Printed inlay cards

Printed inlay cards, trade advertising material

PARTNER GOVERNMENT AGENCY CLEARANCE

HSN 4911 10 30 (Printed inlay cards) is governed at import by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) prohibition on obscene printed matter under Customs Notification No. 01/1964-CUS dated 18-01-1964. No sectoral Partner Government Agency licence or registration applies to this tariff line; the operative control is the absolute prohibition on obscene books, pamphlets, papers, drawings, paintings, representations, figures, or articles.

What this is

HSN code

4911 10 30

Chapter

49 · Printed books, newspapers, pictures and other products of the printing industry; manuscripts

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) import policy, Chapter 49 — obscene-material prohibition

Customs documentation

Content compliance declaration from importer
Commercial invoice from exporter

Compliance steps

1
Ensure the printed inlay cards do not constitute obscene books, pamphlets, papers, drawings, paintings, representations, figures, or articles as defined under the prohibition. Import of any such obscene printed material is absolutely prohibited under Customs Notification No. 01/1964-CUS dated 18-01-1964.
Customs Notification No. 01/1964-CUS dated 18-01-1964
2
Prepare a content compliance declaration confirming the inlay cards are trade advertising or commercial catalogue material and do not fall within the prohibited-obscene-material category. Present this declaration to the proper officer at the bill of entry stage.
Customs Notification No. 01/1964-CUS dated 18-01-1964

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is underestimating the scope of the obscene-material prohibition: the prohibition in Notification No. 01/1964-CUS is absolute and covers any representation or figure, not merely explicit imagery. Printed inlay cards accompanying entertainment, gaming, or adult-lifestyle products warrant a content review before shipment; confiscation at the port of import is the outcome for prohibited material, with no provision for redressal or re-export once the designation is made.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 4911 10 30 require BIS certification?

No, printed inlay cards are not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers trade advertising printed matter. The operative control at import is the absolute prohibition on obscene printed material under Customs Notification No. 01/1964-CUS dated 18-01-1964, administered by CBIC.

What documents are required at the bill of entry for printed inlay cards?

No PGA-issued licence or permit is required for conforming goods; the importer must present a commercial invoice and, where the content could be queried by the proper officer, a content compliance declaration confirming the material does not fall within the obscene-material prohibition.

What happens if a consignment of printed inlay cards is found to contain prohibited obscene material?

The consignment is liable to confiscation under the prohibition imposed by Customs Notification No. 01/1964-CUS; confiscation is the direct outcome and there is no rectification pathway once the proper officer makes the determination.

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