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Shells

Unworked shells of molluscs, crustaceans or echinoderms

WCCB CLEARANCE

HSN 0508 00 50 (Shells) is subject to Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) oversight under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) framework, requiring a CITES certificate at the bill of entry. Import is additionally governed by ITC (HS) policy condition 3 of Chapter 05 administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), and a health certificate must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before out-of-charge.

What this is
HSN code
0508 00 50
Chapter
05 · Products of animal origin, not elsewhere specified
Primary regulator
WCCB · CITES framework; ITC (HS) policy condition 3 of Chapter 05
Customs documentation
  • CITES certificate from WCCB
  • Health Certificate from AQCS
  • ITC (HS) policy declaration from DGFT
Applicable Partner Government Agencies
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 covering the specific shell species and consignment quantity before shipment. Upload the certificate in e-Sanchit under document code 626000 prior to filing the bill of entry; customs will not grant out-of-charge until this document is verified.
    ITC (HS) policy condition 3 of Chapter 05 · document code 626000 (CITES certificate)
  2. 2
    Upload the health certificate (document code 6360AQ) in e-Sanchit alongside the CITES certificate. The proper officer must confirm both documents are present in e-Sanchit before granting out-of-charge on PGA-facilitated bills.
    CCR mandatory-document requirement · document code 6360AQ
A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is shipping under the assumption that unworked or simply prepared shells fall outside CITES controls because they are not live animals. Many mollusc, crustacean, and echinoderm species are CITES-listed at Appendix II or III, and a consignment arriving without a valid CITES certificate is liable to seizure and confiscation irrespective of the health certificate being current. Verify CITES listing status species-by-species before the purchase order is placed.

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Frequently asked
Does HSN 0508 00 50 require BIS certification?
No, unworked shells of molluscs, crustaceans or echinoderms are not covered by any BIS Quality Control Order. Import is governed by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau under the CITES framework and by ITC (HS) policy condition 3 of Chapter 05 administered by DGFT.
Which document codes must be uploaded in e-Sanchit for this tariff line?
Two documents are mandatory: the CITES certificate under document code 626000 and the health certificate under document code 6360AQ. Both must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before customs out-of-charge is granted.
Do powder and waste of shells under this HSN also require a CITES certificate?
Yes. The tariff line explicitly covers powder and waste of mollusc, crustacean, and echinoderm shells, and the ITC (HS) policy condition 3 of Chapter 05 applies to the entire CTI without carve-outs for processed forms.
Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: WCCB / DGFT / Indian Customs CUSDATA.
Related
ChapterChapter 05 · Products of animal origin, not elsewhere specifiedHSNCORAL AND SIMILAR MATERIALS, UNWORKED OR SIMPLY PREPARED BUT NOT OTHERWISE WORKED; SHELLS OF MOLLUSCS, CRUSTACEANS OR ECHINODERMS AND CUTTLE-BONE, UNWORKED OR SIMPLY PREPARED BUT NOT CUT TO SHAPE, POWDER AND WASTE THEREOFHSNCoral and similar materials, unworked or simply prepared but not otherwise worked; shells of molluscs, crustaceans or echinoderms and cuttle-bone, unworked or simply prepared but not cut to shape, powder and waste thereof: