Other

Non-coniferous fuel wood, chips, and wood waste (other)

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 4401 12 90 (non-coniferous fuel wood and wood waste, other) is subject to ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), with a mandatory Phytosanitary Certificate required at the bill-of-entry stage. All species of sandalwood are expressly excluded from this tariff heading and may not be imported under CTH 4401.

What this is

HSN code

4401 12 90

Chapter

44 · Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) import policy, Chapter 44

Customs documentation

Phytosanitary Certificate from exporting country
ITC (HS) policy compliance from DGFT

Compliance steps

1
Obtain a Phytosanitary Certificate (PSC) from the competent plant-protection authority of the exporting country before shipment. The PSC (document code 851000) must be uploaded in e-Sanchit prior to filing the bill of entry; customs out-of-charge will not be granted without it.
ITC (HS) policy, Chapter 44 · e-Sanchit document code 851000
2
Confirm that the consignment contains no sandalwood of any species. All species of sandalwood are excluded from CTH 4401 under the ITC (HS) classification; a mis-declared consignment is liable to seizure and reclassification.
ITC (HS) policy, Chapter 44 — sandalwood exclusion under CTH 4401

A word of counsel

The most frequent error on this tariff line is shipping without confirming the sandalwood exclusion at source: even incidental mixing of sandalwood species within a non-coniferous wood-waste consignment triggers reclassification out of CTH 4401, with consequent seizure and enhanced scrutiny. The Phytosanitary Certificate must relate to the specific consignment and species — a generic origin certificate does not satisfy the e-Sanchit document code 851000 requirement.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 4401 12 90 require BIS certification?

No, non-coniferous fuel wood and wood waste fall outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, with a mandatory Phytosanitary Certificate as the operative clearance document.

What document code must be uploaded in e-Sanchit for the Phytosanitary Certificate?

Document code 851000 is the designated e-Sanchit code for the Phytosanitary Certificate; it must be uploaded before the bill of entry is processed and customs out-of-charge is granted.

Can sandalwood be imported under this tariff heading?

No. All species of sandalwood are expressly excluded from CTH 4401 under the ITC (HS) classification, and any consignment containing sandalwood — regardless of form — is liable to seizure and reclassification by the proper officer.

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