Other

Uncoated printing and writing paper in rolls, containing mechanical fibre

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · IS 14490 · PIMS OVERLAY

HSN 4802 61 90 (uncoated paper in rolls containing mechanical or chemi-mechanical fibre) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 14490:2018 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 04 December 2020, by virtue of the Plain Copier Paper Quality Control Order, 2020. Paper Import Monitoring System (PIMS) registration administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade applies as a separate customs-clearance overlay.

What this is

HSN code

4802 61 90

Chapter

48 · Paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulp

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 14490:2018 · effective 04-12-2020

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

BISBIS·Bureau of Indian Standards

PIMSPIMS·Paper Import Monitoring System

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

Compliance steps

1
Source only from a Bureau of Indian Standards CM/L-licensed manufacturer holding a current licence against IS 14490:2018. Verify the supplier's CM/L number, licensed product scope, and manufacturing facility address on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order.
Plain Copier Paper Quality Control Order, 2020 · S.O. 2149(E) dated 05-06-2020
2
Ensure every reel or roll bears the ISI Standard Mark and the supplier's CM/L number in accordance with Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. The mark must appear on the product or on its primary label, not on outer packaging alone.
Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · S.O. 2149(E) dated 05-06-2020
3
Register the consignment under the Paper Import Monitoring System on the DGFT portal at https://imports.gov.in, applying not earlier than 75 days and not later than 5 days before the expected arrival date. Fee ₹500; the automatic registration number is valid for 75 days and may cover multiple bills of entry within that validity.
DGFT Notification 11/2015-2020 dated 25-05-2022; PIMS effective for bills of entry on or after 01-10-2022
4
Quote both the supplier's BIS CM/L number and the PIMS registration number with its expiry date on the bill of entry. Customs verifies the CM/L against the BIS register and the PIMS registration against the DGFT portal in real time; either absent, expired, or scope-mismatched triggers consignment detention.
Plain Copier Paper Quality Control Order, 2020 · S.O. 2149(E) · BIS Act, 2016 · Customs Act, 1962
5
If the consignment is imported by an SEZ, FTWZ, or EOU unit, PIMS registration is required at the point of entry. A DTA clearance from those zones without processing does not require fresh PIMS registration; however, if the HS code changes at the 8-digit level due to processing, PIMS registration is required for the DTA importer.
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 frequent compliance failure on this tariff line is importing under the assumption that IS 14490:2018 governs carbonless copy paper only, and that plain copier paper in rolls falls outside the QCO scope. IS 14490:2018 as cited in the Plain Copier Paper Quality Control Order, 2020 explicitly binds plain copier paper to ISI Mark Scheme licensing; a roll that lacks a CM/L-backed Standard Mark is detainable at port regardless of whether the PIMS registration is in order. Confirm with the supplier that the CM/L licence scope specifically covers the grade and substance weight of the imported product.

Need a regulatory steer on this product?

Speak to a regulatory counsel about your specific HSN, IS, and supplier situation.

Speak to an Expert

Frequently asked

Does HSN 4802 61 90 require BIS certification?

Yes. Imports are subject to the Plain Copier Paper Quality Control Order, 2020 under S.O. 2149(E); conformity to IS 14490:2018 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme from 04 December 2020, requiring a current BIS CM/L licence from the foreign manufacturer.

Is PIMS registration required separately from BIS QCO compliance?

Yes. Paper Import Monitoring System registration is administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade and is independent of the BIS QCO obligation. Fee ₹500, validity 75 days, and the application window opens not earlier than 75 days before the expected arrival date.

Are SEZ or EOU imports exempt from PIMS registration?

No. PIMS registration is required at the point of import into an SEZ, FTWZ, or EOU. A subsequent DTA clearance without processing does not require fresh registration, but a change in 8-digit HS code due to processing triggers a fresh PIMS requirement for the DTA importer, per DGFT Policy Circular 41/2015-2020.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all paper grades and substance weights from one manufacturer?

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by grade, substance weight, and manufacturing facility; paper outside the licensed specification or from an unlicensed plant is not covered and is detainable at the port of import.

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