Worked mother-of-pearl and articles thereof

AQCS CLEARANCE · WCCB CLEARANCE

HSN 9601 90 20 (Worked mother-of-pearl and articles thereof) is subject to Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS) sanitary clearance and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) CITES permit oversight, with the tariff line classified as Restricted under the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). A CITES Certificate and Veterinary Health Certificate must accompany every consignment, uploaded in e-Sanchit before customs out-of-charge.

What this is

HSN code

9601 90 20

Chapter

96 · Miscellaneous manufactured articles

Primary regulator

AQCS · Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (sanitary and veterinary clearance); WCCB · CITES permit oversight

Customs documentation

CITES Certificate from WCCB
Veterinary Health Certificate from AQCS
Certificate of Analysis from AQCS

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

AQCSAQCS·Animal Quarantine and Certification Services

WCCBWCCB·Wildlife Crime Control Bureau

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

Compliance steps

1
Obtain a CITES Certificate (document code 626000) and a Health Certificate (document code 6360AQ) before shipment. Both documents must be uploaded in e-Sanchit; customs out-of-charge will not be granted on PGA-facilitated bills until the proper officer has verified these uploads.
CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022 · ITC (HS) Restricted import policy, Chapter 96
2
Upload the Veterinary Health Certificate issued by the exporting country's competent authority under document code 853AQ1, and the Laboratory Report or Certificate of Analysis under document code 001AQ1, as required for CTIs listed in Annexure A (Sl. No. 1) and (Sl. No. 2) respectively of CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus.
CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022 · Annexure A, Sl. No. 1 and Sl. No. 2

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating AQCS clearance and CITES compliance as interchangeable or sequential rather than concurrent and independently mandatory. A consignment presenting a valid CITES Certificate but lacking the Veterinary Health Certificate (853AQ1) or the Certificate of Analysis (001AQ1) will be detained at the port pending document completion — and a CITES-absent consignment involving a species listed under CITES Appendices faces seizure and potential criminal liability under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, entirely separate from the AQCS deficiency.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 9601 90 20 require BIS certification?

No. No BIS Quality Control Order covers worked mother-of-pearl or animal carving materials. Import is governed by Animal Quarantine and Certification Services sanitary clearance and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau CITES oversight, with the Restricted-import policy condition administered by DGFT.

Which e-Sanchit document codes are mandatory at the bill of entry for this tariff line?

Four document codes apply: CITES Certificate (626000), Health Certificate (6360AQ), Veterinary Health Certificate from the exporting country (853AQ1), and Laboratory Report or Certificate of Analysis (001AQ1), all per CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022.

Does CITES apply to all mother-of-pearl consignments, or only to certain species?

CITES applies where the source species is listed under CITES Appendices I, II, or III; the importer must verify the species status before shipment, as a consignment of a listed species without a valid CITES Certificate is liable to seizure and confiscation under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

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