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Lobsters (Homarus spp.)

Live, fresh, chilled or frozen lobsters (Homarus spp.)

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 0306 92 00 (Lobsters, Homarus spp.) 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. 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 92 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 before shipment. Lobsters and crustacean products fall within the 'Fish and their product' category covered by the FSSAI mandatory registration order; the FSSAI Import Licence must be uploaded in e-Sanchit at the bill of entry.
    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) prior to consignment dispatch and quote the corresponding e-Sanchit IRN on the bill of entry to receive the AQCS NOC. This permit covers Annexure A (Sl. No. 3) CTIs under Circular No. 24/2022-Cus and is independent of the FSSAI food-safety clearance.
    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. Ensure label compliance is verified before out-of-charge; rectifiable labelling defects are governed by the FSSAI rectifiable-labelling regime, but missing PGA clearances are not rectifiable in the same manner.
    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 arriving at a non-designated port on the assumption that live or chilled crustacean consignments qualify for expedited clearance. The 79-port restriction applies without exception to all fish and crustacean products in the high-risk category; a consignment discharged at an undesignated port cannot be re-routed without incurring detention, demurrage, and a mandatory FSSAI re-clearance referral. The AQCS Sanitary Import Permit IRN must be pre-generated and uploaded in e-Sanchit before vessel arrival — it cannot be obtained at the port counter.

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Frequently asked
Does HSN 0306 92 00 require BIS certification?
No, lobsters and crustaceans are not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime. 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 requirement and the 79-designated-port restriction operative from 1 March 2023.
Which ports are designated for import of lobsters under this tariff line?
Import is permitted only through the 79 designated food-import ports listed in the Annexure to CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus dated 08-02-2023, as required by General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022; consignments arriving at any other port are liable to detention.
Is foreign-manufacturer registration with FSSAI mandatory even for live lobster exporters?
Yes. Per CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus and the FSSAI order dated 10 October 2022, all facilities exporting fish and crustacean products — including live Homarus lobsters — to India must be registered with FSSAI before the shipment is permitted clearance.
Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: FSSAI / AQCS / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.
Related
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