Paper

Hand-made paper and paperboard for writing or printing

PIMS CLEARANCE

HSN 4802 10 10 (Hand-made paper) is subject to compulsory registration under the Paper Import Monitoring System (PIMS) administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), operative with effect from 1 October 2022 under DGFT Notification 11/2015-2020 dated 25-05-2022. The import policy is Free subject to PIMS registration, and importers must obtain an automatic Registration Number via https://imports.gov.in before the bill of entry is filed.

What this is

HSN code

4802 10 10

Chapter

48 · Paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulp

Primary regulator

PIMS · ITC (HS) Free policy subject to compulsory PIMS registration, Chapter 48

Customs documentation

PIMS Registration Number from DGFT
Bill of Entry with registration expiry date
ITC (HS) policy compliance declaration

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

PIMSPIMS·Paper Import Monitoring System

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

Compliance steps

1
Apply for a PIMS Registration Number at https://imports.gov.in no earlier than the 75th day and no later than the 5th day before the expected date of arrival of the consignment, paying the registration fee of ₹500. The automatic Registration Number is valid for 75 days and permits multiple bills of entry for the permitted quantity within that validity period.
DGFT Notification 11/2015-2020 dated 25-05-2022
2
Enter the PIMS Registration Number and its expiry date in the bill of entry at the time of filing to enable customs clearance. A bill of entry filed on or after 1 October 2022 without a valid Registration Number will not be granted out-of-charge.
DGFT Notification 11/2015-2020 dated 25-05-2022
3
If importing into an SEZ, FTWZ, or as an EOU, obtain PIMS registration at the point of entry into those zones. A DTA unit taking clearance from an SEZ/FTWZ/EOU need not re-register under PIMS only if the paper has not undergone processing resulting in an 8-digit HS code change; if the HS code has changed and the processed item falls under a PIMS-covered tariff line, the DTA importer must register independently.
DGFT Policy Circular 41/2015-2020 dated 05-07-2022 · DGFT Policy Circular 45/2015-2020 dated 23-01-2023

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is misreading the 75-day application window: the window is anchored to the expected date of arrival, not the bill of entry date, and applications submitted later than the 5th day before arrival are rejected by the system — leaving the consignment stranded at port with demurrage and ground rent accruing while a fresh registration cannot be obtained retrospectively. SEZ and EOU operators also frequently assume their zone-entry PIMS registration covers a downstream DTA clearance after processing; it does not, where the processed product's 8-digit HS code has changed to another PIMS-covered line.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 4802 10 10 require BIS certification?

No. No BIS Quality Control Order covers hand-made paper under this tariff line. Import is governed by the Paper Import Monitoring System administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under DGFT Notification 11/2015-2020, with a compulsory advance registration requirement effective from 1 October 2022.

How long is the PIMS Registration Number valid, and can it cover multiple shipments?

The automatic Registration Number is valid for 75 days from the date of grant; multiple bills of entry are permitted under the same registration number within that validity period, provided the imported quantity does not exceed the permitted quantity declared at registration.

Is PIMS registration required for a DTA unit clearing paper from an EOU without any processing?

No. Per DGFT Policy Circular 41/2015-2020, PIMS re-registration is not required by the DTA unit where the paper was already registered at EOU entry and no processing causing an 8-digit HS code change has taken place; re-registration is required only where the HS code changes and the new code falls under a PIMS-covered tariff line.

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