Albums for samples or for collections

Albums for samples or collections, paper or paperboard

PIMS CLEARANCE

HSN 4820 50 00 (Albums for samples or for collections) is subject to compulsory registration under the Paper Import Monitoring System (PIMS), administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), as a policy condition revised under Chapter 48 of the ITC (HS) 2022. Import policy remains Free in status but requires an advance PIMS Registration Number — obtained at https://imports.gov.in by paying ₹500 — which must be quoted on the bill of entry before customs clearance.

What this is

HSN code

4820 50 00

Chapter

48 · Paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulp

Primary regulator

PIMS · ITC (HS) compulsory registration policy condition, Chapter 48

Customs documentation

PIMS Registration Number from DGFT
Bill of Entry declaration to CBIC
ITC (HS) policy compliance

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 a PIMS Registration Number at https://imports.gov.in no earlier than 75 days and no later than 5 days before the expected date of arrival. Pay the registration fee of ₹500; the automatic Registration Number issued is valid for 75 days, during which multiple bills of entry are permitted for the registered 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 of consignments under Chapter 48 PIMS-covered tariff lines — including HSN 4820 50 00 — is conditional on this entry; consignments filed without a valid Registration Number are liable to detention.
DGFT Notification 11/2015-2020 dated 25-05-2022
3
If importing into a SEZ, FTWZ, or as an EOU, obtain PIMS registration at the point of import into the unit. A DTA unit taking clearance from a SEZ/FTWZ/EOU need not register under PIMS only if no processing has occurred and the HS code at the 8-digit level is unchanged; any change in 8-digit HS code upon processing triggers a fresh PIMS registration obligation for the DTA importer.
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 treating the 'Free' import policy status as meaning no prior action is required. PIMS registration is a mandatory precondition, not a post-arrival formality — the application window closes 5 days before the expected arrival date, and a consignment arriving without a valid, unexpired Registration Number entered on the bill of entry will be detained at port, accruing demurrage and ground rent while a corrective registration is pursued. The 75-day validity window is fixed; plan vessel scheduling and registration timing in parallel.

Need a regulatory steer on this product?

Speak to a regulatory counsel about your specific HSN, IS, and supplier situation.

Speak to an Expert

Frequently asked

Does HSN 4820 50 00 require BIS certification?

No. Albums for samples or collections are not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers this product family. Import is governed by the compulsory PIMS registration policy condition under Chapter 48 of the ITC (HS) 2022, administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

How early can a PIMS registration application be filed, and how long does the Registration Number remain valid?

An application may be filed not earlier than 75 days and not later than 5 days before the expected date of arrival of the consignment; the Registration Number, once issued automatically upon payment of ₹500, remains valid for 75 days from issuance, per DGFT Notification 11/2015-2020.

Is PIMS registration required when an EOU or SEZ unit processes the albums and then clears them to the DTA?

If no processing has occurred and the 8-digit HS code is unchanged, the DTA unit does not require a fresh PIMS registration at DTA clearance; however, if processing in the SEZ, FTWZ, or EOU results in a change at the 8-digit HS level and the processed item falls under a PIMS-covered tariff line, the DTA importer must register separately under PIMS, per DGFT Policy Circular 41/2015-2020.

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