfish fall outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers crustaceans. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with a concurrent Animal Quarantine and Certification Services Sanitary Import Permit and a 79-designated-port restriction operative from 1 March 2023.
Which ports are designated for import of crustaceans under this tariff line?
Import is restricted to the 79 designated food-import ports listed in the Annexure to CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus dated 08-02-2023, in compliance with General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022; consignments arriving at non-designated ports are liable to detention and re-export.
Is foreign-manufacturer registration with FSSAI mandatory for rock lobster exporters?
Yes. Per CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus and the FSSAI order dated 10-10-2022, the overseas facility processing or packing fish and crustacean products for export to India must be registered with FSSAI before the import is permitted.
Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: FSSAI / AQCS / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.
Related
ChapterChapter 03 · Fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebratesHSNCRUSTACEANS, WHETHER IN SHELL OR NOT, LIVE, FRESH, CHILLED, FROZEN, DRIED, SALTED OR IN BRINE; SMOKED CRUSTACEANS, WHETHER IN SHELL OR NOT, WHETHER OR NOT COOKED BEFORE OR DURING THE SMOKING PROCESS; CRUSTACEANS, IN SHELL, COOKED BY STEAMING OR BY BOILING IN WATER, WHETHER OR NOT CHILLED, FROZEN, DRIED, SALTED OR IN BRINEHSN0306 11 00 · Rock lobster and other sea crawfish (Palinurus, Panulirus, Jasus spp.)