Stearyl alcohol

Industrial fatty alcohol, stearyl alcohol

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 3823 70 40 (Stearyl alcohol) is subject to an ITC (HS) import policy prohibition administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT): import of any directly potable alcohol or alcohol usable for making potable alcohol is not permitted. Importers must demonstrate that stearyl alcohol, an industrial fatty alcohol, falls outside the prohibited potable-use category before customs out-of-charge.

What this is

HSN code

3823 70 40

Chapter

38 · Miscellaneous chemical products

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) import policy prohibition, Chapter 38

Customs documentation

Import policy declaration from DGFT
End-use certificate from importer

Compliance steps

1
Verify that the consignment is correctly classified as an industrial fatty alcohol (stearyl alcohol) and is not directly potable or usable for making potable alcohol. The ITC (HS) policy condition prohibits import of any such alcohol, and a mis-described consignment will be refused out-of-charge or confiscated.
ITC (HS) import policy condition, Chapter 38 — DGFT
2
Prepare and submit a declaration confirming the industrial end-use of the stearyl alcohol at the bill of entry. Ensure supporting documentation — such as a technical data sheet or certificate of analysis from the supplier — is available for customs scrutiny to evidence the non-potable industrial character of the product.
ITC (HS) import policy condition, Chapter 38 — DGFT

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is failing to distinguish stearyl alcohol (an industrial fatty alcohol used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and lubricants) from ethyl alcohol or other potable-grade alcohols that share a broad policy prohibition. Customs officers may query the classification on sight of the word 'alcohol'; a concise technical data sheet demonstrating the C18 fatty-alcohol composition and non-potable industrial use, presented at the bill of entry stage, is the most effective pre-emption of detention.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 3823 70 40 require BIS certification?

No, stearyl alcohol is not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed solely by the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, which prohibits import of any directly potable alcohol or alcohol usable for making potable alcohol.

Does the potable-alcohol prohibition under the ITC (HS) policy apply to stearyl alcohol used in cosmetic or pharmaceutical manufacturing?

The prohibition targets directly potable alcohol and alcohol usable for making potable alcohol; stearyl alcohol is an industrial fatty alcohol (C18) with no potable application, but the importer bears the burden of demonstrating this distinction through a declaration and technical documentation at the bill of entry.

What happens if customs classifies the consignment as falling within the potable-alcohol prohibition?

A consignment assessed as prohibited under the ITC (HS) policy condition is liable to refusal of out-of-charge, detention, and potential confiscation; the importer must then pursue a DGFT clarification or re-export at their own cost and demurrage.

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