Unbleached

Unbleached kraft paper and paperboard, uncoated

PIMS CLEARANCE

HSN 4804 11 00 (Unbleached kraft paper and paperboard) is subject to compulsory registration under the Paper Import Monitoring System (PIMS) administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), pursuant to DGFT Notification 11/2015-2020 dated 25-05-2022. The import policy is Free subject to PIMS registration, requiring importers to submit advance information online and obtain an automatic Registration Number before the consignment arrives.

What this is

HSN code

4804 11 00

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 PIMS expiry date
ITC (HS) policy 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 no earlier than the 75th day and no later than the 5th day before the expected date of arrival of the consignment. Pay the registration fee of Rs. 500 to obtain the automatic Registration Number, which remains valid for 75 days from grant.
DGFT Notification 11/2015-2020 dated 25-05-2022 · ITC (HS) 2022 Chapter 48 policy condition
2
Enter the PIMS Registration Number and its expiry date in the Bill of Entry at the time of filing. Multiple Bills of Entry may be filed against the same Registration Number within the validity period, provided the total quantity does not exceed the permitted quantity registered.
DGFT Notification 11/2015-2020 dated 25-05-2022
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 unprocessed paper from an SEZ/FTWZ/EOU does not require a fresh PIMS registration, but if processing has occurred with an 8-digit HS code change to a PIMS-covered tariff line, the DTA importer must register independently.
DGFT Policy Circular 41/2015-2020 dated 05-07-2022 · DGFT Policy Circular 45/2015-20 dated 23-01-2023

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is applying for PIMS registration too close to the vessel arrival date, triggering a clearance hold when the Registration Number has not yet been granted. The application window closes on the 5th day before expected arrival — not the date of filing the Bill of Entry — so consignments where registration is applied for after that cutoff cannot be cleared under the existing registration and risk port detention, demurrage, and ground rent pending a fresh application cycle.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 4804 11 00 require BIS certification?

No, unbleached kraft paper and paperboard are not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by compulsory registration under the Paper Import Monitoring System administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under the ITC (HS) 2022 Chapter 48 policy condition.

Can a single PIMS Registration Number cover multiple Bills of Entry?

Yes, multiple Bills of Entry are permitted against the same Registration Number within its 75-day validity period, provided the cumulative quantity does not exceed the quantity for which registration was obtained per DGFT Notification 11/2015-2020.

Is PIMS registration required when an SEZ unit clears processed paper into the Domestic Tariff Area?

Only if processing in the SEZ has resulted in a change of 8-digit HS code to a PIMS-covered tariff line; if the paper is cleared unprocessed with the same HS code under which it was originally registered at zone entry, the DTA clearance does not require a fresh PIMS registration per DGFT Policy Circular 41/2015-2020.

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