Other

Other spirituous beverages (liqueurs, spirits, alcoholic beverages)

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 2208 90 19 (other spirituous beverages) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence and labelling compliance under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, including the FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017 and FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020. State-government mandatory requirements under General Note 12 of the ITC (HS) Schedule and designated food-import port restrictions under General Note 4(D) apply as additional clearance requirements. CBIC Instruction 19/2025-Cus dated 20-06-2025 and FSSAI order dated 13-06-2025 govern the current validity extension for NOCs covering alcoholic beverages bottled in origin and in bulk.

What this is

HSN code

2208 90 19

Chapter

22 · Beverages, spirits and vinegar

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006; FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Specimen copy of label from FSSAI
Compliance documentation from State government

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

FSSAIFSSAI·Food Safety and Standards Authority of India

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.

Compliance steps

1
Obtain a current FSSAI Import Licence and ensure it is uploaded in e-Sanchit under document code 911001 before filing the bill of entry. A specimen copy of the label (document code 0110FS) must also be uploaded; out-of-charge will not be granted until both documents are verified in e-Sanchit by the proper officer.
FSSAI Import Licence · document codes 911001 and 0110FS · FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017
2
Confirm compliance with all mandatory state-government requirements applicable to the importing state under General Note 12 of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Route the consignment only through one of the 79 designated food-import ports notified under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022.
General Note 12 of ITC (HS) Schedule; General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of ITC (HS) 2022 · CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus dated 08-02-2023
3
For alcoholic beverages bottled in origin and in bulk, verify the current validity of the FSSAI NOC in accordance with CBIC Instruction 19/2025-Cus dated 20-06-2025 and the FSSAI order F.No.TIC-b05/1/2021-Imports FSSAI dated 13-06-2025. Any labelling deficiencies permissible for rectification under CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 must be addressed at the customs bonded warehouse before visual inspection by the authorised officer.
CBIC Instruction 19/2025-Cus dated 20-06-2025 · FSSAI order F.No.TIC-b05/1/2021-Imports FSSAI dated 13-06-2025 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is failing to account for the dual-layer clearance requirement: the FSSAI Import Licence satisfies the central food-safety overlay, but state-government compliance under General Note 12 is a separate, independently enforced obligation that varies by destination state. A consignment cleared by FSSAI at the designated port may still be detained by state excise authorities if state-level import permissions are absent. The NOC validity extension for alcoholic beverages under CBIC Instruction 19/2025-Cus must be tracked against the specific product sub-category — bottled-in-origin and bulk-import NOCs carry different validity windows.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 2208 90 19 require BIS certification?

No, other spirituous beverages under this tariff line are not covered by any BIS Quality Control Order. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with state-government compliance requirements under General Note 12 of the ITC (HS) Schedule applying as an additional mandatory overlay.

Which ports are permitted for import of alcoholic beverages under this tariff line, and what document codes are required at the bill of entry?

Import is restricted to the 79 designated food-import ports under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Document codes 911001 (FSSAI Import Licence) and 0110FS (specimen copy of label) must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before out-of-charge is granted.

Has the FSSAI NOC validity for alcoholic beverages been extended, and does it cover both bottled-in-origin and bulk imports?

Yes. CBIC Instruction 19/2025-Cus dated 20-06-2025, read with the FSSAI order F.No.TIC-b05/1/2021-Imports FSSAI dated 13-06-2025, extends NOC validity for alcoholic beverages bottled in origin and in bulk; importers must confirm the applicable validity window for their specific sub-category.

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