Of staple length exceeding 32.0 mm

Extra-long-staple unginned cotton bales exceeding 32 mm staple length

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · IS 12171

HSN 5201 00 25 (cotton, not carded or combed, of staple length exceeding 32.0 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 textile import policy controls, including Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirements, apply as separate customs-clearance overlays.

What this is

HSN code

5201 00 25

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 packer holding a current licence against IS 12171:2019 for cotton bales. Verify the supplier's CM/L number, licensed product scope, and licensed facility on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order.
Cotton Bales (Quality Control) Amendment Order, 2023 · S.O. 2996(E) dated 03-07-2025 · S.O. 948(E) dated 28-02-2023
2
Ensure each cotton bale bears the ISI standard mark and the supplier's CM/L number in accordance with Scheme-II of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. Marking must appear on the bale itself and on accompanying bale identification documentation.
Scheme-II of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · S.O. 3557(E) dated 07-08-2023 · S.O. 3830(E) dated 28-08-2023
3
Accompany the consignment with a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country certifying absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes. Imports from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom are exempt from azo dye testing.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
4
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number on the bill of entry, supported by the PSIC and certificate of origin. Customs verifies the CM/L in real time against the BIS register; an absent, expired, or scope-mismatched licence triggers consignment detention, demurrage, and potential re-export.
Cotton Bales (Quality Control) Amendment Order, 2023 · BIS Act, 2016 · Customs Act, 1962
5
If the consignment originates in Bangladesh, verify whether the goods fall within the port restrictions under paragraph 19 of the general notes to the import policy per DGFT Notification 7/25-26. Consignments outside the documented carve-outs in paragraphs 2 and 3 are restricted to specified ports.
DGFT Notification 7/25-26 dated 17-05-2025 · General Notes to ITC (HS) Import Policy 2022

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is treating the enforcement date of 27 August 2026 as distant and deferring supplier CM/L verification to the pre-shipment stage. IS 12171:2019 specifies bale density, moisture content, contamination limits, and staple-length grading by classification tier — a cotton bale that physically does not conform to IS 12171:2019 cannot be retrospectively brought into compliance after ginning and baling; a non-conforming consignment arriving on or after 27 August 2026 faces detention and ground rent accumulation, not a compliance grace window.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5201 00 25 require BIS certification?

Yes. Cotton bales of staple length exceeding 32.0 mm must conform to IS 12171:2019 under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 27 August 2026, by virtue of the Cotton Bales (Quality Control) Amendment Order, 2023. Import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence.

Is a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate required separately from BIS QCO compliance?

Yes. The PSIC requirement under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy is independent of the BIS QCO obligation. Imports from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom are exempt from azo dye testing under DGFT Public Notice 14/2023.

Does IS 12171:2019 cover all staple-length classifications of unginned cotton, or only extra-long-staple?

IS 12171:2019 covers cotton bales classified by staple length, fibre fineness, trash content, and packing presentation across Indian and foreign cotton grades; this HSN line covers specifically cotton of staple length exceeding 32.0 mm, which falls within the upper staple-length classifications of the standard.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all bale grades and manufacturing facilities?

No. The CM/L is scope-specific by product grade, bale specification, and licensed manufacturing or ginning facility; cotton bales outside the licensed scope or from an unlicensed plant are not covered and will be detained at the port of import.

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