Other

Other paper and paperboard packing containers, including record sleeves

PIMS CLEARANCE

HSN 4819 50 90 (other packing containers of paper or paperboard, including record sleeves) 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, but the PIMS registration number and its expiry date must be entered on the bill of entry before customs clearance.

What this is

HSN code

4819 50 90

Chapter

48 · Paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulp

Primary regulator

PIMS · ITC (HS) 2022 compulsory registration under Paper Import Monitoring System, Chapter 48

Customs documentation

PIMS Registration Number from DGFT
Bill of Entry declaration to CBIC
ITC (HS) policy compliance 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
Obtain an automatic PIMS Registration Number by submitting advance information at https://imports.gov.in and paying the registration fee of ₹500. Apply not earlier than the 75th day and not later than the 5th day before the expected date of arrival; the Registration Number is valid for 75 days and covers multiple bills of entry for the permitted quantity within that period.
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 on the bill of entry at the time of filing. Customs will not grant out-of-charge for consignments where the Registration Number is absent, expired, or entered after the arrival of the consignment.
DGFT Notification 11/2015-2020 dated 25-05-2022
3
If importing into an SEZ, FTWZ, or as an EOU, obtain PIMS registration at the point of entry into those zones. A DTA unit clearing unprocessed paper from an SEZ/FTWZ/EOU need not register again under PIMS, but if the HS code at 8-digit level has changed due to processing, 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 PIMS registration window to lapse before the consignment arrives, which renders the Registration Number invalid and holds the shipment at port pending fresh registration — an online-only process that cannot be expedited retrospectively. Registration must be timed against the actual expected arrival date, not the shipment date; where vessel schedules slip, a new registration covering the revised arrival window must be obtained before the original registration expires.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 4819 50 90 require BIS certification?

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

Can one PIMS Registration Number cover multiple bills of entry?

Yes. Multiple bills of entry are permitted under the same Registration Number within its 75-day validity period, provided the total quantity does not exceed the permitted quantity declared at the time of registration.

Is PIMS registration required when an SEZ unit clears processed paper into the DTA?

Only if the processing has resulted in a change of 8-digit HS code and the processed item falls under a PIMS-covered tariff line; if the item is cleared unprocessed, no fresh DTA registration is required per DGFT Policy Circular 41/2015-2020.

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