Restricted and regulated imports: your questions, answered
Goods that need a licence, a certificate or an approval before they come in.
- Not every product can be imported freely.
- Check the import policy for your tariff head before you order.
- Drones, wireless goods, scrap and vehicles have their own rules.
- Ask first. A wrong order is costly to reverse.
How do I know if my product is restricted?
Check the import policy against your eight-digit tariff head.
The policy shows if the import is Free, Restricted or Prohibited.
What do Free, Restricted and Prohibited mean?
- Free: no licence needed from DGFT
- Restricted: you need an authorisation or licence
- Prohibited: you cannot import it
Are drones restricted?
Yes. Complete drones are Prohibited, with limited exceptions. Components are Free.
DGFT Notification 54/2015-20 dated 9 February 2022 is the basis.
Did you know? The first Boeing 747
Q. When did the 747 first fly? On 9 February 1969, from Everett in the United States.
Q. What did it change for cargo? Freighter versions with a hinged nose carry large, heavy and urgent goods. Every such consignment is still cleared by a Bill of Entry or a Shipping Bill.
Illustration, not a photograph.Do wireless goods need approval?
Often yes, from the Department of Telecommunications.
Can I import a used vehicle?
Only under strict conditions.
Other goods we have written about
Not sure how this applies to your shipment? Send us the product and the route. A call or a message is all it takes, and we are with you at every step of the way, whether you are importing or exporting.
Multimodal Logistic Systems Pvt. Ltd., Pune, India. Written by Shankar Jha. We are consultants, not a law firm. This page is general information.