Other

Natural sands of all kinds, other varieties

PPQS CLEARANCE

HSN 2505 90 00 (natural sands, other) is subject to Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage (PPQS) clearance under the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003. The tariff line is Free under the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), but a Phytosanitary Certificate and an import permit issued by the Plant Quarantine Information System are mandatory at the bill of entry.

What this is

HSN code

2505 90 00

Chapter

25 · Salt; sulphur; earths and stone; plastering materials, lime and cement

Primary regulator

PPQS · Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003

Customs documentation

Phytosanitary Certificate from PPQS
Import permit from PQIS
ITC (HS) Free-import declaration to CBIC

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

PPQSPPQS·Plant Quarantine and Phytosanitary regime

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

Compliance steps

1
Obtain an import permit from the Plant Quarantine Information System (PQIS) before the consignment is dispatched. The permit (document code 911PQ1) must be uploaded in e-Sanchit prior to filing the bill of entry; customs out-of-charge will not be granted without it.
Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003 · document code 911PQ1
2
Ensure the exporter obtains a Phytosanitary Certificate (document code 851000) from the competent authority of the country of export and upload it in e-Sanchit at the bill of entry stage. The proper officer will verify this document before granting out-of-charge on PGA-facilitated bills.
Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003 · document code 851000

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is assuming that a Free ITC (HS) policy status removes the need for plant-quarantine documentation. The import-policy status governs only the licence/quota requirement; the Plant Quarantine Order, 2003 imposes a parallel and independent phytosanitary regime that applies regardless of ITC (HS) category. Consignments arriving without both the PQIS import permit (911PQ1) and the Phytosanitary Certificate (851000) uploaded in e-Sanchit are detained at port pending PPQS verification, attracting demurrage and ground rent.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 2505 90 00 require BIS certification?

No, natural sands under this tariff line are not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage clearance under the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003, with the ITC (HS) Free-import policy overlay administered by DGFT.

Are both the Phytosanitary Certificate and the PQIS import permit required, or is one sufficient?

Both are independently mandatory: the Phytosanitary Certificate (document code 851000) is issued by the exporting country's competent authority, while the PQIS import permit (document code 911PQ1) is issued by the Indian Plant Quarantine Information System; neither substitutes for the other.

Does the Free import-policy status under ITC (HS) mean no clearance is needed at all?

No. Free status means no import licence or quota restriction applies under DGFT policy, but it does not waive the plant-quarantine compliance obligations under the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003, which remain binding at every port of entry.

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