Matrices for production of records; prepared record blank

Matrices and prepared blanks for record production

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 8523 49 50 (Matrices for production of records; prepared record blank) is subject to the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), under which import of cinematographic and other films is conditional on compliance with all applicable Indian laws governing distribution and exhibition, including a certificate of public exhibition under the Cinematograph Act, 1952. Unauthorised and pirated films are prohibited outright, and foreign reprints of Indian films require prior written permission from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

What this is

HSN code

8523 49 50

Chapter

85 · Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) import policy, Policy Condition 1 to Chapters 85 and 37

Customs documentation

Certificate of public exhibition from CBFC
Import declaration from DGFT
MIB prior permission from Ministry of I&B

Compliance steps

1
Verify that the film or recorded medium is not unauthorised or pirated before filing the bill of entry. Import of cinematographic films on any format — video tape, compact video disc, laser video disc, or digital video disc — requires that the importer holds a certificate of public exhibition under the Cinematograph Act, 1952.
ITC (HS) Policy Condition 1 to Chapter 85 and Chapter 37
2
If the consignment comprises foreign reprints of Indian films, obtain prior written permission from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting before shipment. Consignments arriving without this permission are liable to detention and refusal of out-of-charge.
ITC (HS) Policy Condition 1 to Chapter 85 and Chapter 37

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating the certificate of public exhibition as a post-import formality. The Cinematograph Act, 1952 certificate must be in hand before the bill of entry is filed — customs officers verify its upload at the out-of-charge stage, and a consignment detained for a missing certificate accrues demurrage and ground rent while the certification process runs its course. For foreign reprints of Indian films, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting permission must be secured in writing prior to shipment, not retrospectively.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 8523 49 50 require BIS certification?

No, matrices and prepared record blanks under this tariff line are not covered by any BIS Quality Control Order. Import is governed by the DGFT ITC (HS) policy condition, which requires compliance with Indian laws on film distribution and exhibition, including a certificate of public exhibition under the Cinematograph Act, 1952.

Does the public-exhibition certificate requirement apply to matrices and blanks that contain no recorded content?

Policy Condition 1 to Chapters 85 and 37 applies to cinematographic films and other films imported on any format; unrecorded blanks and production matrices not carrying film content should be assessed against that condition, and any doubt about scope should be clarified with DGFT before filing.

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

Import without prior written permission from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is not permitted under Policy Condition 1 to Chapter 85; the consignment is liable to detention, refusal of out-of-charge, and potential confiscation under the Customs Act, 1962.

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