Other

Wood chips, particles, sawdust, waste and scrap (other species)

WCCB CLEARANCE

HSN 4401 39 00 (wood chips, particles, sawdust and wood waste in various agglomerated or loose forms) is subject to Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) CITES permit controls governing the international trade of regulated timber species. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) administers the ITC (HS) import policy, and consignments must also carry a Phytosanitary Certificate; imports of waste material falling within this tariff line are additionally subject to Rules 12 and 13 of the Hazardous Waste (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016.

What this is

HSN code

4401 39 00

Chapter

44 · Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal

Primary regulator

WCCB · Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) permit regime

Customs documentation

CITES certificate from WCCB
Phytosanitary Certificate from exporting country
Hazardous waste compliance from CPCB

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

WCCBWCCB·Wildlife Crime Control Bureau

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

Compliance steps

1
Verify whether the timber species being imported is listed under CITES Appendices and, if so, obtain the CITES permit before shipment. Upload the CITES certificate (document code 626000) in e-Sanchit; consignments without a valid CITES certificate for regulated species will not receive out-of-charge.
CITES permit regime · document code 626000 · e-Sanchit OOC verification
2
Obtain a Phytosanitary Certificate (document code 851000) from the competent plant-protection authority of the exporting country and upload it in e-Sanchit prior to filing the bill of entry. All species of sandalwood are excluded from this CTH under the ITC (HS) import policy.
ITC (HS) import policy, General Notes · document code 851000 · DGFT policy exclusion for sandalwood under CTH 4401
3
Where the consignment comprises wood waste, confirm compliance with Paragraph 8(b) of the General Notes regarding import policy of the ITC (HS) and with Rules 12 and 13 of the Hazardous Waste (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016 before the bill of entry is filed.
Para 8(b) of General Notes, ITC (HS) Import Policy · Rules 12 and 13 of the Hazardous Waste (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is presenting a Phytosanitary Certificate without a CITES certificate on the assumption that the species in question is not regulated — only to have customs officers identify the timber as a CITES-listed species at the time of examination. Species identification must be confirmed before shipment, not at the port; a detained consignment pending CITES verification attracts demurrage and risks confiscation under the Wildlife (Protection) Act if the species is found to be Appendix-listed.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 4401 39 00 require BIS certification?

No, wood chips, particles, sawdust and wood waste of other species fall outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by Wildlife Crime Control Bureau CITES permit controls and DGFT ITC (HS) import policy, with a mandatory Phytosanitary Certificate overlay.

Is sandalwood covered under HSN 4401 39 00?

No. All species of sandalwood are explicitly excluded from CTH 4401 under the ITC (HS) import policy; attempting to classify sandalwood imports under this tariff line will result in misclassification-related enforcement at the bill of entry.

When does the Hazardous Waste Rules overlay apply to this tariff line?

The overlay under Para 8(b) of the ITC (HS) General Notes and Rules 12 and 13 of the Hazardous Waste (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016 applies specifically where the consignment comprises wood waste; it does not apply to wood chips or particles imported as raw material for processing.

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