Shirting fabrics

Woven cotton shirting fabrics, 3-thread or 4-thread twill

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5208 43 20 (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 (PSIC) or valid laboratory test report confirming the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy.

What this is

HSN code

5208 43 20

Chapter

52 · Cotton

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) import policy, General Note 10 (hazardous dyes, Chapter 52)

Customs documentation

Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from accredited lab
Test report from Textile Committee or CSRTI
ITC (HS) policy compliance from DGFT

Compliance steps

1
Obtain a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country, or a valid test report from a Textile Committee or CSRTI laboratory, certifying the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes. This document must be uploaded in e-Sanchit and presented at the bill of entry.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
2
Confirm whether the country of origin qualifies for the azo-dye testing exemption. Imports from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom are exempt from azo-dye testing only; the PSIC for other composition parameters remains required for all origins.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023

A word of counsel

The most frequent error on this tariff line is assuming that origin from an exempt country eliminates the PSIC requirement entirely. The azo-dye testing exemption for EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom is narrowly confined to azo-dye presence only; a PSIC or valid test report covering other prohibited hazardous dye parameters remains mandatory for every origin, and its absence at the bill-of-entry stage results in consignment detention pending documentary compliance.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5208 43 20 require BIS certification?

No, woven cotton shirting fabrics are outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, principally through the General Note 10 requirement for a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate confirming absence of prohibited hazardous dyes.

Which laboratories are accepted for the PSIC or test report on azo dyes?

DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023 accepts a PSIC from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country, or a valid test report issued by the Textile Committee or CSRTI.

Does the azo-dye exemption for EU and other listed countries remove the need for any pre-shipment documentation?

No. The exemption covers azo-dye testing specifically; a PSIC or test report certifying compliance with other prohibited hazardous dye parameters under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy remains required regardless of country of origin.

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