Other

Other essential oils of non-citrus plants (residual)

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 3301 29 90 (Other essential oils) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence and label-compliance requirements under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, including the FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017 and the FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020. Consignments must enter only through designated food-import entry points under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022, with the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) Restricted-import policy and Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) customs overlay applying concurrently.

What this is

HSN code

3301 29 90

Chapter

33 · Essential oils and resinoids; perfumery, cosmetic or toilet preparations

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (FSS Import Regulations, 2017)

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Specimen copy of label from FSSAI
ITC (HS) entry-point declaration to CBIC

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

FSSAIFSSAI·Food Safety and Standards Authority of India

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

Compliance steps

1
Obtain the FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and upload it in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry. Also upload the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS); customs out-of-charge will not be given until both documents are verified in e-Sanchit by the proper officer.
CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022 · FSSAI order F.No.Import/TFM/Apex/2022-FSSAI dated 18-11-2022
2
Route the consignment exclusively through food-import entry points designated under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Arrival at a non-designated port renders the bill of entry non-compliant and exposes the consignment to detention pending re-routing or re-export.
General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022 · CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus dated 08-02-2023
3
Where labelling deficiencies are identified at port, rectification is permitted only for the categories listed under CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs — specifically per-serve dietary contribution data and expiry/best-before date discrepancies — by affixing a single non-detachable sticker next to the principal display panel at a customs bonded warehouse before visual inspection. All other labelling defects are not rectifiable and attract rejection of the consignment.
CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022 · FSSAI clarification order dated 18-11-2022 · FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 · FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017 Reg. 6

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is misclassifying blended odoriferous essential-oil mixtures under 3301 29 90 when they properly belong to heading 3302; such a misclassification triggers a classification dispute at assessment, potentially resulting in consignment detention and re-assessment with applicable duty differentials. Confirm that the imported product is a single-origin essential oil or a defined derivative — not a mixture of odoriferous substances — before filing the bill of entry under this CTI.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 3301 29 90 require BIS certification?

No. No BIS Quality Control Order covers this product family. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and label compliance under the FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 as the operative requirements.

What labelling deficiencies can be rectified at the port for this tariff line?

Per CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs and the FSSAI clarification order dated 18-11-2022, only per-serve dietary contribution data and expiry or best-before date information may be rectified at the port by affixing a single non-detachable sticker at a customs bonded warehouse; all other labelling defects are non-rectifiable.

Does the clove-stem testing protocol affect general essential-oil imports under 3301 29 90?

The clove-stem protocol — testing against safety parameters and volatile oil content at not less than 8.5% v/w per FSSR 2.9.6(1) — applies specifically to clove-stem imports classified here until dedicated standards are notified; other essential oils under this residual CTI are assessed against applicable FSSAI horizontal safety standards.

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