Red Sanders(Pterocar pus Sautatinus)

Red Sanders wood in the rough (Pterocarpus santalinus)

WCCB CLEARANCE

HSN 4403 99 18 (Red Sanders wood) is subject to Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) oversight under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) framework. Import under this tariff line is Prohibited under the ITC (HS) policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), and any permissible movement requires a CITES certificate and Phytosanitary Certificate uploaded in e-Sanchit before out-of-charge.

What this is

HSN code

4403 99 18

Chapter

44 · Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal

Primary regulator

WCCB · Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and CITES framework

Customs documentation

CITES certificate from WCCB
Phytosanitary Certificate from exporter
ITC (HS) prohibition compliance from DGFT

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
Note that import under this tariff line is Prohibited under the ITC (HS) policy. Any consignment presented at the bill-of-entry stage without a valid CITES certificate (document code 626000) uploaded in e-Sanchit is liable to seizure and confiscation under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
ITC (HS) import policy — Prohibited status for CTI 4403 99 18
2
Where a CITES permit has been issued by the competent authority of the exporting country, upload the CITES certificate (document code 626000) and the Phytosanitary Certificate (document code 851000) in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry. The proper officer must verify both documents before granting out-of-charge.
CITES framework · document codes 626000 and 851000 per CCR

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating a CITES certificate as overriding the ITC (HS) Prohibited-import status. The CITES instrument is a species-trade permit, not an ITC (HS) licence; the Prohibited classification under DGFT policy is a separate and concurrent barrier, and a consignment arriving with a CITES certificate but without DGFT authorisation remains subject to confiscation, monetary penalty, and criminal liability under the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 4403 99 18 require BIS certification?

No, Red Sanders wood is not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and the CITES framework, with a Prohibited-import classification under the ITC (HS) policy administered by DGFT.

What documents must be uploaded in e-Sanchit for a Red Sanders consignment?

A CITES certificate (document code 626000) and a Phytosanitary Certificate (document code 851000) must both be uploaded in e-Sanchit; the proper officer will verify these before granting out-of-charge clearance.

Can Red Sanders be imported if the exporting country issues a CITES export permit?

A CITES permit is a necessary but not sufficient condition — the ITC (HS) Prohibited classification under DGFT policy imposes an independent barrier, and import remains unlawful absent specific DGFT authorisation, regardless of CITES permit validity.

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