Other

Colouring matter of vegetable or animal origin, other

WCCB CLEARANCE

HSN 3203 00 90 (Other colouring matter of vegetable or animal origin) is subject to Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) oversight, with a mandatory CITES certificate required where the colouring matter is derived from a CITES-listed species. Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) Circular 23/2023-Cus dated 30-09-2023 additionally mandates Chapter 32 chemical qualifiers in the import declaration with effect from 15 October 2023.

What this is

HSN code

3203 00 90

Chapter

32 · Tanning or dyeing extracts; tannins and their derivatives; dyes, pigments, paints and varnishes

Primary regulator

WCCB · Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (CITES implementation)

Customs documentation

CITES certificate from WCCB
Chapter 32 qualifiers from CBIC

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

WCCBWCCB·Wildlife Crime Control Bureau

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.

Compliance steps

1
Upload the CITES certificate (document code 626000) in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry if the colouring matter or its source species is listed under any CITES Appendix. The customs proper officer will verify the upload prior to granting out-of-charge.
CITES certificate · document code 626000 · e-Sanchit upload requirement
2
Include the mandatory additional qualifiers in the import declaration as stipulated under Paragraphs 4.1 and 4.2 of CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus for all commodities under Chapter 32. This obligation applies with effect from 15 October 2023 and non-compliant declarations are liable to detention at the bill-of-entry stage.
CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus dated 30-09-2023, Paragraphs 4.1 and 4.2

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is assuming that a non-food natural dye carries no wildlife-treaty obligation. Many vegetable and animal colouring matters — including extracts sourced from protected plant bark, insects, or marine invertebrates — can fall within CITES Appendix II or III; an importer who files without the CITES certificate (document code 626000) faces consignment detention and potential seizure under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, even when the commercial invoice describes the product purely as a dyestuff.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 3203 00 90 require BIS certification?

No, vegetable and animal colouring matter under this residual tariff line is not covered by any BIS Quality Control Order. The operative framework is Wildlife Crime Control Bureau CITES oversight for species-derived inputs, with CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus Chapter 32 qualifier requirements applying at the bill-of-entry stage.

Is the CITES certificate required for every shipment under this HSN?

The CITES certificate (document code 626000) is mandatory when the source species is listed under a CITES Appendix; importers should confirm the species status before shipment, as the customs proper officer will verify the e-Sanchit upload before granting out-of-charge.

What are the Chapter 32 mandatory qualifiers under CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus?

Paragraphs 4.1 and 4.2 of CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus dated 30-09-2023 prescribe additional chemical or product-identity qualifiers that must be declared in the import entry for all Chapter 32 commodities; declarations filed without these qualifiers from 15 October 2023 onwards are treated as deficient and attract customs examination or detention.

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