Other copying or transfer papers (excluding printed transfer) cut to size whether or not put up in boxes

Copying or transfer papers cut to size (carbonless copy paper)

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

HSN 4816 90 10 (copying or transfer papers cut to size, excluding printed transfer) 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 registration administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade applies as a separate customs-clearance overlay.

What this is

HSN code

4816 90 10

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 licensed manufacturing facility 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 consignment unit bears the ISI Standard Mark and the supplier's CM/L number under Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. Marking must appear on the product or its immediate packaging, not on the outer carton 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 on the Paper Import Monitoring System portal. Apply not earlier than 75 days and not later than 5 days before the expected date of arrival, pay the ₹500 registration fee, and obtain the automatic registration number valid for 75 days.
DGFT Notification 11/2015-2020 dated 25-05-2022 · ITC (HS) 2022 Chapter 48 policy condition
4
Quote both the supplier's BIS CM/L number and the PIMS registration number with its expiry date on the bill of entry. Multiple bills of entry are permitted under a single PIMS registration within its validity and for the permitted quantity.
DGFT Notification 11/2015-2020 dated 25-05-2022 · BIS Act, 2016 · Customs Act, 1962
5
If the consignment enters or exits an SEZ, FTWZ, or EOU, confirm whether PIMS registration is required at that stage. PIMS registration is required at point of import into an SEZ/FTWZ/EOU; a DTA clearance from those zones without processing does not require fresh PIMS registration, but a change in 8-digit HS code from processing does.
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 common error on this tariff line is conflating the broad heading description — 'copying or transfer papers' — with the IS 14490:2018 scope, which is specifically carbonless copy paper (CB, CFB, and CF grades for multipart forms and continuous stationery). Importers sourcing plain office copier paper or other transfer-paper variants that do not match the IS 14490:2018 grade specification still present a CM/L licence for the IS but for an out-of-scope product; customs and BIS market surveillance can detain both for scope mismatch. Verify that the supplier's CM/L explicitly covers the grade and coating specification of the specific product being imported, not merely the IS number.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 4816 90 10 require BIS certification?

Yes. Conformity to IS 14490:2018 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 04 December 2020 under the Plain Copier Paper (Quality Control) Order, 2020; import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence covering the relevant grade and facility.

Is Paper Import Monitoring System registration required separately from BIS QCO compliance?

Yes. PIMS registration is administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under DGFT Notification 11/2015-2020 and is independent of the BIS QCO obligation. Fee ₹500, registration valid for 75 days, apply no earlier than 75 days and no later than 5 days before arrival.

Does a unit importing into an SEZ or EOU need PIMS registration?

Yes. 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 PIMS registration, but processing that changes the 8-digit HS code triggers a new PIMS obligation if the output falls under a PIMS-covered tariff line.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all paper grades and cut sizes from the same manufacturer?

No. The CM/L is scope-specific by grade (CB, CFB, CF), substance, and manufacturing facility; paper variants outside the licensed specification or from an unlicensed plant are not covered and will be detained at the BIS register verification stage.

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