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Boxes

Folding boxes and cases of noncorrugated paper or paperboard

PIMS CLEARANCE

HSN 4819 20 20 (Boxes) is subject to compulsory registration under the Paper Import Monitoring System (PIMS) administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), operative for all bill of entries filed on or after 1 October 2022 under DGFT Notification 11/2015-2020 dated 25-05-2022. Import policy is Free subject to this PIMS registration requirement, and importers must obtain an automatic Registration Number — valid for 75 days — before the consignment arrives.

What this is
HSN code
4819 20 20
Chapter
48 · Paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulp
Primary regulator
PIMS · ITC (HS) Free import policy subject to PIMS registration, Chapter 48
Customs documentation
  • PIMS Registration Number from DGFT
  • Registration expiry declaration to CBIC
  • Bill of entry with PIMS number
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. 1
    Apply for a PIMS Registration Number at https://imports.gov.in no earlier than the 75th day and no later than the 5th day before the expected date of arrival. Pay the registration fee of ₹500. The Registration Number is valid for 75 days, and multiple bill of entries may be filed against the same Registration Number within that validity period for the permitted quantity.
    DGFT Notification 11/2015-2020 dated 25-05-2022
  2. 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 unless these fields are populated and the Registration Number remains within its 75-day validity window.
    DGFT Notification 11/2015-2020 dated 25-05-2022
  3. 3
    If importing as an SEZ, FTWZ, or EOU unit, obtain PIMS registration at the point of import into the SEZ/FTWZ/EOU. A DTA unit clearing unprocessed paper from an SEZ/FTWZ/EOU does not require fresh PIMS registration, but if processing has changed the 8-digit HS code to another 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 allowing the 75-day Registration Number to expire before all bill of entries under that registration have been filed. A single-registration strategy works only when the full permitted quantity clears within 75 days; where shipments are staggered across multiple vessels, each arriving consignment must be mapped against a valid, unexpired Registration Number — there is no grace period, and a bill of entry filed against an expired PIMS number will be held by Customs, attracting demurrage and ground rent until a fresh registration is obtained.

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Frequently asked
Does HSN 4819 20 20 require BIS certification?
No. Folding boxes and cases of noncorrugated paper and paperboard are not covered by any BIS Quality Control Order. Import is governed by the Paper Import Monitoring System registration requirement administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under DGFT Notification 11/2015-2020, with import policy classified as Free subject to that compulsory PIMS registration.
How early can an importer apply for PIMS registration, and how long is the Registration Number valid?
An importer may apply no earlier than 75 days and no later than 5 days before the expected date of arrival; the automatic Registration Number issued is valid for 75 days, during which multiple bill of entries may be filed for the permitted quantity.
Does a DTA unit clearing paper from an SEZ or EOU need a separate PIMS registration?
Only if processing in the SEZ or EOU has changed the 8-digit HS code to another PIMS-covered tariff line; if the paper exits the SEZ or EOU unprocessed and at the same 8-digit code under which it was originally registered, no fresh PIMS registration is required at the DTA clearance stage, per DGFT Policy Circular 41/2015-2020.
Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: PIMS / DGFT / Indian Customs CUSDATA.
Related
ChapterChapter 48 · Paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulpHSNCARTONS, BOXES, CASES, BAGS AND OTHER PACKING CONTAINERS, OF PAPER, PAPERBOARD, CELLULOSE WADDING OR WEBS OF CELLULOSE FIBRES; BOX FILES, LETTER TRAYS, AND SIMILAR ARTICLES, OF PAPER OR PAPERBOARD OF A KIND USED IN OFFICES, SHOPS OR THE LIKEHSNFolding cartons, boxes and cases, of noncorrugated paper and paperboard: