Printed

Printed woven fabrics of synthetic staple fibres

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 5512 99 20 (Printed woven fabrics of synthetic staple fibres) is subject to ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), requiring a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate confirming the absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes. This obligation arises under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy and DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023.

What this is

HSN code

5512 99 20

Chapter

55 · Man-made staple fibres

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) import policy, General Note 10 (hazardous dye prohibition), Chapter 55

Customs documentation

Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from accredited lab
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 in 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. This document must accompany the bill of entry for customs clearance.
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. Testing for azo dyes is waived only for imports originating from the EU, Serbia, Poland, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom; all other origins require the full PSIC covering azo-dye absence.
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 the azo-dye exemption applies broadly because the exporting country is a recognised trade partner; the exemption list is exhaustive and country-specific. A consignment from any origin not named in the nine-country list that arrives without a valid PSIC or TC/CSRTI test report is detained at the port of entry, and retrospective testing ordered by customs cannot substitute for the pre-shipment document once the consignment has sailed.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5512 99 20 require BIS certification?

No, woven synthetic staple fibre fabrics fall outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import compliance is governed by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under General Note 10 of the ITC (HS) policy, which mandates a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate confirming absence of prohibited hazardous azo dyes.

Is a test report from the Textile Committee an acceptable substitute for a PSIC from an exporting-country laboratory?

Yes. A valid test report from a Textile Committee or CSRTI laboratory is explicitly recognised as an alternative to a PSIC from an accredited lab in the exporting country under DGFT Public Notice 14/2023 dated 14-06-2023.

Does the azo-dye testing exemption apply to all product parameters on the PSIC?

No. The exemption covers azo-dye testing only for the nine named origins; the PSIC or test report for other composition and safety parameters under General Note 10 remains required regardless of the country of export.

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