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HSN Code 0305: Fish, dried, salted or in brine

HSN 0305 covers fish, dried, salted or in brine. Notification 9/2025-Central Tax (Rate) names this heading in 1 entry, at 5%. The basic customs duty in the Customs Tariff is 30%. Export policy: Mixed; RoDTEP 2.5% of FOB value. The heading has 28 eight-digit tariff items.

Checked against the official files on 2 October 202628 tariff itemsChapter 03 · Fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other…
GST rate5%

Total rate: half central tax, half State tax; charged as IGST across States and on import. In force from 22 September 2025.

Notfn 9/2025-CT (Rate) · Sch. I · S. No. 3
Basic customs duty30%

Standard rate on all 28 tariff items.

Customs Tariff · First Schedule · Ch. 03
Import conditionsFSSAI clearance

Food-safety compliance, the shelf-life rule and notified entry points apply.

ITC(HS) Sch. 1 · General Note 4
Export policy · RoDTEPMixed · 2.5%

Not every line is Free: see the export section. RoDTEP continues up to 31 December 2026.

Sch. 2 Export Policy · Appendix 4R
Tariff items

All 8-Digit Codes Under HSN 0305

Classify the goods at eight digits before you quote a rate: the duty, the export policy and the RoDTEP rate are fixed line by line. Heading text: Fish, dried, salted or in brine; smoked fish, whether or not cooked before or during the smoking process.

Tariff itemDescriptionBasic customs dutyExport policyRoDTEP
0305 20 00Livers, roes and milt of fish, dried, smoked, salted or in brine30%Free2.5% (cap ₹24 per kg.)
0305 31 00Tilapias (Oreochromis spp.), catfish (Pangasius spp., Silurus spp., Clarias spp., Ictalurus spp.), carp (Cyprinus spp.,Carassius spp., Cteno- pharyngodon idellus, Hypophthalmichthys spp., Cirrhinus spp., Mylopharyngodon piceus, Catla catla, Labeo spp., Osteochilus hasselti, Leptobarbus hoeveni, Megalobrama spp.), eels (Anguilla spp.), Nile perch (Lates niloticus) and snakeheads (Channa spp.)30%Free2.5% (cap ₹24 per kg.)
0305 32 00Fish of the familes Bregmacerotidae, Euclichthyidae, Gadidae,Macrouridae, Melanonidae, Merlucciidae, Moridae and Muraenolepididae30%Free2.5% (cap ₹24 per kg.)
0305 39 00Other30%Free2.5% (cap ₹24 per kg.)
0305 41 00Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka, Oncorhynchus gorbuscha, Oncorhynchus keta, Oncorhynchus tschawytscha, Oncorhynchus kisutch, Oncorhynchus masou and Oncorhynchus rhodurus), Atlantic salmon (Salmo Salar) and Danube salmon (Hucho hucho)30%Free2.5% (cap ₹24 per kg.)
0305 42 00Herrings (Clupea harengus, Clupea pallasii)30%Free2.5% (cap ₹24 per kg.)
0305 43 00Trout (Salmo trutta, Oncorhynchus mykiss, Oncorhynchus clarki, Oncorhynchus aguabonita, Oncorhynchus gilae, Oncorhynchus apache and Oncorhynchus chrysogaster)30%Free2.5% (cap ₹24 per kg.)
0305 44 00Tilapias (Oreochromis spp.), catfish (Pangasius spp., Silurus spp., Clarias spp., Ictalurus spp.), carp (Cyprinus spp.,Carassius spp., Ctenophar- yngodon idellus, Hypophthalmichthys spp., Cirrhinus spp., Mylopharyngodon piceus, Catla catla, Labeo spp., Osteochilus hasselti, Lepto- barbus hoeveni, Megalobrama spp.), eels (Anguilla spp.), Nile perch (Lates niloticus) and snakeheads (Channa spp.)30%Free2.5% (cap ₹24 per kg.)
0305 49 00Other30%Free2.5% (cap ₹24 per kg.)
0305 51 00Cod (Gadus morhua, Gadus ogac, Gadus macrocephalus)30%Free2.5% (cap ₹24 per kg.)
0305 52 00Tilapias (Oreochromis spp.), catfish (Pangasius spp., Silurus spp., Clarias spp., Ictalurus spp.), carp (Cyprinus spp.,Carassius spp., Cteno- pharyngodon idellus, Hypophthalmichthys spp., Cirrhinus spp., Mylopharyngodon piceus, Catla catla, Labeo spp., Osteochilus hasselti,Lepto- barbus hoeveni, Megalobrama spp.), eels (Anguilla spp.), Nile perch (Lates niloticus) and snakeheads (Channa spp.)30%Free2.5% (cap ₹24 per kg.)
0305 53 00Fish of the families Bregmacerotidae, Euclichthyidae, Gadidae, Macrouridae, Melanonidae, Merlucciidae, Moridae and Muraenolepididae, other than cod (Gadus morhua, Gadus ogac, Gadus macro- cephalus)30%Free2.5% (cap ₹24 per kg.)
0305 54 00Herrings (Clupea harengus, Clupea pallasii), anchovies (Engraulis spp.), sardines (Sardina pilchardus, Sardinops spp.), sardinella (Sardinella spp.), brisling or sprats (Sprattus sprattus), mackerel (Scomber scombrus, Scomber australasicus, Scomber japonicus), Indian mackerels (Rastrelliger spp.), seerfishes (Scomberomorus spp.), jack and horse mackerel (Trachurus spp.), jacks, crevalles (Caranx spp.), cobia (Rachycentron canadum), silver pomfrets (Pampus spp.), Pacific saury (Cololabis saira), scads (Decapterus spp.), capelin (Mallotus villosus), Sword fish (Xiphias gladius), Kawakawa (Euthynnus affinis), bonitos (Sarda spp.), marlins, sailfishes, spearfish (Istiophoridae)30%Free2.5% (cap ₹24 per kg.)
0305 59 10Mumbai duckOther30%Free2.5% (cap ₹24 per kg.)
0305 59 20Seer without headOther30%Free2.5% (cap ₹24 per kg.)
0305 59 30SpratsOther30%Free2.5% (cap ₹24 per kg.)
0305 59 90OtherOther30%Free2.5% (cap ₹24 per kg.)
0305 61 00Herrings (Clupea harengus, Clupea pallasii)30%Free2.5% (cap ₹24 per kg.)
0305 62 00Cod (Gadus morhua, Gadus ogac, Gadus macrocephalus)30%Free2.5% (cap ₹24 per kg.)
0305 63 00Anchovies (Engraulis spp.)30%Free2.5% (cap ₹24 per kg.)
0305 64 00Tilapias (Oreochromis spp.), catfish (Pangasius spp., Silurus kg. spp., Clarias spp., Ictalurus spp.), carp (Cyprinus spp.,Carassius spp., Cteno- pharyngodon idellus, Hypophthalmichthys spp., Cirrhinus spp., Mylopharyngodon piceus, Catla catla, Labeo spp., Osteochilus hasselti,Lepto- barbus hoeveni, Megalobrama spp.), eels (Anguilla spp.), Nile perch (Lates niloticus) and snakeheads (Channa spp.)30%Free2.5% (cap ₹24 per kg.)
0305 69 10Mumbai duckOther30%Free2.5% (cap ₹24 per kg.)
0305 69 20Seer without headOther30%Free2.5% (cap ₹24 per kg.)
0305 69 30SpratsOther30%Free2.5% (cap ₹24 per kg.)
0305 69 90OtherOther30%Free2.5% (cap ₹24 per kg.)
0305 71 00Shark fins30%Prohibited2.5% (cap ₹24 per kg.)
0305 72 00Fish heads, tails and maws30%Free2.5% (cap ₹24 per kg.)
0305 79 00Other30%Free2.5% (cap ₹24 per kg.)

Basic customs duty is the standard rate in the First Schedule to the Customs Tariff Act. An exemption notification or a trade agreement can lower the duty actually payable. RoDTEP is a percentage of FOB value for exports from the domestic tariff area.

GST

GST Rate on HSN 0305

GST on goods is fixed by the entries of Notification No. 9/2025-Central Tax (Rate), in force from 22 September 2025 and amended up to 30 April 2026. The rate shown is the total: half is central tax and half is State tax on a sale within a State, and the whole is charged as IGST on an inter-State sale or an import. Read the description in the entry, not only the code: the same heading can sit in two Schedules.

GST rateEntryCodes namedGoods covered by the entry
5%Schedule I, S. No. 30303, 0304, 0305, 0306, 0307, 0308,All goods, other than fresh or chilled, pre-packaged and labelled
18%Schedule II, S. No. 639Any ChapterGoods which are not specified in Schedule I, III, IV, V, VI or VII (residual entry)

Goods of this heading that fall under no specific entry take the residual entry, unless they are exempt under the exemption notification issued with the rate notification.

Import

Customs Duty on HSN 0305

An import pays three things: basic customs duty at the tariff rate, social welfare surcharge at 10% of that duty (unless exempted for the goods), and IGST at the GST rate on the value plus both duties. A registered importer takes credit of the IGST.

Basic customs duty at
Social welfare surcharge, 10% of the duty
IGST at on value plus both
Total duty and tax
As a share of the value

Standard rates only: no exemption notification, anti-dumping or safeguard duty, or trade-agreement rate is applied, and the surcharge is taken at 10% although some goods are exempted from it. A registered importer takes credit of the IGST.

Three conditions at the port for food items

FSS Act compliance before clearance

Import of edible products is allowed only if the consignment meets the quality and packaging requirements of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Customs clears it after that is ensured.

Shelf life on the day of import

The product must have at least 60% of its original shelf life left, or three months before expiry, whichever is less, worked out from the dates on the label.

Notified food entry points only

Codes of this heading are in List B of Appendix V, so the goods can enter only through the ports, airports, land stations and ICDs in List A.

Export

Export Policy and RoDTEP for HSN 0305

Under Schedule 2 of ITC(HS) 2022 the 28 tariff items are marked: 27 Free, 1 Prohibited. “Free” means no export authorisation is needed; a Restricted item needs one from DGFT, and an STE item moves only through the named State trading enterprise.

Tariff itemDescriptionExport policyPolicy condition
0305 71 00Shark finsProhibited—

Policy conditions are numbered in the chapter notes of Schedule 2; read the condition in the Schedule before shipping.

RoDTEP is notified for 28 of the 28 tariff items, at 2.5% of FOB value (Appendix 4R, for exports from the domestic tariff area). The scheme continues up to 31 December 2026 at the rates in force on 30 September 2026.

The rate was cut by half for one month in 2026 and then restored. A shipping bill dated from 23 February to 22 March 2026 carries the reduced rate.

  1. Current RoDTEP schedule takes effectAppendix 4R and 4RE notified by Notification 32/2024-25.
  2. All rates and caps limited to 50%Notification 60/2025-26, with immediate effect.
  3. Full rates restoredNotification 66/2025-26 and its corrigendum: the rates of 22 February 2026 apply again from 23 March.
  4. Scheme continued to 30 September 2026Notification 74/2025-26, rates unchanged.
  5. Scheme continued to 31 December 2026Notification 41/2026-27: rates and caps as on 30 September 2026 continue.
Not shown on this page
  • The item-wise import policy (Free, Restricted or Prohibited) of ITC(HS) Schedule 1. The food-import conditions above come from its General Notes.
  • Exemption notifications, anti-dumping and safeguard duties, and preferential rates under trade agreements. The duty shown is the tariff rate.
  • The GST exemption notification. Goods exempt under it pay no GST even if the heading is named in a rate entry.

Official documents behind this page

  1. Notification No. 9/2025-Central Tax (Rate), 17 September 2025GST rate Schedules I to VI, in force from 22 September 2025, as amended by Notification No. 19/2025-Central Tax (Rate) of 31 December 2025 (Schedule VII omitted from 1 February 2026) and No. 01/2026 of 30 April 2026.
  2. Customs Tariff, First ScheduleCBIC Customs Tariff as on 30 June 2024, with the First Schedule amendments of the Finance (No. 2) Act, 2024, the Finance Act, 2025 and the Finance Act, 2026 applied.
  3. ITC(HS) 2022, Schedule 2, Export PolicyDGFT: the export policy and policy condition of each tariff item.
  4. Appendix 4R and Appendix 4RE, RoDTEP ScheduleDGFT, with effect from 10 October 2024 (Notification No. 32/2024-25); the 2026 changes are in Notifications 60, 66 and 74 of 2025-26 and 41 of 2026-27.
  5. ITC(HS) 2022, Schedule 1, General Notes regarding Import PolicyDGFT, as on 11 August 2025: General Note 4 and Appendix V (food import entry points).

Disclaimer: This guide is general information based on the law and notifications in force when it was last updated. It is not professional advice for your case — rates, thresholds and due dates change, so check the current position with the official source before you act on it.

People also ask

Questions, answered

Short, direct answers to the 5 questions readers ask most on this topic.

Notification No. 9/2025-Central Tax (Rate), in force from 22 September 2025, names heading 0305 at 5%. The rate depends on the description in the entry, so match your goods to the entry before invoicing. Goods of the heading not covered by a specific entry take the residual 18% entry unless exempt.

The basic customs duty in the First Schedule to the Customs Tariff Act is 30%. Social welfare surcharge at 10% of the basic duty and IGST at the GST rate are added on import. An exemption notification or a trade agreement can reduce the duty actually payable.

Under ITC(HS) 2022, Schedule 2, the tariff items of heading 0305 are marked: 27 Free, 1 Prohibited. Free items need no export authorisation. Restricted items need an authorisation from DGFT, and prohibited items cannot be exported.

Appendix 4R lists 28 tariff items of heading 0305 at 2.5% of FOB value. The RoDTEP scheme continues up to 31 December 2026 under DGFT Notification No. 41/2026-27.

Heading 0305 has 28 eight-digit tariff items in the Customs Tariff, from 0305 20 00 to 0305 79 00. GST returns and shipping documents use these eight-digit codes.