White cement, whether or not artificially coloured

White Portland cement, whether or not artificially coloured

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · IS 8042

HSN 2523 21 00 (White Portland cement, whether or not artificially coloured) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 8042 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 17 February 2003, by virtue of the Cement Quality (Control) Order, 2003. No separate customs-clearance overlay applies beyond the BIS obligation.

What this is

HSN code

2523 21 00

Chapter

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

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 8042 · effective 17-02-2003

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

BISBIS·Bureau of Indian Standards

Compliance steps

1
Source only from a Bureau of Indian Standards CM/L-licensed manufacturer holding a current licence against IS 8042 (White Portland Cement). Verify the supplier's CM/L number, licensed product scope, and licensed manufacturing facility on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order.
Cement Quality (Control) Order, 2003 · S.O. 191(E) dated 17-02-2003
2
Ensure every consignment unit bears the ISI mark and the supplier's CM/L number under Scheme-I of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. Marking must appear on the product or its primary packaging and must be traceable to the licensed manufacturing facility.
Cement Quality (Control) Order, 2003 · S.O. 191(E) dated 17-02-2003 · BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
3
Confirm with the supplier in writing that the goods are White Portland Cement conforming to IS 8042, not a related cement type governed by a different IS standard. Other cement types under this chapter carry separate IS mappings and a CM/L for IS 8042 does not cover them.
Cement Quality (Control) Order, 2003 · S.O. 191(E) dated 17-02-2003; IS 8042 (White Portland Cement); IS 12330 (Sulphate Resisting Portland Cement); IS 8041 (Rapid Hardening Portland Cement)
4
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number on the bill of entry. Customs verifies the CM/L against the BIS online register in real time; an absent, expired, or scope-mismatched licence triggers consignment detention, demurrage, and potential re-export or confiscation.
BIS Act, 2016 · Customs Act, 1962 · Cement Quality (Control) Order, 2003

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is the assumption that a CM/L licence held against one cement IS standard automatically covers all cement variants classified under Chapter 25. Eight distinct IS standards govern the cement types falling within this chapter's orbit — IS 8042 is specific to White Portland Cement — and a licence issued for IS 8041, IS 8043, or IS 1489 (Part 1) does not licence the import of white cement. Customs has detained consignments where the declared IS standard on the bill of entry did not match the CM/L on the BIS register, triggering detention and monetary penalty irrespective of the product's technical conformity.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 2523 21 00 require BIS certification?

Yes. White Portland cement is required to conform to IS 8042 under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 17 February 2003. Import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence against IS 8042.

Which IS standard specifically governs white cement under this tariff line?

IS 8042 governs White Portland Cement at HSN 2523 21 00. Other cement types sharing the broader chapter attract separate IS standards, including IS 12330, IS 12600, IS 1489 (Parts 1 and 2), IS 3466, IS 8041, and IS 8043, each requiring its own CM/L.

How long has the BIS QCO obligation been in force for white cement?

The Cement Quality (Control) Order, 2003 under S.O. 191(E) has been in force since 17 February 2003, making this one of the longer-standing QCO regimes in the building-materials sector.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all cement variants a manufacturer produces?

No. Each CM/L is IS-standard-specific and facility-specific. A manufacturer supplying both white cement and sulphate-resisting Portland cement must hold separate CM/L licences against IS 8042 and IS 12330 respectively.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-18. Source: BIS / Indian Customs CUSDATA.