Gloves

Leather sports gloves specially designed for sports use

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · IS 16874

HSN 4203 21 10 (leather sports gloves) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 16874:2018 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 13 October 2023, by virtue of the Protective Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2022. No separate customs-clearance overlay beyond the BIS obligation applies to this tariff line.

What this is

HSN code

4203 21 10

Chapter

42 · Articles of leather; saddlery and harness; travel goods, handbags and similar containers

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 16874:2018 · effective 13-10-2023

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

BISBIS·Bureau of Indian Standards

Compliance steps

1
Source only from a Bureau of Indian Standards CM/L-licensed manufacturer holding a current licence against IS 16874:2018. Verify the supplier's CM/L number, licensed product scope, and manufacturing facility on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order.
Protective Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2022 · S.O. 1707(E) dated 10-04-2023
2
Ensure each glove bears the ISI mark and the supplier's CM/L licence number in accordance with Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. Marking must appear on the product itself, not on packaging alone.
Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · Protective Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2022
3
Confirm in writing with the supplier that the consignment comprises protective gloves for firefighters within the scope of IS 16874:2018, and retain that confirmation as part of the import documentation set.
IS 16874:2018 · Protective Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2022 · S.O. 1707(E) dated 10-04-2023
4
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number on the bill of entry. Customs verifies the CM/L against the BIS register in real time; an absent, expired, or scope-mismatched CM/L triggers consignment detention, demurrage, and potential re-export.
BIS Act, 2016 · Protective Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2022 · Customs Act, 1962

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is importing general-purpose leather sports gloves — boxing gloves, golf gloves, riding gloves — under the same HSN and assuming the BIS QCO is satisfied by any CM/L against IS 16874:2018. IS 16874:2018 covers protective gloves for firefighters specifically; a CM/L scoped to firefighter gloves does not cover sporting gloves outside that protective specification, and a CM/L scoped to other glove types does not satisfy this QCO. Importers must verify that both the product and the CM/L are precisely aligned to the firefighter-protective-glove specification before shipment.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 4203 21 10 require BIS certification?

Yes. Protective gloves for firefighters falling within IS 16874:2018 are mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme from 13 October 2023 by virtue of the Protective Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2022; import requires a current BIS CM/L licence.

Does the BIS QCO apply to all leather sports gloves under this HSN, or only to specific types?

The QCO under S.O. 1707(E) and IS 16874:2018 is scoped to protective gloves for firefighters. Leather sports gloves outside that protective specification are not within the QCO scope, though they remain subject to the general prohibition on seal skin in any form.

Is the import of seal skin gloves under this HSN permitted?

No. Import of seal skin in any form is prohibited regardless of BIS compliance status.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all protective glove variants from the same manufacturer?

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by specification and manufacturing facility; glove variants outside the licensed specification, or produced at an unlicensed facility, are not covered and will be detained at customs.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-18. Source: BIS / Indian Customs CUSDATA.