Of staple length not exceeding 20.0 mm

Raw cotton bales of staple length not exceeding 20 mm

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · IS 12171

HSN 5201 00 21 (raw cotton, not carded or combed, of staple length not exceeding 20.0 mm) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 12171:2019 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 27 August 2026, by virtue of the Cotton Bales (Quality Control) Amendment Order, 2023. Directorate General of Foreign Trade port-restriction controls under DGFT Notification 7/25-26 apply as a separate customs-clearance overlay where applicable.

What this is

HSN code

5201 00 21

Chapter

52 · Cotton

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 12171:2019 · effective 27-08-2026

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

BISBIS·Bureau of Indian Standards

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

Compliance steps

1
Source only from a Bureau of Indian Standards CM/L-licensed manufacturer or supplier holding a current licence against IS 12171:2019 for cotton bales. Verify the CM/L number, licensed product scope, staple-length class, and manufacturing or ginning facility on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order.
Cotton Bales (Quality Control) Amendment Order, 2023 · S.O. 948(E) dated 28-02-2023
2
Ensure every cotton bale bears the ISI standard mark under licence from Bureau of Indian Standards in accordance with Scheme-II of Schedule-II of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. The mark must appear on the bale identification label, not on outer packaging alone.
Scheme-II of Schedule-II of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · Cotton Bales (Quality Control) Amendment Order, 2023 · S.O. 948(E) dated 28-02-2023
3
Note the deferred enforcement history: S.O. 3557(E) and S.O. 3830(E) extended the obligation, and S.O. 2996(E) dated 03 July 2025 fixed the current enforcement date at 27 August 2026. BIS compliance is mandatory for all consignments arriving on or after that date.
S.O. 3557(E) dated 07-08-2023 · S.O. 3830(E) dated 28-08-2023 · S.O. 2996(E) dated 03-07-2025
4
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number on the bill of entry. Customs verifies the CM/L in real time against the BIS register; an absent, expired, or staple-length-scope-mismatched licence triggers consignment detention, demurrage, and potential re-export.
BIS Act, 2016 · Cotton Bales (Quality Control) Amendment Order, 2023 · Customs Act, 1962
5
If the consignment originates in Bangladesh, verify applicability of the port restrictions introduced under paragraph 19 of the general notes to the ITC (HS) 2022 import policy. Consignments outside the documented carve-outs under paragraphs 2 and 3 are restricted to specified ports of entry.
DGFT Notification 7/25-26 dated 17-05-2025 · General Note 19 of the ITC (HS) 2022 Import Policy

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating the successive deferral notifications — S.O. 3557(E), S.O. 3830(E), and S.O. 2996(E) — as indefinite postponement and allowing procurement contracts to run without BIS supplier qualification. With enforcement fixed at 27 August 2026, consignments shipped under contracts with non-CM/L-licensed suppliers that arrive on or after that date face detention regardless of when the purchase order was placed. Begin CM/L verification at the supplier-qualification stage, not at the shipping-document stage.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5201 00 21 require BIS certification?

Yes. Cotton bales of staple length not exceeding 20.0 mm must conform to IS 12171:2019 under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 27 August 2026, per the Cotton Bales (Quality Control) Amendment Order, 2023.

Why has the enforcement date changed multiple times for this HSN?

S.O. 948(E) established the original obligation; S.O. 3557(E) and S.O. 3830(E) deferred it, and S.O. 2996(E) dated 03 July 2025 fixed the current date at 27 August 2026. No further deferral is reflected in the current notifications.

Does the ISI Mark Scheme apply to the specific staple-length sub-category or to all cotton bales under heading 5201?

IS 12171:2019 covers cotton bales classified by staple length, fibre fineness, trash content, and packing presentation. A CM/L licence is scope-specific to the staple-length class and ginning or packing facility; bales outside the licensed staple-length range are not covered.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all bale variants and all facilities of the same supplier?

No. The CM/L is facility-specific and scope-specific by staple-length class and product specification; bales produced at an unlicensed plant or outside the licensed staple-length range are not covered by the same licence.

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