Shirting fabrics

Plain weave cotton shirting fabrics, woven

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5208 12 30 (Shirting fabrics) is subject to the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), which requires a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate confirming the absence of prohibited azo dyes under General Note 10. The azo-dye testing requirement applies to all exporting countries except the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.

What this is

HSN code

5208 12 30

Chapter

52 · Cotton

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) import policy, General Note 10 (azo-dye requirement)

Customs documentation

Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from accredited lab
Azo-dye test report from exporter
ITC (HS) policy declaration from DGFT

Compliance steps

1
Obtain a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate or valid test report from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country confirming the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes before shipment. This requirement applies to all origins except the nine exempt countries listed under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
2
Upload the PSIC or test report in e-Sanchit at the bill of entry stage and confirm the exporting country against the exempt-origin list. Consignments from non-exempt countries without valid azo-dye test documentation are liable to detention pending compliance.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is assuming the azo-dye testing exemption is broader than it is: the nine exempt origins are exhaustive, and imports from any country not explicitly listed — including major textile exporters such as Bangladesh, China, Pakistan, and Vietnam — require a PSIC from an accredited laboratory. Presenting only a supplier's internal quality certificate in place of an accredited-lab PSIC at the bill of entry will result in consignment detention until a conforming document is produced.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5208 12 30 require BIS certification?

No, plain weave cotton shirting fabrics are not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by the ITC (HS) policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, with a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate for azo-dye absence required under General Note 10 for non-exempt origins.

Which countries are exempt from the azo-dye testing requirement for this tariff line?

The EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom are exempt from azo-dye testing per General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy and DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14 June 2023; all other origins must provide a conforming PSIC.

Does the azo-dye PSIC exemption for listed countries waive all pre-shipment inspection requirements?

No. The exemption under General Note 10 covers azo-dye testing specifically; any other product-quality or compositional testing obligations under the ITC (HS) policy applicable to cotton woven fabrics remain unaffected by the country-of-origin exemption.

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