Hydrogen cyanide (hydrocyanic acid)

Hydrogen cyanide, hydrocyanic acid (inorganic acid)

CIB&RC CLEARANCE

HSN 2811 12 00 (Hydrogen cyanide / hydrocyanic acid) is subject to mandatory registration or import-permit requirements administered by the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIB&RC) under Section 9 of the Insecticides Act, 1968, and import is restricted to specified places under Rule 45 of the Insecticides Rules, 1971. As a Category 1C chemical under the Chemical Weapons Convention, each consignment requires post-import notification to the National Authority and submission of the bill of entry to the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) within 30 days. CBIC mandatory Chapter 28 qualifiers in the import declaration apply with effect from 15 October 2023.

What this is

HSN code

2811 12 00

Chapter

28 · Inorganic chemicals; organic or inorganic compounds of precious metals

Primary regulator

CIB&RC · Insecticides Act, 1968 and Insecticides Rules, 1971

Customs documentation

Registration certificate or import permit from CIB&RC
CWC post-import notification to DGFT
Chapter 28 qualifiers from CBIC

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

CIB&RCCIB&RC·Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee

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 valid Certificate of Registration or, where the import is for a non-insecticidal purpose, an import permit from the CIB&RC under Section 9 of the Insecticides Act, 1968. Confirm the named source of supply matches what is specified on the certificate or permit — import from any other source is prohibited and attracts seizure under the Insecticides Rules, 1971.
Section 9 of the Insecticides Act, 1968 · Rule 45 of the Insecticides Rules, 1971 · CBIC Circulars 35/2011 dated 09-08-2011 and 7/2014 dated 07-03-2014
2
Within 30 days of each import consignment, notify the details to the National Authority (Chemical Weapons Convention), the Cabinet Secretariat, the Ministry of External Affairs (D&ISA), the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, and DGFT, and submit a copy of the bill of entry to DGFT. This obligation applies to both State Party and Non-State Party origin consignments per Policy Condition 2 of Chapter 28.
CWC Act and Rules · ITC (HS) Import Policy Appendix-II, Policy Condition 2 of Chapter 28
3
File the bill of entry with mandatory additional qualifiers for Chapter 28 commodities as stipulated in Paragraphs 4.1 and 4.2 of CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus dated 30-09-2023, effective 15 October 2023. Where the imported quantity of this hazardous substance exceeds the specified threshold, take out a Public Liability Insurance policy as required under S.O. 227(E) dated 24-03-1992 under the PLI Act, 1991.
CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus dated 30-09-2023 · S.O. 227(E) dated 24-03-1992

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating the CIB&RC registration as covering insecticidal use only, and assuming that a non-insecticidal import requires no PGA clearance. The Insecticides Act, 1968 requires a separate import permit from the Registration Committee even for non-insecticidal purposes; arriving without either a certificate of registration or a permit renders the consignment liable to detention and confiscation. The source-of-import restriction on the certificate is equally binding — substituting an alternate supplier without amending the certificate is a distinct Act violation, regardless of the chemical's stated end-use.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 2811 12 00 require BIS certification?

No. Hydrogen cyanide is not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers this product. Import is governed by the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee under the Insecticides Act, 1968, with Chemical Weapons Convention notification obligations and DGFT policy controls applying as concurrent overlays.

At which ports may hydrogen cyanide be imported?

Import is restricted to the specified places notified under Rule 45 of the Insecticides Rules, 1971; the active list of permitted ports of import should be confirmed with CIB&RC before placing the purchase order, as consignments routed through non-specified locations are liable to detention.

Does the 30-day CWC notification obligation apply if hydrogen cyanide is imported for non-insecticidal use?

Yes. The post-import notification obligation under ITC (HS) Policy Condition 2 of Chapter 28 applies to every consignment of this Category 1C chemical regardless of intended end-use, and failure to notify within 30 days or to submit the bill of entry to DGFT constitutes a separate DGFT policy violation.

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