Of cylinder capacity not exceeding 75 cc

Motorcycles with engine capacity 50cc to 75cc

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 8711 20 31 (motorcycles with cylinder capacity not exceeding 75 cc) is subject to the ITC (HS) Restricted-import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), with import of new vehicles permitted only through 18 designated seaports, airports, and inland container depots. Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 compliance — including homologation, right-hand drive, kilometre speedometer, and headlamp photometry — applies as a mandatory technical overlay at the bill of entry.

What this is

HSN code

8711 20 31

Chapter

87 · Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling-stock; parts and accessories

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) Restricted import policy, Conditions 1, 2 and 7 of Chapter 87

Customs documentation

Homologation certificate from MoRTH
Import Licence from DGFT
Type approval declaration to CBIC

Compliance steps

1
Verify that the import entry is filed only through one of the 18 designated ports: seaports Nhava Sheva, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Ennore, Cochin, Kattupalli, APM Terminals Pipavav, Krishnapatnam, Vishakhapatnam, and Mundra; airports Mumbai Air Cargo Complex, Delhi Air Cargo, and Chennai Airport; or ICDs Talegaon Pune, Tughlakabad, Faridabad, and Garhi Harsaru. Consignments arriving at non-designated ports are liable to detention and re-export.
DGFT Notification 18/2015-20 dated 12-07-2018 · DGFT Notification 59/2023-24 dated 12-02-2024
2
Ensure the motorcycle is right-hand drive, fitted with a kilometre speedometer, and accompanied by a Homologation Certificate or type-approval documentation per Condition 7 of Chapter 87, confirming compliance with headlamp photometry and all applicable Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 requirements before out-of-charge.
ITC (HS) Chapter 87, Conditions 1, 2 and 7 · Motor Vehicles Act, 1988

A word of counsel

The port-of-entry restriction and the homologation requirement are independent obligations, and failure on either triggers different enforcement tracks. A common error is tendering a valid homologation certificate while routing the consignment through an unlisted ICD — customs will detain the vehicle regardless of technical compliance. Second-hand vehicles face an additional constraint: import is restricted to Mumbai port only under Condition 1, and diversion to any other designated port applicable to new vehicles does not extend to used motorcycles.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 8711 20 31 require BIS certification?

No, no BIS Quality Control Order covers motorcycles in this cylinder-capacity band. Import is governed by the ITC (HS) Restricted-import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under Conditions 1, 2 and 7 of Chapter 87, with Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 technical compliance as the operative requirement.

Can second-hand motorcycles under HSN 8711 20 31 be imported through any of the 18 designated ports?

No. Second-hand vehicles are importable only through Mumbai port, subject to Condition 1 of Chapter 87; the broader list of 18 designated ports applies exclusively to new vehicles.

What happens if the homologation certificate is absent at the time of bill of entry?

The consignment will be detained at the port of import pending production of a valid Homologation Certificate or type-approval documentation per Condition 7; demurrage and ground rent accrue during the detention period, and continued non-compliance may result in re-export or confiscation.

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