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Tortoise-shell

Tortoise-shell, unworked or simply prepared

AQCS CLEARANCE · WCCB CLEARANCE

HSN 0507 90 60 (Tortoise-shell) is subject to Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS) Sanitary Import Permit clearance and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) CITES certification requirements under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The tariff line is Restricted under ITC (HS) import policy conditions 2 and 3 of Chapter 05, administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). All mandatory clearance documents must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before customs out-of-charge.

What this is
HSN code
0507 90 60
Chapter
05 · Products of animal origin, not elsewhere specified
Primary regulator
AQCS · ITC (HS) policy conditions 2 and 3, Chapter 05; WCCB · Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 (CITES)
Customs documentation
  • CITES certificate from WCCB
  • Sanitary Import Permit from AQCS
  • Health Certificate from AQCS
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. 1
    Obtain a valid CITES certificate (document code 626000) from the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau before shipment. Tortoise-shell is a CITES-listed specimen and import without a valid CITES permit constitutes a criminal offence under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, resulting in seizure and prosecution.
    ITC (HS) policy condition 2 of Chapter 05 · CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022
  2. 2
    Secure an AQCS Sanitary Import Permit (document code 911DF1) before dispatch and quote the e-Sanchit IRN of the Sanitary Import Permit on the bill of entry to obtain the AQCS NOC. Also upload the veterinary health certificate issued by the exporting country (document code 853AQ1) and the laboratory report or Certificate of Analysis (document code 001AQ1) in e-Sanchit.
    CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022 · ITC (HS) policy condition 3 of Chapter 05
  3. 3
    Ensure compliance with ITC (HS) import policy conditions 2 and 3 of Chapter 05. The proper officer will verify that document codes 626000, 6360AQ, 911DF1, 853AQ1, and 001AQ1 are all uploaded in e-Sanchit before granting out-of-charge on PGA-facilitated bills.
    ITC (HS) policy conditions 2 and 3, Chapter 05 · CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022
A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit as the sole clearance and overlooking the CITES certificate, which is a wholly independent wildlife-trade control administered by WCCB. A consignment arriving with AQCS clearance but without a valid CITES permit is liable to seizure and confiscation under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and the importer faces criminal prosecution — not merely a customs-duty demand. Both instruments must be current and uploaded in e-Sanchit before vessel arrival.

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Frequently asked
Does HSN 0507 90 60 require BIS certification?
No, tortoise-shell falls entirely outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers this product family. Import is governed by Animal Quarantine and Certification Services under the ITC (HS) policy and by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, with CITES permit controls.
Which e-Sanchit document codes are mandatory for tortoise-shell imports?
Five document codes apply: CITES certificate (626000), health certificate (6360AQ), Sanitary Import Permit (911DF1), veterinary health certificate from the exporting country (853AQ1), and laboratory report or Certificate of Analysis (001AQ1), all per CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022.
What happens if the CITES certificate is missing at the time of bill of entry?
Absence of a valid CITES certificate renders the consignment liable to immediate seizure and confiscation under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972; the customs proper officer cannot grant out-of-charge, and the importer faces criminal liability independent of any duty or DGFT-policy exposure.
Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: AQCS / WCCB / DGFT / Indian Customs CUSDATA.
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