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Other

Ornamental foliage, branches, grasses, mosses and lichens

WCCB CLEARANCE

HSN 0604 90 00 (Other ornamental foliage, branches, grasses, mosses and lichens) is subject to Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) oversight, with a mandatory CITES certificate required for species listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. The CITES certificate (document code 626000) must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before customs out-of-charge.

What this is
HSN code
0604 90 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
  • NOC from WCCB
Applicable Partner Government Agencies
WCCBWCCB·Wildlife Crime Control Bureau
Compliance steps
  1. 1
    Determine whether the ornamental foliage, branches, grasses, mosses or lichens being imported are derived from species listed under CITES Appendices I, II or III. If so, obtain the applicable CITES certificate from the exporting country's Management Authority and ensure WCCB clearance before filing the bill of entry.
    CITES certificate · document code 626000 · WCCB (primary regulator)
  2. 2
    Upload the CITES certificate (document code 626000) in e-Sanchit before the bill of entry is processed. The customs proper officer will verify this upload for PGA-facilitated bills not independently routed through WCCB for NOC, and out-of-charge will not be granted until the document is confirmed.
    Document code 626000 · e-Sanchit upload requirement per CCR
A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is assuming that dried, dyed, bleached or otherwise processed plant material falls outside CITES obligations because it has been commercially prepared. CITES Appendix listing attaches to the species, not to the processing state; prepared ornamental foliage derived from a listed species requires a CITES certificate on import regardless of the degree of processing. Consignments arriving without the certificate uploaded in e-Sanchit face detention pending WCCB review.

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Frequently asked
Does HSN 0604 90 00 require BIS certification?
No, ornamental foliage, branches, grasses, mosses and lichens are not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau under CITES obligations, requiring a CITES certificate for species listed under the Convention's Appendices.
Is a CITES certificate required for all consignments under this HSN, or only for listed species?
The CITES certificate (document code 626000) is mandatory only for species listed under CITES Appendices I, II or III; consignments comprising unlisted species must still be verified by the customs proper officer before out-of-charge is granted.
What happens if the CITES certificate is not uploaded in e-Sanchit at the time of filing?
The customs proper officer will not grant out-of-charge for PGA-facilitated bills lacking the CITES certificate upload; the consignment is detained pending WCCB NOC, accruing demurrage and ground rent until the documentation is regularised.
Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: WCCB / Indian Customs CUSDATA.
Related
ChapterChapter 06 · Live trees and other plants; bulbs, roots and the like; cut flowers and ornamental foliageHSNFOLIAGE, BRANCHES AND OTHER PARTS OF PLANTS, WITHOUT FLOWERS OR FLOWER BUDS, AND GRASSES, MOSSES AND LICHENS, BEING GOODS OF A KIND SUIT-ABLE FOR BOUQUETS OR FOR ORNAMENTAL PURPOSES, FRESH, DRIED, DYED, BLEACHED, IMPREGNATED OR OTHERWISE PREPAREDHSN0604 20 00 · Fresh foliage, branches, grasses, mosses and lichens for ornamental use