Airmail paper

Uncoated airmail paper weighing less than 40 g/m2

PIMS CLEARANCE

HSN 4802 54 40 (Airmail paper) is subject to compulsory registration under the Paper Import Monitoring System (PIMS) administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under Policy Condition 04 of Chapter 48 of the ITC (HS) 2022 Schedule I. The import policy is Free, but clearance requires a valid PIMS Automatic Registration Number entered on the bill of entry before customs out-of-charge.

What this is

HSN code

4802 54 40

Chapter

48 · Paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulp

Primary regulator

PIMS · ITC (HS) Policy Condition 04, Chapter 48 — compulsory PIMS registration

Customs documentation

PIMS Automatic Registration Number from DGFT
Registration expiry date declaration to CBIC

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 PIMS registration at https://imports.gov.in not earlier than the 75th day and not later than the 5th day before the expected date of arrival of the consignment. Pay the registration fee of ₹500 to obtain the Automatic Registration Number, which is valid for 75 days from the date of grant.
DGFT Notification 11/2015-2020 dated 25-05-2022 · ITC (HS) Policy Condition 04, Chapter 48
2
Enter the PIMS Automatic Registration Number and its expiry date in the bill of entry at the time of filing. Multiple bills of entry are permitted under the same registration number within the validity period for the permitted quantity; a registration number that has lapsed before the bill of entry date will result in detention.
DGFT Notification 11/2015-2020 dated 25-05-2022 · ITC (HS) Policy Condition 04, Chapter 48
3
If importing as a unit in an SEZ, FTWZ, or as an EOU, obtain PIMS registration at the point of import into the zone. A DTA unit clearing goods from an SEZ/FTWZ/EOU does not require fresh PIMS registration unless processing has occurred that changed the 8-digit HS code and the processed item falls under a PIMS-covered tariff line.
DGFT Policy Circular 41/2015-2020 dated 05-07-2022 · DGFT Policy Circular 45/2015-20 dated 23-01-2023

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is applying for PIMS registration too late — the window opens only on the 75th day before the expected arrival date and closes on the 5th day prior. An application filed outside this window will not yield a valid registration number in time, and a bill of entry filed without a current PIMS number is treated as a policy-condition breach under Chapter 48, triggering consignment detention and demurrage. The 75-day validity of the registration number must also be tracked when multiple shipments are consolidated under a single registration.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 4802 54 40 require BIS certification?

No, no BIS Quality Control Order covers uncoated airmail paper. Import is governed by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade's Paper Import Monitoring System under Policy Condition 04 of Chapter 48 of the ITC (HS) 2022 Schedule I, with a compulsory PIMS Automatic Registration Number required at the bill of entry.

Can the same PIMS registration number be used for multiple shipments?

Yes. Multiple bills of entry are permitted under the same PIMS Automatic Registration Number within its 75-day validity period, provided the total quantity imported does not exceed the permitted quantity registered, per DGFT Notification 11/2015-2020.

Does an SEZ or EOU unit need its own PIMS registration for this tariff line?

Yes, an SEZ, FTWZ, or EOU unit must register under PIMS at the point of import into the zone; however, a DTA unit clearing unprocessed paper from an SEZ/FTWZ/EOU is exempt from fresh registration unless the 8-digit HS code has changed due to processing, per DGFT Policy Circular 41/2015-2020.

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