Tea chest panel or shooks, packed in sets

Plywood tea chest panels and shooks with tropical wood outer ply

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · IS 303

HSN 4412 91 20 (tea chest panels or shooks with at least one outer ply of tropical wood, packed in sets) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 303 and five co-applicable Indian Standards is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 28 February 2025, by virtue of the Plywood and Wooden Flush Door Shutters Quality Control Order, 2024. A Phytosanitary Certificate uploaded to e-Sanchit applies as a separate customs-clearance overlay.

What this is

HSN code

4412 91 20

Chapter

44 · Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 303 · effective 28-02-2025

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

BISBIS·Bureau of Indian Standards

Compliance steps

1
Source only from a Bureau of Indian Standards CM/L-licensed manufacturer. For tea chest panels and shooks, the applicable standard is IS 303:1989 (general-purpose plywood); confirm the supplier's CM/L covers this IS, the relevant grade, and the licensed manufacturing facility on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order.
Plywood and Wooden Flush Door Shutters Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 1377(E) dated 15-03-2024 · IS 303:1989
2
Confirm that the consignment grade does not require one of the co-applicable standards: IS 710:2010 (marine plywood), IS 5509:2021 (fire retardant), IS 1328:1996 (decorative veneered), IS 4990:2011 (concrete shuttering), or IS 10701:2012 (structural). Each standard requires a separately scoped CM/L; a licence under IS 303 does not cover those grades.
S.O. 1377(E) dated 15-03-2024 · IS 710:2010; IS 5509:2021; IS 1328:1996; IS 4990:2011; IS 10701:2012
3
Ensure every panel in the set bears the ISI mark and the supplier's CM/L number under Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. The mark must appear on the product or each panel; marking only on outer packaging is insufficient.
BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · Plywood and Wooden Flush Door Shutters Quality Control Order, 2024
4
Upload the Phytosanitary Certificate (document code 851000) to e-Sanchit before the bill of entry is filed. The proper officer verifies PSC upload prior to granting out-of-charge; absence of the PSC in e-Sanchit detains the consignment regardless of BIS compliance.
e-Sanchit document code 851000 · Customs Act, 1962
5
Note the staggered enforcement dates: small enterprises were required to comply from 28 May 2025 and micro enterprises from 28 August 2025. If the supplier claims a micro or small enterprise exemption, obtain documentary evidence of MSMED Act enterprise classification before shipment.
S.O. 1377(E) dated 15-03-2024 · Plywood and Wooden Flush Door Shutters Quality Control Order, 2024

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is assuming that a CM/L licence held against IS 303:1989 (general-purpose plywood) automatically covers all plywood grades in the same consignment. Tea chest panel sets are almost invariably IS 303 product, but mixed consignments that include decorative-veneered or marine-grade panels require separate CM/L scope for IS 1328:1996 or IS 710:2010 respectively; a single IS 303 licence does not extend to those grades, and customs detention follows the first scope mismatch detected on port examination.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 4412 91 20 require BIS certification?

Yes. Plywood falling under this tariff line must conform to the applicable Indian Standard and bear the ISI mark under a CM/L licence, with effect from 28 February 2025 under the Plywood and Wooden Flush Door Shutters Quality Control Order, 2024 issued vide S.O. 1377(E).

Which Indian Standard applies to tea chest panels and shooks specifically?

IS 303:1989 (general-purpose plywood) is the primary applicable standard for tea chest panels and shooks. Five co-applicable standards cover marine, fire-retardant, decorative-veneered, concrete-shuttering, and structural grades; each requires a separately scoped CM/L licence.

Do small and micro enterprises face the same enforcement date as large manufacturers?

No. The general enforcement date is 28 February 2025; small enterprises were required to comply from 28 May 2025 and micro enterprises from 28 August 2025, per the staggered timeline in S.O. 1377(E) dated 15-03-2024.

Does a CM/L licence for one plywood grade cover all grades imported under the same HSN?

No. Each Indian Standard requires a separately scoped CM/L; a licence against IS 303:1989 does not cover IS 710:2010, IS 1328:1996, IS 5509:2021, IS 4990:2011, or IS 10701:2012, and panels outside the licensed scope attract detention at port.

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