Leather footwear with plastic and synthetic sole

Ankle-covering leather footwear with plastic or synthetic sole

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · IS 1989

HSN 6403 91 20 (leather footwear with plastic and synthetic sole, covering the ankle) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to the applicable Indian Standard is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 01 August 2024, by virtue of the Footwear Made from Leather and Other Materials (Quality Control) Order, 2024. No separate customs-clearance overlay applies beyond the BIS obligation.

What this is

HSN code

6403 91 20

Chapter

64 · Footwear, gaiters and the like; parts thereof

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 1989 · effective 01-08-2024

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

BISBIS·Bureau of Indian Standards

Compliance steps

1
Identify the precise product sub-type before sourcing: miners' safety boots (IS 1989 Part 1:1986), heavy-metal-industry safety boots (IS 1989 Part 2:1986), direct-moulded rubber sole (IS 11226:1993), polymeric-sole safety footwear (IS 14544:2022), high-ankle tactical boots (IS 17012:2018), anti-riot shoes (IS 17037:2018), or service/general-purpose shoes (IS 17043 Part 1 or Part 2:2024). Each sub-type maps to a distinct IS; sourcing without this determination makes CM/L verification impossible.
Footwear Made from Leather and Other Materials (Quality Control) Order, 2024 · S.O. 1421(E) dated 15-03-2024
2
Verify the foreign manufacturer's BIS CM/L licence number against the correct IS on the BIS online register. Confirm the licensed scope covers the specific product type, size range, and manufacturing facility before placing the purchase order.
Footwear Made from Leather and Other Materials (Quality Control) Order, 2024 · S.O. 1421(E) dated 15-03-2024 · Scheme-I of Schedule-II of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
3
Ensure every pair bears the ISI mark and the supplier's CM/L number as required under Scheme-I of Schedule-II of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. Marking must appear on the product itself; packaging-only marking does not satisfy the requirement.
Scheme-I of Schedule-II of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · Footwear Made from Leather and Other Materials (Quality Control) Order, 2024
4
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number on the bill of entry. Customs verifies the CM/L in real time against the BIS register; an absent, expired, or product-scope-mismatched CM/L triggers consignment detention, demurrage, and potential re-export or confiscation.
BIS Act, 2016 · Footwear Made from Leather and Other Materials (Quality Control) Order, 2024 · Customs Act, 1962
5
If the supplier qualifies as a micro or small manufacturing unit under Section 7 of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006, obtain and retain documentary evidence of that status. The QCO exemption applies only to qualifying manufacturing units, not to importers or traders.
S.O. 3775(E) dated 11-08-2022 · Section 7 of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006

A word of counsel

The defining compliance trap on this tariff line is treating the six applicable Indian Standards as interchangeable. Each IS is product-type-specific — a CM/L licence against IS 17012:2018 for high-ankle tactical boots does not cover miners' safety boots under IS 1989 (Part 1):1986, and customs verifies the licensed IS against the declared goods description at the line level. Importers who obtain a single CM/L without confirming it covers the exact sub-type in the consignment face detention regardless of whether an ISI mark physically appears on the footwear.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 6403 91 20 require BIS certification?

Yes. All leather safety and protective footwear within this tariff line must conform to the applicable Indian Standard and bear the ISI mark under a BIS CM/L licence, under the ISI Mark Scheme, with effect from 01 August 2024.

Which Indian Standard applies to this HSN?

Six standards are notified: IS 1989 Parts 1 and 2 (miners' and heavy-metal-industry safety boots), IS 11226:1993 (rubber-soled safety footwear), IS 14544:2022 (polymeric-sole safety footwear), IS 17012:2018 (tactical boots), IS 17037:2018 (anti-riot shoes), and IS 17043 Parts 1 and 2:2024 (service and general-purpose shoes). The applicable standard is determined by the product sub-type.

Does the micro and small enterprise exemption apply to importers?

No. The exemption under S.O. 3775(E) applies only to micro and small manufacturing units as defined in Section 7 of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006. Importers and trading entities do not qualify regardless of their own enterprise classification.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all footwear sub-types from the same manufacturer?

No. Each CM/L is scope-specific by Indian Standard and product type; a licence against IS 17043 for service shoes does not authorise import of miners' safety boots under IS 1989, and customs will detain any consignment where the CM/L scope does not match the declared goods.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-18. Source: BIS / Indian Customs CUSDATA.