Other

Motorcycles with 250 cc to 500 cc internal combustion engine

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 8711 30 90 (motorcycles with a cylinder capacity exceeding 250 cc but not exceeding 500 cc, other) is subject to the ITC (HS) Restricted-import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), with designated-port restrictions and homologation conditions under Conditions 1, 2 and 7 of Chapter 87. Import of new vehicles is permitted only through 18 notified seaports, airports, and ICDs; second-hand vehicles are restricted to Mumbai port.

What this is

HSN code

8711 30 90

Chapter

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

Primary regulator

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

Customs documentation

Homologation certificate from type-approval authority
Import compliance declaration to CBIC
MV Act conformance documentation from importer

Compliance steps

1
Verify that the consignment is routed through one of the 18 notified entry points: seaports (Nhava Sheva, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Ennore, Cochin, Kattupalli, APM Terminals Pipavav, Krishnapatnam, Vishakhapatnam, Mundra), airports (Mumbai Air Cargo Complex, Delhi Air Cargo, Chennai Airport), or ICDs (Talegaon Pune, Tughlakabad, Faridabad, Garhi Harsaru). Second-hand vehicles are additionally restricted to Mumbai port only.
DGFT Notification 18/2015-20 dated 12-07-2018; DGFT Notification 59/2023 dated 12-02-2024; ITC (HS) Chapter 87 Condition 1
2
Obtain a Homologation Certificate (or type-approval certificate where Condition 7 applies) before filing the bill of entry. The vehicle must comply with the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and the rules thereunder, including right-hand drive, kilometre speedometer, and photometric headlamp standards.
ITC (HS) Chapter 87 Conditions 2 and 7; Motor Vehicles Act, 1988

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is shipping to an ICD or seaport not on the notified list — particularly smaller inland terminals — on the assumption that any customs-staffed port will suffice. A consignment arriving at an unlisted port is liable to detention and compulsory re-routing at the importer's cost, with demurrage and ground rent accruing until clearance or re-export. Confirm the bill of lading port against the current DGFT-notified list before vessel booking, as Notification 59/2023 updated that list and supersedes earlier advisories.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 8711 30 90 require BIS certification?

No, motorcycles in this cylinder-capacity range are not covered by a BIS Quality Control Order. Import is governed by the ITC (HS) Restricted-import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under Chapter 87 Conditions 1, 2 and 7, including homologation, port restriction, and Motor Vehicles Act compliance.

Which ports are notified for import of new motorcycles under this tariff line?

Per DGFT Notifications 18/2015-20 and 59/2023, new vehicles may be imported through 11 seaports, 3 airports, and 4 ICDs as listed in those notifications; second-hand vehicles are restricted exclusively to Mumbai port under Condition 1 of Chapter 87.

What happens if the homologation certificate covers a different variant of the same model?

The homologation or type-approval certificate must correspond to the specific vehicle variant being imported; a certificate issued for a different variant does not satisfy Condition 7 of Chapter 87, and customs may detain the consignment pending submission of conforming documentation or direct re-export.

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