½” video cassette suitable to work with betacam, betacam SP/M II and VHS type VCR

Half-inch video cassettes for Betacam, Betacam SP, VHS formats

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 8523 29 50 (½″ video cassette suitable to work with Betacam, Betacam SP/M II and VHS type VCR) is subject to import policy conditions administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under policy condition no. 1 to Chapters 85 and 37 of the ITC (HS). Import of films on video tape requires a certificate of public exhibition under the Cinematograph Act, 1952, and import of foreign reprints of Indian films requires prior written permission from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

What this is

HSN code

8523 29 50

Chapter

85 · Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) policy condition no. 1 to Chapters 85 and 37

Customs documentation

Certificate of public exhibition from CBFC
Prior permission from Ministry of I&B
ITC (HS) policy compliance declaration

Compliance steps

1
Where the cassette is imported as or contains a cinematographic or video film, obtain a certificate of public exhibition issued under the Cinematograph Act, 1952 before filing the bill of entry. Importation of unauthorised or pirated films is prohibited and renders the consignment liable to confiscation.
ITC (HS) policy condition no. 1 to Chapters 85 and 37 · Cinematograph Act, 1952
2
For foreign reprints of Indian films on video cassette, secure prior written permission from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting before shipment. Consignments arriving without this permission are not permitted clearance under the DGFT import policy condition.
ITC (HS) policy condition no. 1 to Chapters 85 and 37

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is importing blank or commercially recorded Betacam/VHS cassettes under a general electronics classification without addressing the film-content overlay. Even where the cassette itself is the primary commodity, if it contains any film content — including promotional or archival material — the Cinematograph Act, 1952 certificate-of-public-exhibition requirement is triggered at the bill-of-entry stage; absence of that certificate exposes the consignment to detention and confiscation regardless of whether the content qualifies as a commercial release.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 8523 29 50 require BIS certification?

No, this tariff line is not covered by any BIS Quality Control Order. Import is governed by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under ITC (HS) policy condition no. 1 to Chapters 85 and 37, which mandates compliance with the Cinematograph Act, 1952 and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting permissions where film content is involved.

Does the certificate-of-public-exhibition requirement apply to blank video cassettes with no recorded content?

The policy condition is triggered by the import of films including content on video tape; blank cassettes imported without any film content are not subject to the exhibition-certificate requirement, though the general prohibition on pirated or unauthorised films and the ITC (HS) policy overlay still apply.

What happens if a foreign reprint of an Indian film is imported on this tariff line without Ministry of Information and Broadcasting permission?

Import without prior written permission from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is not permitted under ITC (HS) policy condition no. 1 to Chapter 85, and the consignment is liable to detention, re-export, or confiscation under the Customs Act, 1962.

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