Ephedra

Ephedra plants and parts, fresh, dried or powdered

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 1211 50 00 (Ephedra) is classified as Restricted under the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), meaning import is not freely permitted and requires compliance with the applicable policy condition before a bill of entry can be cleared.

What this is

HSN code

1211 50 00

Chapter

12 · Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits; miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruit; industrial or medicinal plants

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) Restricted import policy, Chapter 12

Customs documentation

Import Licence from DGFT
ITC (HS) policy compliance from DGFT

Compliance steps

1
Confirm the import falls within a permitted category under the ITC (HS) Restricted-import policy for Chapter 12 and obtain any required authorisation from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade before filing the bill of entry. A consignment without the requisite DGFT authorisation is liable to detention and confiscation.
ITC (HS) Import Policy, Chapter 12 — Restricted classification for CTI 1211 50 00
2
Upload all DGFT authorisation documents in e-Sanchit prior to bill of entry filing and ensure the customs proper officer can verify compliance before out-of-charge is granted.
ITC (HS) Import Policy, Chapter 12 — Restricted classification for CTI 1211 50 00

A word of counsel

Ephedra's Restricted status under the ITC (HS) policy is frequently underestimated by importers who treat it as an ordinary medicinal plant. Shipping a consignment on the assumption that a general DGFT licence or an AYUSH-related authorisation covers this specific CTI, without verified confirmation that the authorisation expressly covers CTI 1211 50 00, routinely results in consignment detention at the port of import pending regularisation.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 1211 50 00 require BIS certification?

No, Ephedra is not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers this product family. Import is governed by the ITC (HS) Restricted-import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under Chapter 12.

What does Restricted status mean in practice for this tariff line?

Restricted means import is not freely permitted — a specific DGFT authorisation covering CTI 1211 50 00 must be in place before the bill of entry is filed; consignments arriving without valid authorisation are subject to detention and may be re-exported or confiscated.

Does a general import licence cover Ephedra under this CTI?

Only if the authorisation expressly names CTI 1211 50 00; a generic or open-category DGFT licence that does not specifically cover this tariff line does not satisfy the Restricted-import condition and will not obtain customs out-of-charge.

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