Orchids

Fresh or prepared cut orchids for bouquets or ornamental use

WCCB CLEARANCE

HSN 0603 13 00 (Orchids) is subject to Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) clearance under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), with a CITES certificate mandatory at the bill of entry. Import of cut orchids is otherwise Free under the ITC (HS) policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), but is permitted exclusively through Chennai Airport.

What this is

HSN code

0603 13 00

Chapter

06 · Live trees and other plants; bulbs, roots and the like; cut flowers and ornamental foliage

Primary regulator

WCCB · CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species)

Customs documentation

CITES certificate from WCCB
Port declaration to CBIC

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
Obtain a valid CITES certificate covering the orchid consignment before shipment. Upload the CITES certificate in e-Sanchit under document code 626000 prior to filing the bill of entry; customs out-of-charge will not be granted until this document is verified.
CITES convention · document code 626000 · e-Sanchit mandatory upload requirement
2
Route the consignment exclusively through Chennai Airport. Import of cut flowers under this tariff line is restricted to this single designated port of entry; arrival at any other airport or sea port renders the consignment liable to detention and re-export.
DGFT Notification 17/2015-20 dated 09-07-2020

A word of counsel

The most frequent error on this tariff line is consigning orchid shipments to a port other than Chennai Airport — including Mumbai or Delhi — on the assumption that the Free import policy permits entry at any customs station. The port restriction under DGFT Notification 17/2015-20 is absolute and is not waived by the Free import status; a consignment arriving at an undesignated port faces detention, demurrage, and compulsory re-export regardless of whether a valid CITES certificate is on file.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0603 13 00 require BIS certification?

No, cut orchids fall entirely outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by Wildlife Crime Control Bureau CITES certificate requirements and the DGFT port restriction under Notification 17/2015-20 dated 09-07-2020.

Is the CITES certificate upload in e-Sanchit mandatory before out-of-charge?

Yes. The CITES certificate (document code 626000) must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before customs out-of-charge is granted; bills not routed through the PGA for NOC are subject to independent verification by the proper officer.

Can cut orchids be imported through Mumbai or Delhi airports given that the ITC (HS) policy is Free?

No. The Free import status does not override the designated-port restriction; DGFT Notification 17/2015-20 confines import of cut flowers under this tariff line to Chennai Airport only, and arrival at any other port results in detention and re-export.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: WCCB / DGFT / Indian Customs CUSDATA.