Other than prevulcanised

Natural rubber latex, non-prevulcanised form

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 4001 10 20 (Natural rubber latex, other than prevulcanised) is subject to a mandatory No Objection Certificate from the Rubber Board under S.O. 1205(E) dated 12-12-2001, which designates the Rubber Board as the agency responsible for ensuring imported natural rubber conforms to BIS specifications. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) imposes a port restriction under DGFT Notification 11/2015-20 dated 12-06-2018, limiting entry to the sea ports of Chennai and Nhava Sheva (Jawaharlal Nehru Port), except for consignments imported under Advance Authorisation.

What this is

HSN code

4001 10 20

Chapter

40 · Rubber and articles thereof

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) port restriction policy; Rubber Board NOC under S.O. 1205(E) dated 12-12-2001

Customs documentation

NOC from Rubber Board
Port compliance declaration to CBIC
Advance Authorisation from DGFT

Compliance steps

1
Obtain a mandatory No Objection Certificate from the Rubber Board before filing the bill of entry. The Rubber Board verifies that the imported natural rubber latex conforms to the applicable BIS specifications; customs out-of-charge will not be granted without this NOC.
S.O. 1205(E) dated 12-12-2001 (Natural Rubber Quality Order)
2
Route the consignment exclusively through the sea ports of Chennai or Nhava Sheva (Jawaharlal Nehru Port). The port restriction is binding on all standard commercial imports; consignments arriving at any other port are liable to detention and re-export at the importer's cost.
DGFT Notification 11/2015-20 dated 12-06-2018
3
If importing under an Advance Authorisation, retain the authorisation document on record to invoke the port-restriction exemption at the bill of entry stage. The exemption applies only to Advance Authorisation holders; all other importers remain subject to the Chennai and Nhava Sheva port restriction.
DGFT Notification 11/2015-20 dated 12-06-2018

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is filing the bill of entry without the Rubber Board NOC in place, treating it as a post-clearance formality. The NOC is a pre-out-of-charge requirement; detention accrues demurrage and ground rent from the moment the vessel berths, and the Rubber Board's quality verification cannot be accelerated once the consignment is held at port. Advance Authorisation holders who omit to declare their AA status at the bill of entry stage lose the port-restriction exemption and face re-routing costs.

Need a regulatory steer on this product?

Speak to a regulatory counsel about your specific HSN, IS, and supplier situation.

Speak to an Expert

Frequently asked

Does HSN 4001 10 20 require BIS certification?

No, no BIS Quality Control Order requires the importer to obtain a BIS licence or ISI mark for this product. Import is governed by the Rubber Board NOC under S.O. 1205(E) dated 12-12-2001, with the Rubber Board acting as the designated agency to verify conformance to BIS specifications, and DGFT port restrictions under Notification 11/2015-20.

Can natural rubber latex be imported through any Indian seaport?

No. Import is restricted to the sea ports of Chennai and Nhava Sheva (Jawaharlal Nehru Port) under DGFT Notification 11/2015-20 dated 12-06-2018; this restriction does not apply to imports made under a valid Advance Authorisation.

What happens if the Rubber Board NOC has not been obtained before the consignment arrives at port?

Customs out-of-charge is withheld until the NOC is produced, during which time demurrage and ground rent accrue at the port; the consignment cannot be released on any provisional basis pending Rubber Board verification.

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