Documents Required for Exporting Scrap to India – Complete Customs Checklist 2026

One missing document. One wrong description. One date outside the LC validity window.

That’s all it takes for a clean, legitimate consignment to sit at Nhava Sheva or Mundra for 10 days while demurrage runs and your buyer’s working capital gets tied up. Indian customs is not lenient on documentation errors for scrap imports – the regulatory framework is detailed, the physical examination rate is 100%, and gate officers at serious mills have seen every trick in the book.

The document pack for a scrap shipment to India is not complicated. It has a fixed list, a fixed sequence, and a fixed set of rules that apply to every consignment regardless of grade, volume, or port. Get every item right before the vessel sails. Every time.

The Master Document List

There are two layers to the documentation: what the exporter prepares and sends with the shipment, and what the Indian importer files at customs. Both sets need to be consistent with each other – same weight, same description, same container numbers, same HSN code – or customs will query the discrepancy.

Exporter’s document set (origin country):

Indian importer’s document set (destination):

Document 1 – Commercial Invoice

The commercial invoice is the foundation document that everything else must be consistent with. Indian customs uses it to determine assessable value for duty calculation. The LC – if payment is by letter of credit – specifies exactly what the invoice must say. Any deviation from LC terms in the invoice is a discrepancy that can delay payment.

What the invoice must include:

• Exporter’s full name, address, IEC equivalent (or registration number in origin country)
• Indian importer’s exact legal name and address matching their GSTIN registration
• Indian importer’s GSTIN – 15 digits, correct
• Description of goods matching the HSN code being declared – “Ferrous waste and scrap” for HSN 7204, not “steel scrap” or “iron scrap” which can cause classification queries
• Net weight and gross weight in metric tonnes
• Unit price in the agreed currency, total value, and Incoterms (CIF, FOB, CFR)
• Port of loading and port of discharge
• Invoice number and date

The description of goods deserves specific attention. “Scrap metal mixed” is not an adequate description. “Heavy Melting Steel Scrap HMS 1&2 (80:20) – Ferrous waste and scrap under HSN 7204 49 00” is. The more specific the description, the less room customs has to reclassify.

Document 2 – Packing List

The packing list is a companion to the commercial invoice. It must show the same total weight as the invoice and break it down by container number.

• Container numbers – each one individually listed
• Seal numbers for each container
• Net weight per container
• Gross weight per container
• Number of pieces or bales if material is bundled
• Dimensions if relevant (oversize pieces may require declaration)

The weight on the packing list must match the Bill of Lading. A variance of more than 0.5% between packing list weight and B/L weight is flagged by customs and requires explanation. Weigh your containers after loading and before seal. Don’t estimate.

Document 3 – Bill of Lading

The Bill of Lading is the title document to the cargo. Whoever holds an original B/L can take delivery of the goods. This is why under DP and DA payment terms the B/L is held by the bank until payment or acceptance – whoever controls the B/L controls the cargo.

Critical B/L details for India scrap shipments:

• Consignee field: For LC transactions, the B/L is typically made out “To Order of [Issuing Bank]” – not directly to the importer. This is what gives the bank control. Confirm this with your LC terms.
• Notify party: The Indian importer’s name and address
• Port of discharge: Must match exactly the port stated in the LC
• Description of goods: Must be consistent with the commercial invoice
• On-board notation: Indian customs and most LCs require an “On Board” or “Shipped on Board” B/L – not a received-for-shipment B/L
• Date of B/L: This is the shipment date for LC purposes. If the LC specifies “latest shipment date” of a certain date, the B/L date must be on or before that date

A switch B/L – where the original B/L is surrendered and a new one issued at the port of loading – is sometimes used in three-party trades. Indian customs is familiar with switch B/Ls but they require the same consistency standards as original B/Ls.

Document 4 – Certificate of Origin

For PSIC-exempt country shipments – USA, UK, EU, Canada, Australia, New Zealand – the Certificate of Origin is the document that proves the exemption applies. Without it, or with an ambiguous one, customs will require a PSIC regardless of the shipment’s actual origin.

The Certificate of Origin must:

• Be issued by an authorised body – typically the Chamber of Commerce or a government authority in the origin country
• State the country of origin unambiguously – “United States of America” not “USA” if the LC specifies the full name
• Reference the specific shipment – invoice number, B/L number, container numbers, weight
• Carry the original stamp and signature of the issuing body – not a photocopy
• Be dated on or before the date of shipment

For EU exporters, a EUR.1 movement certificate or a supplier’s declaration under the Generalised System of Preferences is typically accepted. For UK exporters post-Brexit, a UK-origin certificate from the relevant Chamber of Commerce. For US exporters, a Certificate of Origin from a USCIB-affiliated Chamber or a notarised origin statement on letterhead.

Do not assume the Certificate of Origin is a formality. It is the document that determines which regulatory track your shipment follows at Indian customs.

Document 5 – PSIC or Radiation-Free Self-Declaration

Every scrap shipment to India requires one of these two documents – no exceptions.

If PSIC is required (non-exempt country origins): The Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate must be issued by a DGFT-approved pre-shipment inspection agency. The original hard copy must arrive at the Indian port before or with the vessel. Indian customs will not release the goods on a photocopy alone. The PSIC must reference the specific shipment – B/L number, container numbers, weight, HSN code – and must certify the consignment is free from radioactive materials, explosives, and arms.

If self-declaration applies (USA, UK, EU, Canada, Australia, NZ at exempt ports): The radiation-free self-declaration from the exporter or scrap yard authority replaces the PSIC. It must be on company letterhead, signed by an authorised person, and must specifically reference the consignment details. A generic statement on the company website does not qualify – it must be a document specific to each shipment.

Both documents must be uploaded to the DGFT portal before the vessel arrives. Indian customs cross-checks the DGFT portal upload against the hard copy presented. A mismatch – or an upload that hasn’t been completed – causes clearance delays even when the physical document is present.

Document 6 – Insurance Certificate

For CIF (Cost, Insurance, Freight) shipments – which most India-bound scrap trades are structured as – the exporter provides marine insurance covering the cargo from origin port to Indian destination port.

The insurance certificate must:

• Cover at least 110% of the invoice value (standard Institute Cargo Clauses requirement)
• Name the Indian importer or “to order” as the insured party for LC transactions
• Reference the shipment specifics – vessel name, voyage, container numbers
• Be in the same currency as the commercial invoice

An open cover policy is acceptable if it’s endorsed for the specific shipment. A blank insurance certificate filled in after loading is not acceptable under most LC terms.

Document 7 – Analysis Certificate or Mill Test Certificate

Not technically mandatory at customs – but increasingly required by Indian buyers, especially for first shipments and for non-ferrous grades.

For HMS consignments, a radiation survey report from a licensed radiation survey agency at origin is worth obtaining even when not contractually required. It confirms background radiation levels were measured and found within acceptable limits – which speeds the radiation portal monitor clearance at the Indian port and gives the importer documentation to show their mill’s quality team.

For copper, aluminum, and other non-ferrous scrap, a third-party assay certificate confirming metal purity levels is standard in the market and often contractually required. Indian non-ferrous buyers price on assay, so the analysis certificate directly affects the final settlement price.

Document 8 – Bill of Entry (Indian Importer’s Responsibility)

The Bill of Entry is filed by the Indian importer’s CHA on the ICEGATE customs portal before or on vessel arrival. It’s the formal declaration of the imported goods to Indian customs.

The Bill of Entry must match every detail of the exporter’s documents – same weight, same description, same HSN code, same value. A CHA who files a Bill of Entry that contradicts the exporter’s documents creates a customs query that both parties then spend days resolving.

Before the vessel arrives, send the Indian importer’s CHA a full pre-arrival documentation set so they can prepare the Bill of Entry accurately. Don’t wait until documents arrive by courier – email scanned copies immediately after shipment and send originals via express courier on the same day.

The Most Common Documentation Errors – And Their Consequences

Print this table. Give a copy to every member of your documentation team before they prepare any India shipment paperwork.

The Pre-Departure Document Check

Before the vessel sails, run through this confirmation with your CHA or documentation team:

Every container number on the packing list matches the B/L. The total weight on the invoice matches the B/L matches the packing list – to within 0.5%. The HSN code on the invoice matches what the Indian importer’s CHA plans to file on the Bill of Entry. The PSIC or self-declaration has been uploaded to the DGFT portal. The Certificate of Origin has been issued and physically stamped. The B/L shows “On Board” and the date is within the LC shipment period. Originals of all documents are being sent by express courier to arrive at the Indian port before the vessel.

That checklist takes 20 minutes. Fixing documentation errors after the vessel has sailed takes 2-10 days and costs real money in demurrage and LC discrepancy resolution.

Connecting the Document Pack to the Full Export Process

The document pack doesn’t exist in isolation. Every document must be consistent with the payment terms structure – LC, DP, or TT – and with the PSIC compliance track the shipment is following. Understanding how these elements connect is what makes the difference between a smooth first India shipment and an expensive learning experience.

For international sellers planning their first India trade relationship – from finding verified buyers through to structuring payment terms and getting the document pack right – the team at Steel Baba connects international scrap sellers directly with active Indian buyers across Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu, and can help you understand what documentation Indian buyers in those markets specifically require.

The full compliance picture for a first India scrap shipment – PSIC exemption rules, BIS vs PSIC differences, port selection, and landed cost calculation – is covered across the international trade series starting with the India scrap import PSIC exemption guide.

Document requirements for scrap import into India are governed by the DGFT Foreign Trade Policy 2023, Handbook of Procedures, and Customs Act 1962. Requirements are subject to amendment via DGFT public notices and customs circulars. Always verify current documentation requirements with your CHA and on the DGFT portal before finalising any shipment.