Art paper

Art paper, kaolin-coated sheets in small format

PIMS CLEARANCE

HSN 4810 14 20 (Art paper) is subject to compulsory registration under the Paper Import Monitoring System (PIMS) administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under ITC (HS) 2022, Chapter 48. The import policy is Free subject to PIMS registration, and importers must obtain an automatic Registration Number via the DGFT online portal before the consignment arrives. Import of stock-lot art paper is separately Prohibited under the ITC (HS) policy per DGFT Notification 45/2015-20.

What this is

HSN code

4810 14 20

Chapter

48 · Paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulp

Primary regulator

PIMS · ITC (HS) Compulsory Registration under Paper Import Monitoring System, Chapter 48

Customs documentation

PIMS Registration Number from DGFT
Bill of Entry with PIMS expiry date
Stock-lot prohibition 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
Register on the PIMS online portal at https://imports.gov.in not earlier than the 75th day and not later than the 5th day before the expected date of arrival. Pay the registration fee of ₹500 to obtain the automatic Registration Number, which is valid for 75 days and permits multiple bills of entry for the permitted quantity within that window.
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. Customs will not grant out-of-charge clearance for consignments where the Registration Number is absent, expired, or where the quantity exceeds the registered quantity.
DGFT Notification 11/2015-2020 dated 25-05-2022 · DGFT Policy Circular 41/2015-2020 dated 05-07-2022
3
Verify that the consignment is not a stock lot before filing the bill of entry. Import of stock-lot paper under this tariff line is Prohibited under the ITC (HS) policy; consignments characterised as stock lots are liable to confiscation. SEZ, FTWZ, and EOU importers must register under PIMS at the point of import into the zone; DTA clearance from an SEZ/FTWZ/EOU requires a fresh PIMS registration only if processing has changed the 8-digit HS code.
DGFT Notification 45/2015-20 dated 31-01-2020 · DGFT Trade Notice 08/2020-21 dated 04-05-2020 · 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 misreading the 75-day registration window as a 75-day advance-booking deadline. The window is a band: registration opens on day 75 before expected arrival and closes on day 5 — applications submitted outside this band are rejected by the portal, leaving the consignment without a valid Registration Number at the bill of entry and triggering detention. The 75-day validity of the Registration Number is separate from the application window and runs from the date of grant, not from the expected arrival date.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 4810 14 20 require BIS certification?

No, no BIS Quality Control Order covers kaolin-coated art paper in small-format sheets. Import is governed by the Paper Import Monitoring System administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under the ITC (HS) 2022 Chapter 48 policy condition, with a stock-lot prohibition overlay under DGFT Notification 45/2015-20.

Can an SEZ or EOU importer bypass PIMS registration for this tariff line?

No. Per DGFT Policy Circular 41/2015-2020, PIMS registration is required at the point of import into an SEZ, FTWZ, or EOU; a DTA unit clearing unprocessed paper from a zone that was already PIMS-registered at entry does not need fresh registration, but if processing changed the 8-digit HS code, a new PIMS registration is required.

What happens if a consignment of stock-lot art paper is presented at customs?

Import of stock-lot paper under this CTI is Prohibited under the ITC (HS) policy per DGFT Notification 45/2015-20; the consignment is liable to confiscation or compulsory re-export, and the importer faces monetary penalty under the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992.

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