½” video cassette suitable to work with digital VCR

Half-inch video cassette for digital VCR recording

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 8523 49 70 (½″ video cassette suitable to work with digital VCR) is subject to the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under policy condition no. 1 to Chapters 85 and 37. Import of cinematographic and other films on video tape is permitted only where the importer complies with all applicable Indian laws governing film distribution and exhibition, including a certificate of public exhibition under the Cinematograph Act, 1952. Import of foreign reprints of Indian films requires prior written permission from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

What this is

HSN code

8523 49 70

Chapter

85 · Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof

Primary regulator

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

Customs documentation

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

Compliance steps

1
Confirm the imported film content is authorised and not pirated. Where the cassette carries a cinematographic or other film, obtain a certificate of public exhibition issued under the Cinematograph Act, 1952 before filing the bill of entry. Unauthorised or pirated films are absolutely prohibited from import.
ITC (HS) policy condition no. 1 to Chapters 85 and 37
2
If the cassette contains a foreign reprint of an Indian film, secure prior written permission from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting before shipment. Consignments arriving without this permission are liable to detention and confiscation.
ITC (HS) policy condition no. 1 to Chapters 85 and 37

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating blank or commercially-recorded cassettes as equivalent for customs purposes. Where content is present, the Cinematograph Act, 1952 certificate-of-public-exhibition requirement is a pre-import obligation — it cannot be rectified post-arrival — and a consignment cleared without it is exposed to seizure and prosecution. Foreign reprints of Indian films constitute a separate, distinct prohibition that applies regardless of whether a general exhibition certificate has been obtained.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 8523 49 70 require BIS certification?

No, this tariff line is not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under policy condition no. 1 to Chapters 85 and 37, with content-specific requirements under the Cinematograph Act, 1952.

Does the Cinematograph Act certificate requirement apply to blank cassettes as well as pre-recorded content?

The certificate-of-public-exhibition requirement under the Cinematograph Act, 1952 applies to cassettes carrying films or other recorded content; policy condition no. 1 to Chapters 85 and 37 governs the scope.

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

Import of such reprints without prior written Ministry of Information and Broadcasting approval is prohibited under policy condition no. 1 to Chapters 85 and 37; the consignment is liable to seizure and confiscation.

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