Other

Crude petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals

PESO CLEARANCE

HSN 2709 00 90 (crude petroleum oils from bituminous minerals) is subject to Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) licensing under the Petroleum Rules, 2002, administered by the Chief Controller of Explosives. Import is permitted only through ports and places approved by the Ministry of Shipping in consultation with the Chief Controller and declared as customs ports by the Commissioner of Customs.

What this is

HSN code

2709 00 90

Chapter

27 · Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation; bituminous substances; mineral waxes

Primary regulator

PESO · Petroleum Rules, 2002

Customs documentation

Import licence from PESO
Approved-port declaration to CBIC
Container-specification compliance from PESO

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

PESOPESO·Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation

Compliance steps

1
Obtain a licence from the Chief Controller of Explosives, Petroleum and Explosive Safety Organisation (PESO), Nagpur, covering the class of petroleum being imported — Class A (e.g. petrol, hexane, toluene, naphtha), Class B (e.g. low aromatic white spirit, hydrocarbon solvents, HSD, kerosene, MTO), or Class C. The licence must cover import, transport, and storage of the specific petroleum class.
Petroleum Rules, 2002 · PESO Chief Controller of Explosives licensing requirement
2
Route the consignment exclusively through a port or place approved by the Ministry of Shipping in consultation with the Chief Controller and declared as a customs port by the Commissioner of Customs. Import by sea or land through any non-approved port is prohibited under the Petroleum Rules, 2002.
Petroleum Rules, 2002 — approved-port requirement
3
Ensure containers used for storing Class A, B, and C petroleum products meet the specifications prescribed under Rules 4, 5 and 6 of the Petroleum Rules, 2002. Non-conforming containers render storage and transport unlicensed, attracting enforcement under the Petroleum Rules.
Rules 4, 5 and 6 of the Petroleum Rules, 2002

A word of counsel

The most frequent error on this tariff line is misdeclaration: crude or Class A/B petroleum products are sometimes declared as low aromatic white spirit, hydrocarbon solvents, or Industrial Mixture Composition Plus (IMPS) to avoid licensing scrutiny. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence has flagged this pattern in DRI Alert Circular 02/2020-CI dated 23-04-2020; customs officers are instructed to verify the declared description against the actual product characteristics, and a misdeclaration finding triggers confiscation and prosecution under the Customs Act, 1962 in addition to PESO-licence enforcement.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 2709 00 90 require BIS certification?

No, crude petroleum oils under this tariff line are not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation licensing under the Petroleum Rules, 2002, with a designated-port restriction administered by the Ministry of Shipping and the Chief Controller of Explosives.

Which ports are approved for petroleum import under the Petroleum Rules, 2002?

Only ports approved by the Ministry of Shipping in consultation with the Chief Controller of Explosives and declared as customs ports by the Commissioner of Customs are permitted; the active list should be verified against the PESO and Ministry of Shipping notifications before vessel nomination.

Does the PESO licence requirement apply if the petroleum product is described as a hydrocarbon solvent or industrial mixture?

Yes. The licensing requirement under the Petroleum Rules, 2002 is determined by the actual chemical classification of the product, not its commercial description; DRI Alert Circular 02/2020-CI dated 23-04-2020 specifically flags misdeclaration of Class A and B petroleum products as solvents or IMPS.

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