Letter pads

Letter pads and similar paper stationery articles

PIMS CLEARANCE

HSN 4820 10 20 (Letter pads) is subject to compulsory registration under the Paper Import Monitoring System (PIMS), administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), as a condition of the Free import policy under Chapter 48 of ITC (HS) 2022. Importers must obtain an automatic PIMS Registration Number by submitting advance information online and paying a registration fee of ₹500, and must enter the Registration Number and its expiry date on the bill of entry to obtain customs clearance.

What this is

HSN code

4820 10 20

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
Registration expiry declaration on bill of entry
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
Register on the PIMS portal at https://imports.gov.in not earlier than the 75th day and not later than the 5th day before the expected date of arrival of the consignment. Pay the registration fee of ₹500 to obtain an automatic Registration Number valid for 75 days; multiple bills of entry are permitted under 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 on the bill of entry before filing. Customs clearance will not proceed without this entry; a missing or expired Registration Number will result in detention of the consignment.
DGFT Notification 11/2015-2020 dated 25-05-2022
3
For SEZ, FTWZ, or EOU imports, obtain PIMS registration at the point of import into the zone. If the imported paper is subsequently cleared to the Domestic Tariff Area without processing and with no change in the 8-digit HS code, a second PIMS registration is not required; if processing has occurred with a change in the 8-digit HS code, the DTA importer must register under PIMS if the processed item falls under a covered tariff line.
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 applying for PIMS registration too close to the shipment's arrival: the application window closes 5 days before the expected date of arrival, and a registration submitted outside this window is invalid at the bill of entry stage, exposing the consignment to detention and accumulating demurrage and ground rent. The 75-day validity of the Registration Number must also be tracked across multiple bills of entry — once it lapses, each subsequent bill of entry requires a fresh registration regardless of remaining permitted quantity.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 4820 10 20 require BIS certification?

No, letter pads under this tariff line are not covered by any BIS Quality Control Order. Import is governed by the Paper Import Monitoring System registration condition administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under the ITC (HS) 2022 Chapter 48 policy, effective from 1 October 2022.

How long is a PIMS Registration Number valid, and can it cover more than one bill of entry?

A PIMS Registration Number is valid for 75 days from grant. Multiple bills of entry are permitted under the same Registration Number within this validity period, provided the cumulative quantity does not exceed the quantity registered.

Does an EOU or SEZ unit need a separate PIMS registration when clearing paper to the Domestic Tariff Area?

No separate DTA-clearance registration is required if the paper item was already registered under PIMS at the time of entry into the SEZ, FTWZ, or EOU and no processing has occurred that changes the 8-digit HS code; a change in HS code at the 8-digit level triggers a fresh PIMS registration obligation per DGFT Policy Circular 41/2015-2020.

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