Carboxymethyl cellulose and its salts

Carboxymethylcellulose and its salts, cellulose ether

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 3912 31 00 (Carboxymethyl cellulose and its salts) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence requirements under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, where the product is intended for food use, with designated-port restrictions under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) policy controls and Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) mandatory Chapter 39 chemical qualifiers apply as additional clearance requirements, along with EPR plastic-packaging registration verification under CBIC Instruction 21/2025-Customs dated 02-07-2025.

What this is

HSN code

3912 31 00

Chapter

39 · Plastics and articles thereof

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Specimen copy of label from FSSAI
Chapter 39 qualifiers from 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
Where the consignment is intended for food use, secure a current FSSAI Import Licence and upload both the FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry. Route the consignment only through a designated food-import entry point per General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022.
FSSAI Import Licence document code 911001; Specimen Copy of Label document code 0110FS; General Note 4(D) of Schedule I, ITC (HS) 2022; CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022
2
Include mandatory additional chemical qualifiers in the import declaration for goods falling under Chapter 39, as stipulated in paragraphs 4.1 and 4.2 of CBIC Circular 23/2023-Customs dated 30-09-2023, with effect from 15 October 2023. Non-inclusion of the required qualifiers renders the bill of entry deficient and liable to detention.
CBIC Circular 23/2023-Customs dated 30-09-2023, paragraphs 4.1 and 4.2
3
Verify and furnish proof of registration on the Centralised EPR Portal for Plastic Packaging in line with CBIC Instruction 21/2025-Customs dated 02-07-2025. The proper officer will verify this registration before granting out-of-charge; absence of a valid EPR registration will result in consignment detention.
CBIC Instruction 21/2025-Customs dated 02-07-2025

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating CMC solely as an industrial chemical and overlooking the FSSAI food-use overlay that attaches whenever the product description, label, or end-use indicates food-grade application — a classification the proper officer will assess at the port. Submitting a bill of entry without the FSSAI Import Licence and label specimen for food-grade CMC triggers detention at the designated entry point; the rectifiable-labelling dispensation under FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017 and CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Customs dated 07-03-2023 applies only to specified label deficiencies, not to a missing FSSAI clearance.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 3912 31 00 require BIS certification?

No, no BIS Quality Control Order covers carboxymethyl cellulose or its salts. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 where food-use applies, with CBIC Chapter 39 chemical-qualifier and EPR plastic-packaging registration requirements applying to all imports.

Which document codes must be uploaded in e-Sanchit for food-grade CMC at the bill of entry?

The FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) must both be uploaded in e-Sanchit before out-of-charge is granted, as verified under CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022 and the CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Customs dated 07-03-2023.

Does the EPR plastic-packaging registration requirement apply to all imports of CMC under this HSN?

Yes. CBIC Instruction 21/2025-Customs dated 02-07-2025 requires proof of registration on the Centralised EPR Portal for Plastic Packaging to be verified by the proper officer before out-of-charge, regardless of whether the product is food-grade or industrial-grade.

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