Fertilizer grade, conforming to Standard IS 5406

Fertilizer-grade urea, whether or not in aqueous solution

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME

HSN 3102 10 10 (fertilizer-grade urea) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order requiring conformity to IS 5406 under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 29 May 2023. Agricultural-grade urea imports are channeled through designated State Trading Enterprises and authorized fertilizer marketing entities, not freely importable; technical grade urea intended for non-agricultural or industrial use is free. Directorate General of Foreign Trade notifications and the Fertilizer (Control) Order, 1985 apply as separate customs-clearance overlays.

What this is

HSN code

3102 10 10

Chapter

31 · Fertilisers

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 5406 · effective 29-05-2023

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

BISBIS·Bureau of Indian Standards

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

Compliance steps

1
Determine at the outset whether the consignment is fertilizer-grade urea for agricultural use or technical grade urea (TQU) for industrial or NPK manufacturing purposes. Agricultural-grade import is channeled and restricted; TQU for non-agricultural use is free and is not subject to the State Trading Enterprise channeling requirement.
S.O. 1389(E) dated 22-03-2023; DGFT Notification 61/2015-20 dated 22-03-2023; DGFT Notification 08/2023 dated 29-05-2023
2
For fertilizer-grade urea, source only from a Bureau of Indian Standards CM/L-licensed manufacturer whose current licence covers IS 5406. Verify the CM/L number, licensed product scope, and manufacturing facility on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order.
IS 5406; ISI Mark Scheme — Scheme-I of Schedule-II of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
3
Ensure the fertilizer-grade urea consignment conforms to the Fertilizer (Control) Order, 1985, as amended, and that the product specification on the bill of lading matches IS 5406. Mark and documentation requirements under the Fertilizer (Control) Order must accompany the consignment.
Fertilizer (Control) Order, 1985 (as amended); IS 5406
4
Agricultural-grade urea must be imported on government account by a designated State Trading Enterprise (RCF, NFL, or IPL, the last authorized up to 31 March 2026) or through an entity authorized by the Department of Fertilizers. File the bill of entry at Indian ports only through these entities and quote the authorization reference.
Para 2.21 of the Foreign Trade Policy, 2023; DGFT Notification 08/2023 dated 29-05-2023; DGFT Notification 65/2024-25 dated 18-03-2025
5
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number against IS 5406 on the bill of entry. Customs verifies the CM/L in real time against the BIS register; an absent, expired, or scope-mismatched licence triggers consignment detention regardless of compliance with the Fertilizer (Control) Order channeling requirements.
BIS Act, 2016; S.O. 1389(E) dated 22-03-2023; Customs Act, 1962

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is conflating fertilizer-grade urea (channeled, BIS QCO-covered, IS 5406 mandatory) with technical grade urea imported for industrial or NPK manufacturing use (free, outside the STE channeling regime). Importers shipping TQU under a fertilizer-grade bill of entry — or vice versa — face simultaneous detention under the BIS QCO and a DGFT policy violation. Confirm the end-use grade in the purchase order, the supplier's invoice, and the bill of entry before shipment, not on arrival.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 3102 10 10 require BIS certification?

Yes. Fertilizer-grade urea conforming to IS 5406 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme; the supplier must hold a current BIS CM/L licence against IS 5406 covering the consignment's scope and manufacturing facility.

Is fertilizer-grade urea freely importable?

No. Agricultural-grade urea must be imported on government account through designated State Trading Enterprises — RCF, NFL, or IPL (authorized up to 31 March 2026) — or entities authorized by the Department of Fertilizers; it is not available for open general import.

Is technical grade urea for industrial use subject to the same restrictions?

No. Technical grade urea intended for non-agricultural purposes, industrial use, or NPK manufacturing is on the free list and is not subject to the STE channeling requirement or the IS 5406 fertilizer-grade BIS QCO.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all urea grades and production facilities?

No. The CM/L licence is specific to the licensed standard (IS 5406), product scope, and manufacturing facility; urea from an unlicensed plant or outside the licensed specification is not covered and triggers detention at port.

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