Hexylene glycol

Hexylene glycol, acyclic diol chemical

CIB&RC CLEARANCE · NDPS CLEARANCE

HSN 2905 39 20 (Hexylene glycol) is subject to Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIB&RC) registration and port-restricted import permit under the Insecticides Act, 1968 and Insecticides Rules, 1971, where the substance falls within the Schedule to that Act. Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Rules, 1985 controls apply concurrently under ITC (HS) policy condition 2 to Chapter 29, and CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus mandates mandatory Chapter 29 additional qualifiers in the import declaration with effect from 15 October 2023.

What this is

HSN code

2905 39 20

Chapter

29 · Organic chemicals

Primary regulator

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

Customs documentation

Registration certificate from CIB&RC
Import permit from CIB&RC
Chapter 29 qualifiers from CBIC

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

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

NDPSNDPS·Narcotics Control Bureau

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.

Compliance steps

1
Where hexylene glycol falls within the Schedule to the Insecticides Act, 1968, obtain registration and an import permit from the Secretariat of the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee before shipment. Import is permitted only at the ports specified under Rule 45 of the Insecticides Rules, 1971; routing through an unspecified port renders the consignment liable to seizure.
Insecticides Act, 1968 · Rule 45 of the Insecticides Rules, 1971
2
Where the substance is classified as an NDPS item, import is permitted only for medical and scientific purposes under Chapter VII-A of the NDPS Rules, 1985 upon obtaining an import certificate under Rule 53 of those Rules. Any import outside this category is governed by Appendix-I to the ITC (HS) Schedule under ITC (HS) policy condition 2 to Chapter 29.
Rule 53 of the NDPS Rules, 1985 · ITC (HS) policy condition 2 to Chapter 29
3
File the bill of entry with the mandatory additional qualifiers stipulated in paragraphs 4.1 and 4.2 of CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus for all commodities under Chapter 29, with effect from 15 October 2023. Where the import quantity of specified hazardous substances exceeds the prescribed threshold, take out an insurance policy under the Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991 per S.O. 227(E) dated 24-03-1992.
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 assuming that because hexylene glycol is a general industrial chemical, neither the CIB&RC nor NDPS overlay applies — and filing a bare Chapter 29 declaration. The CIB&RC schedule and the NDPS Appendix-I must be checked against the specific formulation and end-use before every shipment; a post-arrival finding that the substance is scheduled triggers detention and potential confiscation, as the port-restriction under Rule 45 of the Insecticides Rules, 1971 means an improperly routed consignment cannot simply be redirected.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 2905 39 20 require BIS certification?

No, hexylene glycol is not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers this acyclic alcohol. Import is governed by the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee under the Insecticides Act, 1968, with concurrent NDPS Rules, 1985 controls where the substance is scheduled.

Are the mandatory Chapter 29 qualifiers under CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus required at the bill-of-entry stage?

Yes. CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus dated 30 September 2023 makes the additional qualifiers in paragraphs 4.1 and 4.2 mandatory for all Chapter 29 import declarations with effect from 15 October 2023; a declaration filed without them is treated as incomplete and may be detained.

Can hexylene glycol be imported for non-medical purposes if it is listed as an NDPS substance?

Only if it falls within Appendix-I to the ITC (HS) Schedule under policy condition 2 to Chapter 29; imports for medical and scientific purposes require a prior import certificate under Rule 53 of the NDPS Rules, 1985, and all other imports must comply with Appendix-I conditions.

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