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Plastic woven sacks and bags for packaging (HDPE, polypropylene woven sacks)

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · IS 14887 · CPCB OVERLAY

HSN 3923 90 90 (plastic articles for conveyance or packing of goods) is covered by multiple Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Orders. Conformity to application-specific Indian Standards — spanning IS 14887, IS 16208, IS 14968, IS 14252, IS 9755, IS 11652, IS 16703, IS 17399, and IS 16709 — is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme, with the earliest enforcement operative from 23 April 2020. Extended Producer Responsibility registration administered by the Central Pollution Control Board under the Plastic Waste Management Rules applies as a separate customs-clearance overlay.

What this is

HSN code

3923 90 90

Chapter

39 · Plastics and articles thereof

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 14887 · effective 23-04-2020

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

BISBIS·Bureau of Indian Standards

CPCBCPCB·Central Pollution Control Board

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

Compliance steps

1
Identify the precise application of the woven sack being imported — foodgrains (50 kg or 10–30 kg), sugar, sand, fertilizer, cement, polymer materials, or mail sorting — and match it to the governing IS. Each application maps to a distinct standard and a distinct CM/L licence scope; a licence for one application does not cover another.
S.O. 1403(E) dated 23-04-2020 · S.O. 2180(E) dated 04-06-2024 · S.O. 5180(E) dated 06-12-2023 · S.O. 51(E), S.O. 52(E), S.O. 53(E) dated 05-01-2026
2
Verify the foreign manufacturer's BIS CM/L licence number on the BIS online register against the specific IS applicable to the consignment's end-use. Confirm the licensed product scope, bag specification, manufacturing facility, and current validity before placing the purchase order.
Scheme-I of Schedule-II of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · S.O. 1403(E) dated 23-04-2020
3
Ensure every sack in the consignment bears the ISI mark and the supplier's CM/L number as prescribed under Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. Marking must appear on the product; marking on outer packaging alone does not satisfy the requirement.
Scheme-I of Schedule-II of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
4
Register on the CPCB centralised EPR portal as an importer of plastic packaging products under Rule 6 of the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2022. Comply with EPR obligations for importers prescribed under Rule 7.3 of those Rules before the consignment arrives.
G.S.R. 133(E) dated 16-02-2022 · G.S.R. 571(E) dated 12-08-2021 · G.S.R. 807(E) dated 30-10-2023 · CBIC Instruction 9/22-CUS dated 22-06-2022
5
Declare the IUPAC name and CAS number of constituent chemicals on the bill of entry, as mandated for all imports under Chapter 39 of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975. This declaration is mandatory for all bills of entry filed on or after 01-10-2023.
CBIC Circular 15/2023-CUS dated 07-06-2023 · CBIC Circular 18/2023-CUS dated 30-06-2023

A word of counsel

The defining compliance trap on this tariff line is treating the nine applicable Indian Standards as interchangeable. Each standard is application-specific and enforcement-date-specific: a CM/L licensed against IS 14887 for 50 kg foodgrain sacks does not cover IS 11652 cement sacks or IS 16709 block-bottom valve sacks. Customs verification at port matches the declared end-use against the CM/L scope; a mismatch — even where the supplier holds a current BIS licence for a different sack type — triggers consignment detention and potential re-export.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 3923 90 90 require BIS certification?

Yes. HDPE and polypropylene woven sacks imported under this tariff line are subject to the ISI Mark Scheme; the applicable Indian Standard depends on the end-use application, with the earliest QCO operative from 23 April 2020 under S.O. 1403(E).

Is Extended Producer Responsibility registration required separately from BIS QCO compliance?

Yes. EPR registration on the CPCB centralised portal is administered under Rule 6 of the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2022 and is independent of the BIS ISI Mark Scheme obligation. EPR obligations for importers are prescribed under Rule 7.3 of those Rules.

Do the IS 11652, IS 17399, and IS 16709 obligations apply immediately?

No. IS 11652 (50 kg cement sacks), IS 17399 (laminated sacks for mail sorting), and IS 16709 (polypropylene block-bottom valve sacks for 50 kg cement) are each enforceable with effect from 06-10-2026 per S.O. 51(E), S.O. 53(E), and S.O. 52(E) respectively, all dated 05-01-2026.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all sack types and packaging applications under this HSN?

No. Each CM/L licence is specific to a single Indian Standard, the declared end-use application, and the licensed manufacturing facility; sack types or applications outside the licensed scope are not covered.

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