Earth clay

Earth clay, other clays (non-expanded)

PARTNER GOVERNMENT AGENCY CLEARANCE

HSN 2508 40 20 (Earth clay) requires an import permit issued by the Plant Quarantine and Inspection Service (PQIS) before customs out-of-charge. The permit (document code 911PQ1) must be uploaded in e-Sanchit at the bill-of-entry stage as a mandatory pre-clearance condition.

What this is

HSN code

2508 40 20

Chapter

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

Primary regulator

PQIS · Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order

Customs documentation

Import permit from PQIS
e-Sanchit upload confirmation

Compliance steps

1
Obtain an import permit from the Plant Quarantine and Inspection Service before the consignment departs the country of export. The permit must be valid and uploaded in e-Sanchit under document code 911PQ1 prior to filing the bill of entry.
CCR mandatory document code 911PQ1 · PQIS import permit requirement
2
At the bill-of-entry stage, ensure the e-Sanchit IRN for the PQIS import permit (document code 911PQ1) is quoted. The customs proper officer will verify the upload before granting out-of-charge; PGA-facilitated bills not routed through the PGA for NOC are subject to direct verification by the proper officer.
CCR · e-Sanchit mandatory document verification procedure

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is treating earth clay as a straightforward mineral import and overlooking the PQIS permit requirement entirely. Because earth clay is a soil-derived material, it falls within plant-quarantine oversight for potential soil-borne pest and pathogen risk; consignments arriving without document code 911PQ1 uploaded in e-Sanchit are detained pending PQIS clearance, generating demurrage and ground rent that can exceed the value of the consignment for bulk shipments.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 2508 40 20 require BIS certification?

No, earth clay under this tariff line is not subject to any BIS Quality Control Order. The operative clearance requirement is a PQIS import permit (document code 911PQ1), which must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before customs out-of-charge is granted.

What is the document code for the PQIS import permit and where must it be uploaded?

The PQIS import permit carries document code 911PQ1 and must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before the bill of entry is processed; failure to upload prior to out-of-charge triggers detention of the consignment by the customs proper officer.

Does the PQIS permit requirement apply even when the bill is not routed through the PGA for a NOC?

Yes. For PGA-facilitated bills not routed through the PGA for NOC, the customs proper officer is required to independently verify that document code 911PQ1 has been uploaded in e-Sanchit before granting out-of-charge.

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