Shirting

Cotton shirting fabric, plain weave, blended with man-made fibres

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5211 41 30 (Shirting) 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 hazardous azo dyes under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy. DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14 June 2023 governs the applicable testing and exemption framework.

What this is

HSN code

5211 41 30

Chapter

52 · Cotton

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) import policy, General Note 10 — hazardous azo dye restriction

Customs documentation

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

Compliance steps

1
Obtain a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate (PSIC) 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 shipped.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023
2
Verify origin eligibility before waiving azo-dye testing: the testing exemption applies only to imports from EU member states, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. Consignments from all other origins require the PSIC regardless of the supplier's quality assurances.
General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy · DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is assuming that country-of-origin exemption from azo-dye testing eliminates all pre-shipment documentation obligations — it does not. The exemption covers testing for azo dyes only; the underlying requirement to demonstrate compliance with General Note 10 remains, and a bill of entry filed without the PSIC or test report from a non-exempt origin will be detained pending documentary production, attracting demurrage and ground rent.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5211 41 30 require BIS certification?

No, woven cotton shirting fabric falls outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by the ITC (HS) policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, principally through the General Note 10 hazardous azo-dye restriction and the associated Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirement under DGFT Public Notice 14/2023.

Which laboratories are authorised to issue the Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate for azo-dye compliance?

The PSIC must be issued by an accredited laboratory of the exporting country, or alternatively a valid test report from a Textile Committee or CSRTI laboratory in India satisfies the requirement per General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy.

Does the country-of-origin exemption from azo-dye testing apply to fabric transshipped through an exempt country?

No. The exemption under General Note 10 and DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 is based on the country of origin of the goods, not the country of export or port of transshipment; fabric originating in a non-exempt country remains subject to the full PSIC requirement regardless of the routing.

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