Quick answer
Import customs clearance in India has eight steps: get your IEC and GST registration in place, check the HS code and import policy, send your documents to your customs broker, let the shipping line file the IGM, file the Bill of Entry on ICEGATE, get it assessed, pay the duty, and pass examination if your cargo is picked for it. Customs then gives Out of Charge, and you collect the delivery order from the shipping line to take your cargo out. When the documents are ready and the Bill of Entry is filed before the vessel arrives, many shipments are cleared soon after landing.
Key takeaways
- File the Bill of Entry in advance, before the vessel arrives, so assessment can start early.
- Most delays come from documents: an invoice, packing list and Bill of Lading that don't match, or a wrong HS code.
- Customs uses a Risk Management System, and many Bills of Entry are cleared without examination.
- Pay the duty as soon as it is assessed. Every extra day at the port adds storage and container charges.
- Out of Charge is customs release. You still need the delivery order from the shipping line to take your cargo.
In this guide
- What is import customs clearance?
- Step 1: Get your registrations in place
- Step 2: Check the HS code and import policy
- Step 3: Send your documents to your customs broker
- Step 4: The shipping line files the IGM
- Step 5: File the Bill of Entry on ICEGATE
- Step 6: Assessment
- Step 7: Pay the duty
- Step 8: Examination and Out of Charge
- After customs: delivery order, port charges and transport
- How to avoid delays and demurrage
- How Neptoria helps
- Frequently asked questions
What is import customs clearance?
Every shipment that lands in India has to be declared to customs before it can leave the port, inland container depot (ICD) or air cargo complex. Customs checks what the goods are, what they are worth, whether they can be imported at all, and how much duty is due. Customs clearance is the process of getting that approval, which ends with an order called Out of Charge.
Most importers use a licensed customs broker, also called a customs house agent or CHA, to file and follow up for them. If you are choosing one, read our guide on what a CHA does and how to choose one in Surat.
Step 1: Get your registrations in place
Before your first import you need:
- IEC (Importer Exporter Code) from DGFT. It identifies you as an importer on every Bill of Entry.
- GST registration, so you can claim the IGST paid at import as input tax credit.
- Product licences or registrations where your product needs them, such as BIS, FSSAI, plant quarantine or WPC.
Step 2: Check the HS code and import policy
Every product has an 8-digit HS code in the Indian Customs Tariff. The code decides the duty rate, and under India's import policy it also decides whether the product is Free, Restricted (needs a licence or permission) or Prohibited. Getting the code right before the goods are shipped avoids most surprises at the port. Our guide to calculating import duty shows how the code turns into a duty amount.
Step 3: Send your documents to your customs broker
Share the commercial invoice, packing list, Bill of Lading or Airway Bill, insurance certificate, and any certificate of origin or licence as soon as your supplier ships. Your broker checks that names, quantities, weights and descriptions match across all of them before filing. The full list is in our import documents checklist.
Step 4: The shipping line files the IGM
Before the vessel or flight arrives, the carrier files the Import General Manifest (IGM) with customs. It lists all the cargo on board. Your Bill of Entry is linked to the IGM and the line number for your cargo, so your broker keeps track of it.
Step 5: File the Bill of Entry on ICEGATE
The Bill of Entry is your declaration to customs. It gives the description, HS code, quantity, value, country of origin and the duty you are paying. It is filed electronically on ICEGATE, and supporting documents are uploaded through e-Sanchit. There are three main types:
| Type of Bill of Entry | When it is used |
|---|---|
| Home consumption | Goods cleared on payment of duty for use in India. This is the most common type. |
| Warehousing (into-bond) | Goods stored in a customs bonded warehouse, with duty paid later when they are taken out. |
| Ex-bond | Goods taken out of a bonded warehouse for use in India. |
File in advance. Customs law sets a time limit for filing the Bill of Entry, and late filing attracts late presentation charges. Filing before the vessel arrives means assessment can start straight away, and your cargo isn't waiting for paperwork.
Step 6: Assessment
The customs Risk Management System (RMS) decides how each Bill of Entry is handled. Many are facilitated, which means they are accepted on your declaration without an officer's assessment or a physical check. Others go to an assessing officer, who checks the classification, the value and any exemption you have claimed. Under Faceless Assessment, that officer may be in a different city from the port.
If the officer has questions, they raise a query. A quick and complete reply is the best way to keep things moving, and this is where an experienced broker makes the biggest difference.
Step 7: Pay the duty
Once the Bill of Entry is assessed, the duty is paid online through ICEGATE. Pay it as soon as possible: late payment adds interest, and every extra day at the port adds storage charges.
Step 8: Examination and Out of Charge
If the RMS or the officer selects your cargo for examination, customs officers inspect it at the port, container freight station (CFS) or ICD to check it against your declaration. Your broker attends the examination. Sometimes samples are drawn for testing. When everything matches, the officer gives Out of Charge, and customs clearance is complete.
After customs: delivery order, port charges and transport
Customs release isn't the last step. To take your cargo out:
- Pay the shipping line's local charges (and the freight, if it is on collect terms) to get the delivery order (DO).
- Pay the terminal or CFS charges.
- Gate the container out and truck it to your factory or warehouse.
- Return the empty container within the free days to avoid detention charges.
We handle these steps too. See surface transportation for delivery from Hazira, Mundra, Kandla and ICD Sachin.
How to avoid delays and demurrage
- Send your documents to your broker when the vessel sails, not after it lands.
- Check that the invoice, packing list and Bill of Lading match exactly: names, quantities, weights and descriptions.
- Confirm the HS code and any licences before you place the order with your supplier.
- Keep funds ready for duty and shipping line charges.
- Ask your supplier for a certificate of origin if you can claim a lower duty under a trade agreement.
- Reply to customs queries the same day.
How Neptoria helps
Neptoria Clearing And Logistics is a customs house agent in Surat. Our team clears import cargo at Hazira Port, ICD Sachin, Mundra Port, Kandla Port and Ahmedabad Air Cargo. We check documents before filing, work out the duty in advance, and follow up with customs until Out of Charge. See our customs clearance service, or send us your shipment details on WhatsApp.
Frequently asked questions
It depends on the port, the cargo and whether the shipment is picked for examination. With documents ready and the Bill of Entry filed before arrival, many shipments are cleared soon after landing. Cargo held for examination, testing or a customs query takes longer.
An importer can legally file their own Bill of Entry on ICEGATE. In practice most businesses use a licensed customs broker, who knows the procedure, attends examination and handles queries with customs officers.
Out of Charge is the order customs gives once the Bill of Entry is assessed, the duty is paid and any examination is complete. It means customs has released the goods.
Customs can reassess the duty and ask for the difference with interest. Depending on the case, it can also impose a penalty or hold the cargo. Checking the code before shipment avoids this.
Demurrage is usually charged for cargo or containers that stay at the port, terminal or CFS beyond the free time. Detention is charged by the shipping line when you keep its container beyond the free days allowed. Both keep adding up until the cargo is cleared and the empty container is returned.
Related services
Neptoria customs team
Written by the customs and documentation team at Neptoria Clearing And Logistics, a customs house agent in Surat that clears cargo at Hazira, ICD Sachin, Mundra, Kandla and Ahmedabad Air Cargo.
Rules and rates change. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Last updated 9 November 2026.
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