PIMS Registration: How to Register on the DGFT PIMS Portal
Importers of specified Chapter 48 paper products must register each shipment on the PIMS portal before it arrives. This guide covers the login, the filing steps, the ₹500 fee and the 75-day validity.
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PIMS registration in short: log in at imports.gov.in/imsdpiit with your IEC, choose PAPER, enter the shipment details, and pay a flat ₹500. The system issues an automatic registration number. Apply between the 75th and 5th day before your shipment's expected arrival. The number is valid for 75 days and can cover several Bills of Entry up to the registered quantity.
Reviewed by Prashant Dwivedi, Co-Founder, iKargos · Last reviewed
What is PIMS?
The Paper Import Monitoring System (PIMS) is an online, automatic registration that importers of specified paper products must obtain before their goods arrive in India. It was introduced by DGFT Notification No. 11/2015-2020 dated 25 May 2022 and has been mandatory for Bills of Entry filed on or after 1 October 2022. It is now part of Chapter 48, Policy Condition 04 of the ITC(HS) import policy (Notification 08/2023, 29 May 2023). The portal is run under the DPIIT Import Monitoring System.
PIMS is monitoring, not licensing. Covered paper remains freely importable, but you must quote a valid PIMS registration number and its expiry date on the Bill of Entry.
Who needs a PIMS certificate?
Any importer bringing in goods under the 201 specified 8-digit tariff lines of Chapter 48 listed in Annexure-I of the notification. This includes newsprint, coated and uncoated paper, tissue, cartons, labels and similar products. Not every Chapter 48 line is covered, and Chapter 49 (printed matter) is not covered.
- Excluded: currency-note paper, bank-bond paper and security-printing paper.
- Still mandatory in 2026. It has not been withdrawn.
Not sure if your product is covered? Check your HS code under Chapter 48 or ask us on WhatsApp.
PIMS login: how to access the portal
- Go to https://imports.gov.in/imsdpiit/ (DPIIT Import Monitoring System).
- Under Import Category, select PAPER.
- Choose Login with IEC (first time, using your Importer-Exporter Code) or Login with Password (if you have already set one).
- Problems logging in or filing? The portal's official support email is pims-support@gov.in.
How to register on the PIMS portal: step by step
- Log in as above.
- Start a new registration and enter the shipment details: 8-digit HS code, product description, quantity and unit, value, country of origin, port of import and expected arrival date.
- Check the timing: the expected arrival date must be between 75 and 5 days after the application date.
- Pay ₹500 online. The portal uses the government's Bharatkosh payment gateway.
- Download the registration. The system issues an automatic registration number with its expiry date. This is what importers call the "PIMS certificate".
- Quote the number and expiry date on each Bill of Entry for that shipment.
PIMS fee, application window and validity
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Government fee | ₹500 flat per automatic registration (DGFT Public Notice 02/2025-26, 15 Apr 2025) |
| When to apply | Between the 75th and the 5th day before the expected arrival of the consignment |
| Validity | 75 days |
| Bills of Entry covered | Multiple BoEs allowed within the validity, up to the registered quantity. Quantity above that needs a new registration |
| iKargos service fee | Separate; ask for a quote |
Special cases
- Air cargo: not exempt. PIMS applies whatever the mode of transport.
- SEZ, FTWZ and EOU units: register at the time of import. A DTA buyer of the same unprocessed goods does not need a fresh registration. If processing changes the 8-digit code, the DTA importer must register.
- Advance Authorisation, DFIA, IGCR, EOU, SEZ: these schemes do not exempt you from PIMS.
- Temporary or re-export imports: not exempt.
- Five virgin multi-layer paperboard lines (4805 91 00, 4805 92 00, 4805 93 00, 4810 92 00, 4810 99 00) also have a separate minimum import price of ₹67,220 per tonne. That is a separate condition from PIMS.
PIMS vs SIMS vs CHIMS
| Compare | PIMS | SIMS | CHIMS | NFMIMS (copper) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goods | Specified Chapter 48 paper | Steel (Ch. 72, 73 and others) | Integrated circuits (8542) | Copper (Ch. 74) |
| Status | Required | Required | Discontinued 29 Nov 2024 (DGFT Notif. 41/2024-25) | Required |
| Portal | imports.gov.in/imsdpiit | DGFT | – | imports.mines.gov.in/MIMSC/co |
| Our page | this page | SIMS registration | CHIMS | CHIMS / copper NFMIMS |
Common mistakes that hold up clearance
- Applying too early (more than 75 days before arrival) or too late (less than 5 days).
- The registration expires before the last Bill of Entry is filed.
- Importing more than the registered quantity.
- Wrong 8-digit HS code: covered goods declared under an uncovered line, or the other way round.
- PIMS number or expiry date not quoted on the Bill of Entry.
Frequently asked questions
What is PIMS registration?
How do I log in to the PIMS portal?
What is the PIMS registration fee?
When should I apply for PIMS?
How long is a PIMS certificate valid?
Which products need PIMS?
Is PIMS required for air shipments or SEZ units?
Is PIMS still mandatory in 2026?
You may also need
Need broader regulatory support beyond this certification? See iKargos's full trade compliance advisory. All EXIM certifications
Paper shipment on the way?
iKargos files PIMS registrations for importers every week. Send us the HS code and the expected arrival date.