Containing less than 1 part hafnium to 500 parts zirconium by weight

Zirconium unwrought, low hafnium content (nuclear-grade)

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 8109 21 00 (zirconium containing less than 1 part hafnium to 500 parts zirconium by weight) is governed by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under the ITC (HS) import policy: the tariff line is Free for zirconium in most forms, but import of Zirconium Powder is Restricted under DGFT Notification 54/2015-20 dated 09-02-2022. Where the consignment constitutes metal scrap or waste, additional conditions under Para 2.54 of the Handbook of Procedures and the Hazardous Waste (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016 apply as mandatory overlays.

What this is

HSN code

8109 21 00

Chapter

81 · Other base metals; cermets; articles thereof

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) import policy; Restricted sub-category for Zirconium Powder (DGFT Notification 54/2015-20)

Customs documentation

Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate from PSIA
Import Licence from DGFT
Hazardous Waste forms from CPCB

Compliance steps

1
Determine the precise form of zirconium being imported. If the consignment is Zirconium Powder, obtain a DGFT import licence before shipment — the powder sub-category is Restricted under DGFT Notification 54/2015-20 dated 09-02-2022, and clearance without a licence exposes the consignment to confiscation and monetary penalty.
DGFT Notification 54/2015-20 dated 09-02-2022 · ITC (HS) import policy, Chapter 81
2
For consignments constituting metal scrap or waste, obtain a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate (PSIC) generated online through the DGFT portal (document code 856001) and upload it in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry. PSICs dated on or after 1 July 2022 not generated through the DGFT online system will not be accepted by Indian Customs. Shipments from safe countries/regions imported through specified ports are exempt from the PSIC requirement.
DGFT Trade Notice 03/2022-23 dated 26-04-2022 · DGFT Public Notice 64/2015-20 dated 19-02-2020 · DGFT Public Notice 46/2015-20 dated 14-01-2022
3
Where the consignment is classified as hazardous waste or scrap subject to transboundary movement controls, comply with Rules 11, 12 and 13 of the Hazardous Waste (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016 and submit valid Forms 2, 6, 7 and 9 along with Schedules III, VI and VIII documentation. Route through specified ports and ports/locations permitted under Para 2.54 and 2.55 of the Foreign Trade Policy, and follow the radioactive-contamination random-check SOP per DGFT Public Notice 37/2015-20 dated 15-11-2021.
Para 8(B) of General Notes, ITC (HS) · Hazardous Waste (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016 · DGFT Public Notice 37/2015-20 dated 15-11-2021 · Para 2.54, 2.55 of HBP

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating the Free import status of the heading as applying uniformly to all forms of zirconium. Zirconium Powder is a separately Restricted sub-category under DGFT Notification 54/2015-20, and shipments arriving as powder without a DGFT licence — even when the commercial invoice describes the product generically as 'zirconium' — are detained at the port of entry pending regularisation, with demurrage and ground rent accruing. Verify the product form against the Restricted-category definition before placing the purchase order.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 8109 21 00 require BIS certification?

No, zirconium and articles thereof under this tariff line fall outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers this product family. Import is governed by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under the ITC (HS) import policy, with a Restricted sub-category for Zirconium Powder under DGFT Notification 54/2015-20.

Is the Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate mandatory for all consignments under this HSN?

The PSIC (document code 856001) is mandatory for metal scrap and waste consignments and must be generated online via the DGFT portal; consignments from safe countries/regions are exempt from the PSIC requirement only when imported through specified ports, per DGFT Public Notice 64/2015-20 and Public Notice 46/2015-20.

What happens if the consignment includes zirconium scrap subject to hazardous waste controls?

Import is permissible only through specified ports and is subject to Rules 11, 12 and 13 of the Hazardous Waste (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016, with mandatory submission of Forms 2, 6, 7 and 9; non-compliance risks seizure, re-export, or prosecution under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

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