Denim

Woven cotton denim fabric, heavy weight

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5209 42 00 (Denim) 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) from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country confirming the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes. This requirement applies under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy, with a country-specific exemption for imports originating from select jurisdictions.

What this is

HSN code

5209 42 00

Chapter

52 · Cotton

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) Import Policy, General Note 10 (hazardous dye testing), Chapter 52

Customs documentation

Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from accredited lab
Test report from Textile Committee or CSRTI
ITC (HS) policy declaration to 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 (TC) or Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute (CSRTI) laboratory, certifying the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes before the consignment is dispatched.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
2
Confirm the country of origin before filing the bill of entry. Azo-dye testing is exempted only for imports from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom; all other origins must present a valid PSIC or TC/CSRTI test report at the time of customs assessment.
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 that a certificate of composition or a mill test report satisfies the PSIC requirement. The PSIC must specifically certify the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes and must originate from an accredited laboratory of the exporting country, a Textile Committee laboratory, or CSRTI; a generic quality certificate does not substitute, and its absence at the bill-of-entry stage results in consignment detention.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5209 42 00 require BIS certification?

No, woven cotton denim fabric is not within 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 certifying the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes.

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

Only imports originating 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 dated 14-06-2023; all other origins must present a valid PSIC or TC/CSRTI test report.

Can a test report from a domestic Indian laboratory replace the PSIC for non-exempt origins?

Yes, a valid test report from a Textile Committee or CSRTI laboratory is accepted as an alternative to the exporting-country accredited-lab PSIC, provided it certifies the absence of all prohibited hazardous dyes per General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy.

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