Envelopes

Paper envelopes of paper or paperboard

PIMS CLEARANCE

HSN 4817 10 00 (Envelopes) is subject to compulsory registration under the Paper Import Monitoring System (PIMS) administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under DGFT Notification 11/2015-2020 dated 25-05-2022. Import policy is Free subject to PIMS registration, which requires advance submission of import information and payment of a registration fee of ₹500 to obtain an automatic Registration Number valid for 75 days.

What this is

HSN code

4817 10 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
Import declaration from DGFT

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 portal at https://imports.gov.in no earlier than 75 days and no later than 5 days before the expected date of arrival of the consignment. Pay the registration fee of ₹500 to obtain the automatic Registration Number, which remains valid for 75 days from issuance.
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 a single Registration Number within the validity period for the permitted quantity; customs clearance (out-of-charge) is contingent on this entry.
DGFT Notification 11/2015-2020 dated 25-05-2022
3
If importing into a Special Economic Zone, Free Trade and Warehousing Zone, or as an Export Oriented Unit, obtain PIMS registration at the point of entry. A DTA unit clearing unprocessed paper already registered under PIMS from a SEZ/FTWZ/EOU does not require fresh PIMS registration — but any processed item with a change in 8-digit HS code requires fresh registration if the output tariff line is covered under PIMS.
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 late — the window closes 5 days before the expected arrival date, and a consignment arriving without a valid Registration Number entered on the Bill of Entry cannot be cleared by customs. Note that the Registration Number's 75-day validity runs from grant, not from arrival; an importer who registers at the earliest permissible point (75 days out) and then faces shipping delays may find the registration expiring before the vessel berths.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 4817 10 00 require BIS certification?

No, paper envelopes are not covered by any BIS Quality Control Order. Import is governed by the Paper Import Monitoring System administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under DGFT Notification 11/2015-2020, with the import policy classified as Free subject to compulsory PIMS registration.

What is the registration fee and validity window for PIMS on this tariff line?

The registration fee is ₹500, and the resulting automatic Registration Number is valid for 75 days. The application window opens 75 days before the expected arrival date and closes 5 days before arrival; multiple Bills of Entry may be filed under one Registration Number within that validity period for the permitted quantity.

Does a DTA unit clearing envelopes from an SEZ or EOU need a fresh PIMS registration?

No fresh registration is required if the paper item was already registered under PIMS on entry into the SEZ/FTWZ/EOU and no processing resulting in an 8-digit HS code change has taken place; if the HS code at the 8-digit level has changed after processing and the output falls under a PIMS-covered tariff line, fresh DTA-level PIMS registration is mandatory per DGFT Policy Circular 41/2015-2020.

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