Sodium benzoate

Sodium benzoate, benzoic acid salt for food or industrial use

FSSAI CLEARANCE · CIB&RC CLEARANCE · +1 OTHER PGAS

HSN 2916 31 40 (Sodium benzoate) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) import licensing under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 when imported as a food-grade substance, and to Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIB&RC) registration and import-permit requirements under the Insecticides Act, 1968 when the consignment falls within the Schedule to that Act. Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Rules, 1985 controls and Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) ITC (HS) Chapter 29 policy conditions apply as additional clearance requirements, alongside mandatory Chapter 29 chemical qualifiers under CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus.

What this is

HSN code

2916 31 40

Chapter

29 · Organic chemicals

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (food-grade use); CIB&RC · Insecticides Act, 1968 (pesticide schedule use)

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Registration certificate from CIB&RC
Chapter 29 qualifiers from CBIC

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

FSSAIFSSAI·Food Safety and Standards Authority of India

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
Determine the end-use regime before filing the bill of entry: if sodium benzoate is imported for food or food-additive purposes, obtain and upload the FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and a Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) in e-Sanchit. Ensure the consignment enters only through a designated food-import port per General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022.
CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023; FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022 under F.No.Import/TFM/Apex/2022-FSSAI; CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022
2
If the consignment 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 and confirm the port of import is notified for insecticide imports under Rule 45 of the Insecticides Rules, 1971. Upload the Registration Certificate (document code 101dc1) in e-Sanchit.
Insecticides Act, 1968 · Rule 45 of the Insecticides Rules, 1971; ITC (HS) policy condition 2 to Chapter 29
3
Include mandatory Chapter 29 additional qualifiers in the import declaration as stipulated in Paragraphs 4.1 and 4.2 of CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus, effective 15 October 2023. Where the substance is governed by the NDPS Rules, 1985, verify whether an import certificate under Rule 53 is required; if so, upload it before out-of-charge.
CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus dated 30-09-2023; NDPS Rules, 1985, Chapter VII-A, Rule 53; S.O. 227(E) dated 24-03-1992

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating sodium benzoate as a single-regime import when it in fact triggers different PGA tracks depending on declared end-use: FSSAI for food-grade, CIB&RC for pesticide-schedule use, and a potential NDPS overlay if the shipment is categorised under Appendix-I of the ITC (HS) Schedule. Filing a bill of entry with only one PGA's clearance uploaded while the consignment qualifies under a second regime results in detention at port pending the missing NOC, with demurrage and ground rent accruing from the date of arrival.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 2916 31 40 require BIS certification?

No, no BIS Quality Control Order covers sodium benzoate or benzoic acid salts under this tariff line. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India for food-grade use and the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee under the Insecticides Act, 1968 where the substance is scheduled as a pesticide.

Which e-Sanchit document codes are mandatory for sodium benzoate at the bill of entry?

Depending on end-use, the applicable document codes are: FSSAI Import Licence (911001), Specimen Copy of Label (0110FS), Certificate of Analysis for drugs (0010dc), Batch Release Certificate (0030dc), Label of Consignment (0110dc), Registration Certificate for drugs (101dc1), and Import Licence for drugs (9111dc); the proper officer will verify uploads before granting out-of-charge.

When does the NDPS import certificate requirement apply to sodium benzoate?

The NDPS import certificate under Rule 53 of the NDPS Rules, 1985 is required when the substance is imported for medical or scientific purposes under Chapter VII-A of those Rules; imports outside that category are governed by Appendix-I of the ITC (HS) Schedule and ITC (HS) policy condition 2 to Chapter 29.

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