Technically specified natural rubber (TSNR)

Technically specified natural rubber (TSNR) in primary forms

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 4001 22 00 (Technically specified natural rubber) 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 specification. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) imposes a port restriction limiting entry to Chennai and Nhava Sheva (Jawaharlal Nehru Port) under DGFT Notification 11/2015-20 dated 12-06-2018, with an exemption for Advance Authorisation holders.

What this is

HSN code

4001 22 00

Chapter

40 · Rubber and articles thereof

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) port-restricted import policy, Chapter 40; Rubber Board NOC under S.O. 1205(E)

Customs documentation

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

Compliance steps

1
Obtain a No Objection Certificate from the Rubber Board before the consignment arrives at port. The Rubber Board verifies conformance with BIS specifications as the designated agency under S.O. 1205(E); the NOC must be available for customs out-of-charge clearance.
S.O. 1205(E) dated 12-12-2001
2
Route the consignment exclusively through Chennai Port or Nhava Sheva (Jawaharlal Nehru Port). The port restriction applies to all importers except Advance Authorisation holders, for whom the restriction is expressly not applicable.
DGFT Notification 11/2015-20 dated 12-06-2018

A word of counsel

The most common error is assuming the Rubber Board NOC can be obtained after the vessel has berthed. The NOC is a pre-clearance condition: consignments held at port pending the NOC accumulate demurrage and ground rent, and customs cannot grant out-of-charge until the certificate is in hand. Advance Authorisation holders who bypass the port restriction must retain documentation of their AA status at the bill-of-entry stage; a lapsed or mis-cited authorisation reinstates the port restriction retrospectively.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 4001 22 00 require BIS certification?

No. No BIS Quality Control Order covers technically specified natural rubber; the Rubber Board is the designated agency under S.O. 1205(E) dated 12-12-2001 and verifies conformance with BIS specifications as a quality benchmark. The operative import-clearance obligation is the Rubber Board NOC, not a BIS licence or ISI mark.

Does the port restriction to Chennai and Nhava Sheva apply to all importers?

No. Per DGFT Notification 11/2015-20 dated 12-06-2018, the port restriction is not applicable to imports made under an Advance Authorisation; all other importers must route TSNR consignments exclusively through Chennai or Nhava Sheva.

Is the Rubber Board NOC required even when the consignment is imported under Advance Authorisation?

Yes. The Advance Authorisation exemption applies only to the port restriction, not to the mandatory NOC requirement under S.O. 1205(E); all imported natural rubber consignments require Rubber Board clearance before customs out-of-charge regardless of the import scheme.

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