Surface marbled paper

Surface marbled paper, decorated paper in rolls or sheets

PIMS CLEARANCE

HSN 4811 90 16 (Surface marbled paper) is subject to compulsory registration under the Paper Import Monitoring System (PIMS) administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), with import policy revised from Free to Free subject to PIMS registration under Chapter 48 of ITC (HS) 2022. The importer must obtain an automatic Registration Number via the online portal at imports.gov.in before the consignment arrives, and must enter that Registration Number and its expiry date in the bill of entry to obtain customs clearance.

What this is

HSN code

4811 90 16

Chapter

48 · Paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulp

Primary regulator

PIMS · ITC (HS) 2022 Chapter 48 policy condition — compulsory PIMS registration

Customs documentation

PIMS Registration Number from DGFT
Bill of Entry declaration to CBIC
Advance information submission via imports.gov.in

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 on the online portal at 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 Rs. 500 to obtain the automatic Registration Number, which remains valid for 75 days from the date of 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 are permitted against the same registration within its validity period for the permitted quantity; failure to quote the Registration Number prevents customs out-of-charge.
DGFT Notification 11/2015-2020 dated 25-05-2022
3
If the importer is an SEZ, FTWZ, or EOU unit, obtain PIMS registration at the point of import into the SEZ/FTWZ/EOU. A DTA unit clearing goods from an SEZ/FTWZ/EOU without processing does not require fresh PIMS registration; however, if the 8-digit HS code has changed due to processing, the DTA importer must register under PIMS if the processed item falls within the covered tariff lines.
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 expected arrival date — the application window closes on the 5th day before arrival, and a late application cannot be retrospectively accepted, leaving the consignment detained at port and attracting demurrage and ground rent. The 75-day validity window of each Registration Number is fixed; importers with staggered shipment schedules must plan separate registrations for consignments arriving outside the first registration's validity period rather than assuming a single registration covers all pending arrivals.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 4811 90 16 require BIS certification?

No, surface marbled paper is not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers this product family. 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.

How early can an importer apply for PIMS registration and how long does it remain valid?

Registration may be applied for not earlier than the 75th day and not later than the 5th day before the expected arrival date; the automatic Registration Number granted is valid for 75 days, and multiple bills of entry may be filed against it within that period for the permitted quantity.

Is PIMS registration required when an EOU or SEZ unit clears surface marbled paper into the Domestic Tariff Area?

A DTA clearance from an SEZ/FTWZ/EOU does not require fresh PIMS registration if no processing has occurred and the 8-digit HS code is unchanged; if processing has changed the HS code at the 8-digit level and the resulting item falls under a PIMS-covered tariff line, the DTA importer must register independently under PIMS per DGFT Policy Circular 41/2015-2020.

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