Box files, letter trays, storage boxes and similar articles, of a kind used in offices, shops or the like

Box files, letter trays and office storage boxes of paper

PIMS CLEARANCE

HSN 4819 60 00 (Box files, letter trays, storage boxes and similar articles of paper or paperboard) 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 a valid PIMS Registration Number must be obtained in advance and quoted on the bill of entry before customs clearance.

What this is

HSN code

4819 60 00

Chapter

48 · Paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulp

Primary regulator

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

Customs documentation

PIMS Registration Number from DGFT
Bill of Entry with PIMS expiry date
Import policy declaration to CBIC

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 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 to obtain an automatic Registration Number valid for 75 days. Multiple bills of entry are permitted against the same Registration Number within the validity period for the permitted quantity.
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. Customs clearance out-of-charge will not be granted unless the Registration Number is quoted and remains valid at the time of the bill of entry.
DGFT Notification 11/2015-2020 dated 25-05-2022
3
SEZ, FTWZ, and EOU importers must obtain PIMS registration at the point of import into the zone. Where goods are subsequently cleared into the Domestic Tariff Area without processing and with no 8-digit HSN change, a fresh PIMS registration is not required; however, if processing results in a change of 8-digit tariff line that falls within PIMS coverage, the DTA importer must register separately.
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 misreading the 75-day registration window: applications submitted outside the window — either earlier than 75 days or later than 5 days before the expected arrival date — are invalid, and a consignment arriving without a current PIMS Registration Number will be detained at port pending regularisation. The Registration Number's 75-day validity period is fixed and cannot be extended; where vessel schedules slip, a fresh registration application is required before the original number lapses.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 4819 60 00 require BIS certification?

No, no BIS Quality Control Order covers paper-based office stationery articles under this tariff line. Import is governed by the Paper Import Monitoring System (PIMS) compulsory registration condition under Chapter 48 of the ITC (HS) 2022, administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

How long is a PIMS Registration Number valid and can it cover multiple shipments?

The automatic PIMS Registration Number is valid for 75 days from the date of grant; multiple bills of entry are permitted against the same number within that validity period, provided the total permitted quantity is not exceeded.

Is PIMS registration required when a DTA unit clears processed paper goods from an SEZ or EOU?

Only if the goods have undergone processing in the SEZ or EOU that results in a change of 8-digit HSN classification to a tariff line covered under PIMS; if the paper item is cleared unprocessed without an HS code change, no fresh PIMS registration is required at the DTA stage per DGFT Policy Circular 41/2015-2020.

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