Skip to main content
Access IndiaPLATFORM
HomeHSNChapter 05HSN 0508 00 90

Other

Unworked shells, coral, cuttle-bone and similar animal materials

WCCB CLEARANCE

HSN 0508 00 90 (Other unworked shells, coral, and similar materials) is subject to Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) clearance under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, with a mandatory CITES certificate required at the bill of entry. Import is also restricted under ITC (HS) policy condition 3 of Chapter 05 administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), and a health certificate is required as a concurrent documentary overlay.

What this is
HSN code
0508 00 90
Chapter
05 · Products of animal origin, not elsewhere specified
Primary regulator
WCCB · Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 (CITES permit regime)
Customs documentation
  • CITES certificate from WCCB
  • Health Certificate from AQCS
  • ITC (HS) policy declaration to 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 (document code 626000) for the consignment before shipment. The certificate must be uploaded in e-Sanchit and verified by the proper officer before out-of-charge is granted; consignments without the CITES certificate will be detained at port.
    ITC (HS) policy condition 3 of Chapter 05 · Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 (CITES permit regime)
  2. 2
    Upload the Health Certificate (document code 6360AQ) in e-Sanchit alongside the CITES certificate at the bill of entry stage. The proper officer is required to verify both mandatory documents before issuing out-of-charge on PGA-facilitated bills.
    ITC (HS) policy condition 3 of Chapter 05 · CCR e-Sanchit document requirement
A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating the CITES certificate as the sole clearance document and arriving at port without the Health Certificate. Both document codes — 626000 and 6360AQ — are mandatory e-Sanchit uploads, and the absence of either will result in detention regardless of CITES compliance. The ITC (HS) Restricted-import status under policy condition 3 of Chapter 05 means that even a technically complete CITES-compliant consignment is detained if the policy condition is not satisfied.

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 0508 00 90 require BIS certification?
No, unworked shells, coral, and similar animal materials are not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, with a mandatory CITES certificate and an ITC (HS) Restricted-import overlay administered by DGFT under policy condition 3 of Chapter 05.
Which documents 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 out-of-charge is issued at the bill of entry stage.
What is the effect of ITC (HS) policy condition 3 of Chapter 05 on this import?
Policy condition 3 of Chapter 05 restricts import of goods under this tariff line, meaning import is not freely permitted and requires compliance with the stated conditions — including CITES clearance — before the consignment can be released from customs.
Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: WCCB / DGFT / Indian Customs CUSDATA.
Related